Posted by admin on Nov 7th, 2010
HEATHER SCOFFIELD, Ottawa— The Canadian Press, Sunday, Nov. 07, 2010 9:48PM EST
The list of endorsements the Tories are showcasing to support their proposed crackdown on human smuggling is running into some trouble. Tory MPs have been quick to rhyme off the names of local groups who have thrown their weight behind their controversial bill, and supportive letters from groups far and wide have popped up suddenly in the in-boxes of reporters covering the story. But many of those supporters receive federal funding, their websites show. Some of the groups are so small that they have no office or website or official mission statement. And some of the supporters are now qualifying their endorsement.
» click here to continue reading
Posted by admin on Nov 1st, 2010
This is an urgent call for action regarding Bill C-49 which is currently before the House of Commons (it was at 2nd reading on October 27th). Please see below for details of the bill and the specific concerns of Health for All, followed by suggestions on taking action. For details of the bill, including the full legal text and time-line in parliament, please see the Parliament of Canada Website.
» click here to continue reading
Posted by admin on Oct 28th, 2010
Oct 28 2010, Toronto Star
Last week the Conservative government introduced its legislation to “crack down†on human smugglers. Given the balanced approach in the recently passed refugee reform bill, we had reason to hope that the government would present a fair package. Unfortunately, the Prevent Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada’s Immigration System Act misses the mark. Instead of focusing on the real problem — the human smugglers who exploit people for a profit — it directs the reprisals at their victims — the refugees fleeing persecution.
» click here to continue reading
Posted by admin on Oct 22nd, 2010
By Catherine McAteer, October 22 2010 issue, Lawyers Weekly
A seemingly innocuous administrative instruction issued earlier this year by Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, has created quite a stir in the legal community. The instruction, which mandates third party language tests for all permanent residence applicants in two categories (Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience) is certainly inconvenient for applicants who previously were not required to undergo a test. However, the more interesting question for immigration lawyers and scholars is whether the act is legal.
» click here to continue reading
Posted by admin on Oct 21st, 2010
Thu Oct 21, 10:15 PM, By Heather Scoffield, The Canadian Press
OTTAWA – The federal Tories want the power to declare a “human smuggling event” that would impose harsh conditions on asylum-seekers who show up on Canada’s shores and borders. In a bill tabled Thursday, the government proposes giving the federal minister of public safety the power to designate groups of migrants as “irregular,” and treat them differently from other refugee claimants. But an immediate outcry from opposition parties and refugee advocates, as well as talk of a Charter of Rights challenge, put the passage of the legislation in doubt without substantial changes.
» click here to continue reading
