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CCR Resolutions Database

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  • Refugee claims by children and the Hague convention

    Res.: 27
    Whereas:

    Recent family court decisions in B.C. and Ontario have provided that a child who comes under the jurisdiction of the Hague Convention and who is a refugee claimant in Canada could be returned to the country where she fears persecution prior to a determination of the refugee claim;

    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR work with the UNHCR and with the UN committee that monitors the Hague Convention and with the Departments of Justice of the provinces which are parties to the Hague Convention to ensure that these two international covenants are applied in a manner that does not interfere with a child's right to have a refugee claim determined and not to be refouled to a country where she has a well-founded fear of persecution.

  • Client code of service rights

    Res.: 5
    Whereas:

    A CCR resolution in May 2003 supported the development of a Client Code of Rights to inform clients of their rights and outline a complaint process;

    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR endorse the following Client Code of Service Rights and encourage its use by CCR member organizations:

    1. You have the right to receive services in a trusting, respectful and supportive environment free of any form of discrimination or harassment.
    2. You have the right of privacy and confidentiality and to disclose only what you believe is necessary at any given time.
    3. Staff limits of confidentiality include: the requirement to report incidents of child abuse, to comply with a court ordered subpoena and to prevent harm.
    4. The file is the property of [Agency name] and you have the right to review it and make comments if you disagree with the contents of the file.
    5. You make decisions about your needs and goals.
    6. You have the right to refuse services at any time or to request service from an alternate person.
    7. You have the right to receive accurate, complete and timely information.
    8. You have the right to a safe, fair and transparent complaint process when you feel that your rights have been violated.

  • Liberian refugees

    Res.: 10
    Whereas:
    1. Refugees from Liberia have continued to flee to Tabour Camp in Ivory Coast and to Buduburam Camp in Ghana;
    2. Canadians from Liberia are in regular communication with these refugees;
    3. There is presently no hope for early repatriation or local integration;
    4. The camps are seriously ill-equipped to protect their residents;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Call on the Government of Canada to urge the UNHCR to provide humanitarian aid adequate for the safety, health and maintenance of these vulnerable populations.
    2. Urge Citizenship and Immigration Canada to expedite early resettlement of persons in urgent need of resettlement.

  • Access to counsel for immigration detainees

    Res.: 15
    Whereas:

    The increasing use of detention by CIC in provincial jails has resulted in the transfer of immigration detainees to remote areas, where they are effectively denied the right to counsel and cannot even contact counsel due to the requirement to communicate via collect calls from these jails;

    Therefore be it resolved:

    That CCR call upon the federal and provincial governments to establish procedures to ensure effective access to counsel for all immigration detainees, including free telephone access and face to face communication with counsel.

  • Trafficking in women and children - urgent protection

    Res.: 20
    Whereas:
    1. The CCR passed Resolution 24 in December 2001 and subsequently has held regional workshops and a national conference to explore the issues domestically;
    2. The Conference identified urgent protection for trafficked women and children as a key priority;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Request CIC to develop an immediate protection mechanism leading to permanent residence in Canada to protect trafficked women and children and that the necessary resources and support structures be put in place to sustain the program.
    2. Urge that the Urgent Protection Program be expanded to include trafficked persons and that their immediate family grouping be kept intact since family members left behind may be at risk.

  • Protection of Canadian citizens overseas

    Res.: 25
    Whereas:
    1. There is disturbing news of attacks against the fundamental rights of Canadian citizens overseas;
    2. Canadian citizens overseas have experienced severe torture (the cases of Mr Arar and Mr Sampson) and even death under torture (the case of Ms Zahra Kazemi);
    3. The US authorities have returned a naturalized Canadian citizen to his country of origin where he was interrogated and tortured;
    4. There are shocking reports about inadequate support from the Canadian government to Canadians detained overseas and even, in the case of Arar, indications of collaboration between the RCMP and CSIS on the one hand and the US and Syrian authorities on the other;
    5. Visible minorities and Canadian citizens with refugee backgrounds are the main victims of such abhorrent practices;
    6. Survivors have demanded a full public inquiry into their tragic experiences;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Ask the Government of Canada to accept requests from survivors or the families of victims for a full independent public inquiry into their cases and the conditions surrounding their arrest, removal to torture and the role of the Canadian officials.
    2. Urge the US government to make a similar public inquiry into the cases of Canadian citizens returned to torture.
    3. Request that the Canadian public inquiry have the utmost transparency with the aim of shedding light on the role of Canadian officials in protecting Canadian citizens and verifying the methods of torture used against our fellow-citizens overseas and on the role of other governments in subjecting Canadians to torture or other cruel and unusual treatment.
    4. Promote Canada's working towards the non-derogable right of every human person not to be sent to torture.
    5. Urge that, even in extreme cases of security suspicion, Canadian citizens overseas be returned to Canada for further investigation and possible prosecution rather than sent to torture.
    6. Appeal to the Canadian government to play an effective role in rehabilitation, redress and compensation in the cases of Canadian citizens who have been tortured overseas.
    7. Petition the Government of Canada to take all necessary steps to maintain Canadian global leadership in the exposure, prevention and eradication of torture and the need for its absolute prohibition.
    8. Ask the Government of Canada to take immediate diplomatic, economic and political action against governments that have tortured and will torture Canadian citizens or send them to torture.
    9. Solicit the Government of Canada to use regional and intergovernmental agencies, where possible, such as the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the UN Committee Against Torture and the UN Committee on Human Rights to object to the treatment of Canadian citizens overseas.
    10. Encourage the Canadian Government to take immediate action to intervene in the cases of all Canadians who are languishing in overseas jails and are subjected to torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment.

  • Children and access to education

    Res.: 30
    Whereas:
    1. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has noted with concern in its recent report on Canada that children are being excluded from schools in Canada because of their lack of immigration status;
    2. It is the policy of the CCR that all minor children residing in Canada have the right to attend school regardless of their immigration status;
    3. Education of children is a matter of the exclusive jurisdiction of the provincial governments under the Canadian constitution;
    4. The exception set out in section 30(2) of IRPA has the effect, due to its ambiguity, of excluding from school many children who are not visitors;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Urge the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to amend section 30(2) omitting the exception.
    2. Contact all the provincial Ministers of Education and urge them to ensure that all minor children are admitted to schools in Canada free of charge without regard to their immigration status.
    3. Work with local groups such as the Education Rights Task Force in Ontario to develop strategies to ensure that all minor children have free access to education everywhere in Canada regardless of their immigration status.

  • Threat of open tendering

    Res.: 3
    Whereas:
    1. The province of BC is preparing a system of 'Open Tendering' for settlement services, potentially contracting private sector interests to deliver core settlement services to immigrants for profit.
    2. CIC has intentionally developed an internationally unique infrastructure of community-based immigrant settlement organizations across all provinces and territories;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR express to CIC-NHQ (Integration), CIC BC Region and the BC Ministry of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services concerns about the threat posed to service quality, accessibility, professionalism and community connectedness by 'Open tendering' and the potential transfer of settlement services away from the current network of community-based agencies.

  • Settlement funding allocation

    Res.: 8
    Whereas:
    1. The need for language training increases in communities affected by secondary migration;
    2. The new funding allocation model does not address the immediate training needs of newcomers now living in affected communities;
    3. These communities have long waiting lists for LINC classes;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR urge CIC to:

    1. Increase the overall amount of money available for immigrant services.
    2. Include a consideration of secondary migration in the calculation of the funding allocation formula.

  • Ministerial relief

    Res.: 13
    Whereas:
    1. A significant number of refugees applying for private sponsorship are found to be inadmissible pursuant to s. 34(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act;
    2. These refugees are entitled to request Ministerial Relief, and an exemption from inadmissibility, pursuant to s. 34(2) of IRPA, on the grounds that it would not be detrimental to Canada's national interest to admit them to Canada;
    3. The CIC policy manuals advise visa officers to consider Ministerial Relief only in cases where it is specifically requested by refugees;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Urge the Canadian Government to require that visa officers advise refugees and other applicants for permanent residence of the option to apply for Ministerial Relief pursuant to s. 34(2) of IRPA in cases where they are considering rejection of their case pursuant to s. 34(1).
    2. Write to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration about the significance of Ministerial Relief and ask the Minister to act more generously in issuing Ministerial Relief.

  • Statelessness statistics

    Res.: 18
    Whereas:
    1. IRPA is silent on the issue of statelessness which increases the vulnerability of stateless people;
    2. Current data collection systems of the government are inconsistent and ad hoc on statistics relating to statelessness;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR request that CIC and the IRB review their data management and reporting systems to ensure the accurate and timely collection and reporting of statistics relating to statelessness, in particular:

    • refugee status determination hearings when statelessness was a factor (numbers, country of residence)
    • H&C applications of stateless cases (numbers accepted, numbers rejected, countries of habitual residence)
    • detention of stateless persons (length of detention, reason for detention, country of habitual residence, place of detention, age, gender)
    • removals of stateless persons (including country of habitual residence, age, gender, country removed to).
    • resettlement of stateless persons.

  • Right to establish relationships

    Res.: 3
    Whereas:
    1. Permanent residents, protected persons and citizens have the right to establish a longstanding relationship by co-habiting with or marrying a partner of their choice and have children, regardless of status;
    2. Families are a key foundation of civil society and every effort should be taken to ensure that partners and their offspring are not separated;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR advocate to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to amend the regulations in order to create a class through which permanent residents, protected persons and citizens have the right to sponsor their partner and children in Canada, regardless of their status.

  • Iraq

    Res.: 8
    Whereas:

    The on-going humanitarian and human insecurity problems continue to plague Iraqis displaced inside or outside the country;

    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Urge CIC to consider as a basis for a refugee claim the ongoing insecurity in the country when assessing applications for resettlement from Iraqis and process them fully;
    2. Raise with the Canadian government the need for:
      a)the immediate and ongoing clearing of unexploded ordinances including cluster bombs and landmines;
      b)a gendered understanding of the current humanitarian crisis in Iraq, that humanitarian and relief projects be particularly nuanced to address the needs of women and girls in war-torn Iraq, and that reconstruction projects in Iraq promote women in central and vital roles in the re-building of the institutions of civil and political life of the country.

  • Backlash against Muslim and Arab communities

    Res.: 13
    Whereas:
    1. People of Arab descent and Muslims of various ethnicities are experiencing being the target of increased discrimination, harassment and racialization following the events of September 11, 2001;
    2. Many such victims are reticent out of fear of making public such targeting;
    3. There is a need to broaden public awareness of what is happening in our communities concerning this targeting;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR identify and promote existing materials and work with other groups in facilitating the development of an educational component for public awareness, including the possibility of producing a video, focusing on post September 11 targeting and profiling of Arabs and Muslims in our communities.

  • Non-status immigrants

    Res.: 1
    Whereas:
    1. Undocumented/non-status immigrants and refugees who have been living without status in Canada have made and continue to make vital contributions to our society;
    2. They have been denied access to basic social supports, health services and educational opportunities;
    3. They are exploited and marginalized because of lack of status;
    4. The rights of the children of undocumented/non-status immigrants and refugees, including those who are Canadian-born, are often violated and they and their parents have no recourse because they are fearful of being deported;
    5. An increasingly restrictive Canadian immigration policy serves as a prohibitive barrier to equitable access to immigration to Canada;
    6. In the past the Canadian Government has instituted special programs to regularize the status of such persons without status;
    7. A just and humane solution must be sought to address the problem of the large numbers of undocumented/non-status immigrants and refugees in the country;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR, together with other organizations and coalitions working for the rights of undocumented/non-status immigrants and refugees, advocate with CIC to develop a process that will allow those without status the opportunity to have their status regularized in Canada.

  • Refugee women at risk

    Res.: 6
    Whereas:

    CCR Resolution 8, Nov. 1993 called for physical protection of refugee women in Africa and Resolution 17, June 1994 called for women at risk to have interviews waived;

    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Urge the Government of Canada to assign more officers to African visa posts, particularly Accra, Abidjan and Nairobi, with a mandate to process women at risk refugee files, and to ensure expedited processing by waiving interviews where UNHCR records are clear and complete to allow for in-Canada security and medicals where the woman and her dependant children's well-being is in doubt;
    2. Urge UNHCR to send additional resettlement officers to Africa for the identification and selection of women at risk;
    3. Urge CIDA to increase funding for the identification and protection of refugee women at risk and their children;
    4. Urge the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to direct visa officers to comply with their own overseas protection guidelines in processing vulnerable and at risk refugee cases (3 to 6 months).

  • LGBT claimant issues

    Res.: 11
    Whereas:
    1. The CCR passed a resolution in November 1994 on guidelines and education on sexual orientation for the IRB (Res. 16);
    2. There continues to be a lack of familiarity and sensitivity to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/transsexual (LGBT) issues and realities amongst some members of the IRB, RPOs and CIC employees as well as a continuing attitude of homophobia and heterosexism;
    3. Members are using the existence of LGBT organizations in the country of origin as evidence of acceptance in the country of origin;
    4. Members are using tourist promotional materials directed at LGBT North American communities as evidence of acceptance;
    5. Members incorrectly assume that there are no human rights abuses and therefore consider there is evidence of acceptance, in situations where both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are silent on specific countries;
    6. Some members state that claimants will experience no problems if they behave in a discreet manner in their country of origin;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Write to the Chairperson of the IRB requesting the development and implementation of guidelines for sexual orientation claims and that the guidelines be developed in consultation with the CCR and LGBT organizations;
    2. Request the IRB and CIC to provide ongoing sensitivity training on LGBT issues and realities for members, RPOs and CIC employees.

  • Increased settlement funding

    Res.: 4
    Whereas:
    1. We are witnessing a significant increase in the number of immigrants recently, and trends indicate that this will likely continue for years to come;
    2. We see a significant increase in costs to deliver settlement services, due to increases in rents and other infrastructure costs, increased staff compensation levels, etc;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR request CIC to:

    1. Provide a copy of the report prepared by the consultant on the national funding allocation formula;
    2. Share their vision/action plan for providing necessary sustainable funding to address service needs as well as organizations' operational needs.

  • Cost recovery mechanisms for referrals

    Res.: 9
    Whereas:
    1. CCR Resolution 39, June 1994 condemned cost recovery fees for Convention refugees and their dependants and requested that processing fees be eliminated for refugees and CCR Resolution 12, May 1995, called the Right of Landing Fee discriminatory, exclusionary and racist and called for the repeal of the Right of Landing Fee for all newcomers to Canada while recognizing the particular burden the head tax laid on refugees;
    2. CIC is likely to implement a "user pay" cost recovery fee to pay organizations abroad who are contracted to refer and/or process refugees for resettlement to Canada. The cost recovery mechanism will create additional debt burdens for refugees resettled to Canada;
    3. The cost recovery mechanism creates a two-tier system for refugees seeking resettlement because neither sponsors nor UNHCR charge fees to refugees for referral;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Reiterate its condemnation of the charging of application and/or processing fees and oppose the application of any new charges to refugees resettled to Canada, based on the resettlement referral;
    2. Call on CIC to ensure that sufficient funds are available through its own program budget funding to facilitate the applications, referrals and processing of all refugees abroad accepted for permanent residence.

  • Separated children national policy

    Res.: 14
    Whereas:
    1. The CCR passed a resolution to endorse the "Best Practice" Statement developed by the Focal Point on Separated Children (Res. 19, Nov. 2002);
    2. There has yet to be a national policy developed on separated children;
    3. There is no consistent definition of the term "separated children";
    4. Practices differ widely across the country;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR write to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration requesting the implementation of a national policy that is consistent with the Best Practices statement, and that the policy be developed in consultation with the CCR, NGOs and the UNHCR.

  • Client code of rights

    Res.: 2
    Whereas:

    The provision of services of a certain quality is a social responsibility for agencies providing services to refugee and immigrant clients;

    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Support the development of a "Client Code of Rights" that will inform clients of their rights and outline a process of complaint when accessing services;
    2. Facilitate the endorsement of a client code of rights by CCR members.

  • Assistance to refugees

    Res.: 7
    Whereas:
    1. The CCR is concerned globally with the plight of refugees and refugee welfare in their area or place of refuge;
    2. Financial assistance provided by CIDA multilaterally to UN agencies and other coordinating bodies does not always result in improving the actual provision of material assistance (food, water, shelter, non-food items, etc.) to refugees;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR urge CIDA to:

    1. In addition to providing funding to UN agencies, continue to provide humanitarian funding directly to non-governmental implementing organizations providing material assistance directly to refugees;
    2. Remain aware of the effectiveness and positive impact of aid provided to refugees and displaced persons;
    3. Increase the proportion of Official Development Assistance (ODA) directed to humanitarian relief and development assistance going to refugee situations and protracted camp situations.

  • Extensions for filing PIFs and abandonments

    Res.: 12
    Whereas:
    1. The IRB is denying extensions of time for filing PIFs and where extensions are granted they are for 1-2 weeks maximum;
    2. This does not allow for difficulties claimants experience when they:
      a)are detained; b)require translation (language issues);
      c)require an experienced counsel (e.g. gender, sexual orientation);
      d)face delays in obtaining legal aid;
      e)reside in smaller centres with no easy access to counsel;
      f)are survivors of torture and trauma;
    3. The IRB is declaring abandonment even where a claimant has produced a PIF and has a reasonable explanation for the delay;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Ask the Chairperson of the IRB to issue a directive to allow for longer (1 month or more) extensions for filing of PIFs;
    2. Ask the IRB Chairperson to issue a directive that cases not be declared abandoned if the PIF is filed in advance of or at an abandonment hearing.

  • Youth representation within CCR

    Res.: 5
    Whereas:
    1. Young people are under-represented in the CCR;
    2. There are increasing numbers of separated children and youth coming to Canada;
    3. In order to remain relevant to immigrants and refugees, the CCR must find ways to increase youth participation;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR actively promote youth participation at all levels of the organization by:

    1. Having at least one youth workshop organized by youth for youth at CCR consultations;
    2. Finding ways to increase/encourage youth attendance at consultations;
    3. Exploring ways of linking and encouraging dialogue amongst youth that are interested in refugee and immigrant issues.

  • Principles for return of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in India

    Res.: 10
    Whereas:
    1. The Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have agreed on a cessation of hostilities and began peace negotiations to end almost two decades of civil war;
    2. Sri Lankan Tamil refugees living in refugee camps in India met in February 2003 to discuss the peace process and agree on principles for their possible return home;
    3. The refugees have come out with a Memorandum of Concern stating that their return home should be "safe, orderly and as a consequence of a peace process that is transparent, democratic and inclusive with a visible commitment to protecting the rights of all Ceylon's citizens and the restoration of their social and material well-being";
    4. The refugees have asked for international support of their principles of return;
    5. The principles of return as outlined in the Nallayan Declaration Memorandum of Concern are in line with CCR concerns that refugees have a say in decisions impacting on their lives;
    Therefore be it resolved:

    That the CCR:

    1. Endorse the Sri Lankan Tamil Refugees Memorandum of Concern outlining principles on return;
    2. Send a copy of the Memorandum of Concern to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, asking that Canada encourage the Sri Lankan Government to take steps to ensure that the refugees' concerns (as outlined in the memorandum of concern) are addressed in the peace process;
    3. Send a copy of the Memorandum of Concern to the Minister for International Cooperation, asking that her department (CIDA) provide financial support to demining and rehabilitation/reconstruction efforts in Sri Lanka;
    4. Ask the Government of Canada to encourage UNHCR to take steps to ensure that the refugees' concerns (as outlined in the memorandum of concern) are addressed in discussions, plans and programs on the possible voluntary return of the refugees home.