 
Letter to Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Joe Volpe
2 March 2005
Hon. Joe Volpe, PC, MP
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
Ottawa, ON
K1A 1L1
Re: Your recent appointment and issues of concern
Dear Mr. Volpe;
On behalf of KAIROS, the social justice organization of eleven
major Canadian churches and church related organizations, I congratulate
you on your recent appointment to the position of Minister of Citizenship
and Immigration. KAIROS and the churches met several times over
the fall with former Minister Judy Sgro to discuss concerns related
to the sanctuary cases as well as the delay in implementation of
the Refugee Appeal Division. We look forward to continued communication
with you and your department on these and other issues.
We were encouraged to read in the media shortly after your appointment
that you are committed to working with your staff to explore ways
of speeding up the refugee determination process. Efficient decision-making
is key to the mental health and integration of refugees. However,
we are concerned by your suggestion that “refugee claimants
should have their cases decided within days and shouldn’t
be in Canada years afterwards filing court appeals” (Volpe
planning changes, Toronto Sun, Jan. 15, 2005). Refugee determination
is a complex process and must allow claimants adequate time to prepare
and defend their case.
Both the UNHCR and the Inter American Commission on Human Rights
recognize that an appeal on the merits of a claim is a fundamental
feature of a just refugee determination system. Parliament voted
for inclusion of a Refugee Appeal Division when it approved the
Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Despite repeated promises
of implementation, there still exists no appeal on the merits of
their claim for refused refugee claimants. This creates an extremely
dangerous situation for asylum seekers, who may receive an erroneous
decision. Genuine refugees face the prospect of deportation to persecution,
torture, or even death.
On another note, we welcome news of your plans to review the situation
of undocumented migrant workers. In a context of globalization and
international economic disparity, we see increasing numbers of migrant
workers coming from around the world to participate in the Canadian
economy. KAIROS is concerned by the frequent violation of the rights
of these workers. Temporary workers, whose status is dependent upon
their employment, and undocumented workers are highly vulnerable
to abuse and exploitation.
The UN Convention on the Rights of Migrant Workers and their Families
condemns such abuse and outlines a comprehensive package of rights
pertaining to migrant workers. We urge Canada to become a signatory
to this important convention. We also ask you to ensure that any
response to the situation of undocumented workers protects the rights
outlined by this Convention. Turning a blind eye so as to allow
employers continued access to an inexpensive labour source is simply
not enough.
At KAIROS, we believe that dialogue and cooperation between government
and civil society is key to building a just and efficient immigration
system that serves the needs of refugees and migrants. We therefore
request a meeting with you to engage in further discussion of the
issues raised in this letter. We also request clarification of your
position on the Refugee Appeal Division. In December, your Standing
Committee gave unanimous support to a motion calling for immediate
implementation of the Refugee Appeal Division. We would like to
know when you plan to take action on this recommendation.
Sincerely,
Mary Corkery
Executive Director
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