Canada introduces changes to refugee system

Canada, 15th May: Canada immigration minister Jason Kenney has vowed to make significant changes to the refugee legislation.

As per the reports, the proposals suggested by Kenney will eliminate some of the tougher provisions of the refugee program.

And his amendments will indeed help in improving refugee bill.

Kenney ready to reform Canada refugee system—Bowing to the pressure, Kenney has agreed to make what he calls as reasonable changes in Canada’s refugee system(Bill C-31).

The proposals might not get accolades from opposition members, refugee advocates or human rights activists. But one thing is for sure, that the reforms to Canada refugee program will put to an end some of the brutal rules of the law.

Reforms to Canada’s refugee program--Several changes were introduced to Canada’s refugee system recently to tackle widespread abuse of refugee program.

These new rules were aimed to come down heavily on fake refugee claims. And the bill was meant to detain mass arrivals for one year before the decision regarding their imprisonment was considered.

It wanted to act as a deterrent to future boat arrivals.

However, Kenney reiterated his point that Canada never aimed to detain refugees.

Highlights of latest amendments--—

• Kenney clarified that the above ruling will undergo a change meaning there will be two reviews, first at 14-day mark followed by another after a period of six months.

This will help in better processing of smuggled migrants arriving in Canada in huge numbers, he affirmed.

• The wording of the refugee bill will be tightened to clarify that there will be no retroactive deportation of refugees to their native nations in the wake of better conditions

The government of Canada will ban failed refugee claimants from making an application for humanitarian consideration for one year becoming effective on the day the legislation gets approval. This is not a fair reform to Canada’s refugee program.

• No change in the ruling that disallows successful refugee claimants(part of mass arrival) from bringing their children for a period of five years.

Kenney did not bother to offer any clarifications with regard to designation of safe nations where asylum seekers may be sent back immediately without any right to appeal.