MEDIA ADVISORY For immediate release
April 20th, 2005

Social Justices Groups Respond to Citizenship & Immigration Minister Volpe’s Policy Announcements

VANCOUVER – Citizenship and Immigration Minister Volpe announced on April 18, 2005 changes to immigration and citizenship policies in Canada.  Social justices groups working on immigration, refugee and citizenship issues will be holding a press conference to respond to Minister Volpe’s policy announcements.  which are basically a money-making venture for Ottawa, which makes millions of dollars in profit.

One of the announcements is an increased target for parents and grandparents, a target that is only slightly higher than the 2002 level of 16,000 and represents a major money-making venture for Ottawa, which makes millions of dollars in profit from visa applications. Furthermore, fundamental structural changes such as the promised Refugee Appeal Division and regularization for migrants remain unaddressed by the government.

Benita Bunjun of Vancouver Status of Women states that, “Although the announcements by the Minister Volpe may eliminate certain barriers for some refugees and immigrants, it also appears to be contingent on promoting a system of preference and further marginalizing non-status residents including migrant workers.”

Sid Chow Tan, President of Association of Chinese Canadians for Equality and Solidarity Society (successor organization to Vancouver Association of Chinese Canadians) and director of the Chinese Canadian National Council explains that, “We are concerned about the lack of details and fear that the government may be entrenching systemic biases. Moreover, there is no announcement on regularizing the non-status residents. There are approximately 5,000 Chinese nationals and anywhere from 50,000 to 200,000 people living in Canada without status. The federal government should be implementing a mechanism to regularize non-status residents”.

What: Community Press Conference
Who: Association of Chinese Canadians for Equality and
Solidarity Society, Vancouver Status of Women, No One
Is Illegal, Iranian Federation of Refugees, Kalayaan Center (Philipino Women Center), South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy.
When: Friday, April 22nd, 2005 at 12:15 PM
Where: Vancouver Public Library – Downtown 350 W. Georgia St., Vancouver, Alma VanDusen Room

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For more information call:
Sid Tan 604-783-1853; Imitiaz Popat 604-715-4816; Benita Bunjun   604-255-6554 or 604-727-0292; Harjap Grewal 778-552-2099