Showler, Peter

English

Scholarship@Western

MER Colloquium Speaker Series 2010 - 2011“Fortress Canada: Circling the Wagons Against Asylum-Seekers”Presented January 6, 2011 byPeter Showler, Director of Refugee Forum and Professor of Common Law at University of OttawaArticle 33: UN Refugee Convention• No contracting state shall expel or return a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories where his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion.PERSONS OF CONCERNRefugees and Asylum Seekers 14 million (2008)Number of Internally Displaced 26 million (2007)Number of Stateless (Recorded) 3 million (2007)Number of Stateless (Estimated) 15 million (2007)Total Persons of Concern 43-55 millionPRINCIPAL COUNTRIES OF ASYLUM (HOST COUNTRIES)Host countries with per capita income below $2000 74%Host countries with per capita income below $10,000 22%Host countries with per capita income above $10,000 4%Principal Host Countries (2009)• Pakistan 1.74 million refugees• Iran 1.07 million• Syria 1.05 million• Germany 593,000• Jordan 451,000• Kenya 359,000• Chad 338,000• China 301,000Destination Countries (2009)• South Africa 220,000• USA 48,000• France 42,000• Malaysia 41,000• Ecuador 40,000• Canada 34,000• United Kingdom 29,000• Sweden 28,000Principal source countries• Afghanistan 2.89 million• Iraq 1.79 million• Somalia 678,000• DR of Congo 456,000• Burma 407,000• Colombia 390,000• Sudan 368,000•Visa restrictions•Overseas interdiction (migration integrity officers)•Carrier sanctions•Deterrence: detention, withholding of assistance•Extra-territorial interception•Regional protection: diversion of claim process•Eligibility screening: safe transit country or COI•Political ( fear of persecution)•Environmental•Social•Personal•Economic1)Migrants move from poorer to more  prosperous countries ( not necessarily the most prosperous)2)Most migration occurs within the developing world3)Sovereign systems of migration regulation are being overwhelmed by the massive numbers of migrantsCanada’s Asylum System• Overseas Resettlement   11,000 refugees– Selected from refugee camps– Permanent residents upon arrival– Global resettlement 100,000 in 2009• Inland refugee determination– 34,000 claims  (2009)– 21,000 claims   (2010)– May apply for permanent residence after positive refugee decision by IRB•Broad access to asylum•Moderate detention policy•Respecting the Convention•Full quasi-judicial hearing•Two-member decisions•Independent tribunal•Progressive attitude•High acceptance rate•Liberal jurisprudence•Permanent residence•IRB appointment process•Lack of good counsel•No appeal of first level refusal• Leave for judicial review to Fed Ct•IRB Backlog: 51,000 claims•IRB Capacity: 25,000 claims/yr•IRB Delay: 18 months •Refugee claim process: 4-6 years before removal2 17 4-1224-36 9 in MONTHSCLAIM IRB FED CT ? PRRATOTAL: 56-76 months (4-6 years)Recent Refugee Law• Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (2002)– Single member decisions– Refugee Appeal Division (not implemented)– Broad inadmissibility provisions– Security certificates– Pre-removal Risk AssessmentBalanced Refugee Reform Act (June, 2010)• Safe country of origin list• Interview within 8 days (15)• Hearing within 30/60 days (60/90)• Decision-maker a public servant• Refugee Appeal Division• No PRRA if removed within one year• No Humanitarian application alternativeBill C-49 Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada’s Immigration System Act• Power to designate group arrival• Imprisonment for one year w/out review• No permanent residence for 5 years• No power to sponsor or leave Canada•Massive increases for aid to in-transit migrants•More vigorous pursuit of conflict resolution, national and regional•Increased ground level support for repatriation programs•More generous resettlement programs•More honest and accessible asylum programs•Wider recognition of core human rights

Fortress Canada: Circling the Wagons against Asylum-Seekers

https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1021&amp;context=mer

Fortress Canada: Circling the Wagons against Asylum-Seekers

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