Government restructuring may fuel racism, church charges; genuine refugees may be offered sanctuary when law fails to protect them
https://archives.anglican.ca/link/official1913
- Date
- 1993 July 13
- Source
- Anglican News Service
- Type
- Press Release
- Text of motion
- TORONTO, July 13, 1993 -- An Anglican Church agency has joined the call for a review of Canada's refugee determination system and expressed grave concern about the government restructuring which apparently lodges refugee and immigration matters with the new ministry of public security.
- The Primate's World Relief and Development Fund may be failing its obligations under international treaties to protect refugees. At the same time, there is a growth in racism and racist attacks. Treating refugees as a "public security" concern may fuel racist attitudes.
- Among the causes of frustration:
- Frustration with the refugee determination process has led a group of concerned Canadians, including members of a Toronto Anglican Church, to declare a "civil initiative" to protect genuine refugees threatened with deportation. They cite more than 20 cases of people who are under order of deportation and whose lives are in danger if they are forced to return home. The group says it is prepared to provide sanctuary to these people.
- The Government of Canada has promised a review of these cases and stayed the deportations orders, but the process which produced the problems remain unchanged. Under the 1951 Geneva Convention and the 1967 protocol relating to the status of refugees, Canada has an obligation to protect all genuine refugees, and not to return them to areas where they are endangered.
- Canadian churches have consistently criticized the refugee determination process because it provides no appeal on the merits of the case and places genuine refugees at risk. The Canadian Council of Churches even took the unusual step of initiating a court challenge to the legislation. (The Supreme Court of Canada indicated there could be problems with the constitutionality of the law, but dismissed the case for technical reasons.)
- The plight of genuine refugees, now estimated to number more than 17 million around the world, is not well understood in Canada. A recent study by the Fraser Institute's National Media Archives says Canada's main television networks have distorted the facts on immigrants and refugees by portraying them in a negative light.
- There is reason to fear that racism is on the increase in Canada. A Tamil refugee claimant became one of its most recent victims last month when he was attacked and severely beaten by so-called "skinheads". He remains in hospital with his left side paralyzed.
- Archbishop Michael Peers, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, notes that the move to deal with refugees under the heading of "public security" can only exacerbate racist attitudes. "Of course the government must ensure public security, he says, "but to lump genuine refugees in with criminals and spies, as if they automatically present a threat to Canadian security, is false and misleading. It encourages stereotyping and may contribute to racist behaviour".
- (According to some reports, the minister for human resources, Bernard Valcourt, said Monday that his department is responsible for immigrants and refugees overall, and public security is responsible for security issues. What this means is unclear. It appears that the Immigration and Refugee Board reports to the ministry of public security.)
- Archbishop Peers says he can understand the motivation of the Toronto-based coalition that has promised sanctuary to 23 refugee claimants if the government does not review their cases. "Sanctuary" is a traditional church response reaching back to early times, he notes. "In the Old Testament, there is a tradition of providing sanctuary to people threatened by vengeance. Being close to the altar offered protection until judicial procedures were available. Today that tradition is being reclaimed for the same reasons: There are in our midst people under threat of torture or death, and our law is not adequately protecting them."
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- For further information: Doug Tindal, Director of Communications (416) 924-9199 extension 286 (416) 335-8349 (residence)
- Subjects
- Refugees - 20th century
- Refugees - Canada
- Refugees - Legal status, laws, etc. - Canada
- Refugees - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Canadian Council of Churches
- Canada - Emigration and immigration
- Racism - Canada
- Racism - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Sanctuary movement - Canada