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News Release
Refugees and Sanctuary in Canada: The Churches Respond
August 4, 2004
For Immediate Release
(Toronto, ON) Canadian Church leaders responded today to the growing
controversy created by Immigration Minister Judy's Sgro's recent
public criticism of churches for offering sanctuary to refugees.
The issue has attracted energetic and sustained public debate. Church
leaders made their views known during a media conference held at
the Church of the Holy Trinity - site of a sanctuary coalition in
Toronto.
“The real problem we want to address today is not sanctuary,
but the flawed refugee determination system that fails to protect
some refugees,” said Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, Primate
of the Anglican Church of Canada. Citing the lack of a merit-based
appeal process in refugee determination, the churches argued that
protection of refugees is profoundly rooted the Christian faith.
The Canadian churches have proposed concrete solutions to the problems
giving rise to situations of sanctuary. The Immigrant and Refugee
Protection Act of 2001, passed by parliament, included an appeal
process that has never been implemented. The United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees has criticized Canada’s lack of
an appeal process, stating that it is “a necessary element
of international protection.”
In addition, the churches are concerned about the negative image
of refugees created by Sgro’s comments that “The protection
of our country and of Canadians has to be the Number 1 concern”
of the Immigration Department. Tom Reilly, General Secretary of
the Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops, noted “To suggest
that refugees are somehow dangerous, that they are a threat to security,
foments an unacceptable prejudice against some of the most vulnerable
individuals in our society.”
KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives, a coalition that
carries out social justice work on behalf of 11 major Christian
churches and church-related organizations, announced a national
action by its cross-Canada network calling for Canada’s appeal
process to be put in place immediately.
The call to action has already generated an enormous response,
according to KAIROS Executive Director Mary Corkery. “We have
never seen as immediate a public response to a call to action,”
Corkery stated. “Canadians believe we need to stop the need
for sanctuary.”
Participants in the conference included:
The Right Reverend Peter Short, Moderator of the United Church of
Canada
The Most Reverend Andrew Hutchison, Primate of the Anglican Church
of Canada
Mary Jo Leddy, sanctuary activist, author, and founder of Romero
House refugee shelter
Tom Reilly, Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
The Rev. Richard W. Fee, Moderator, The Presbyterian Church in Canada
The Rev. William Veenstra, Director, Canada Ministries, Christian
Reformed Church in North America
Jehad Aliweiwi, Executive Committee, Canadian Council for Refugees
Mary Corkery, Executive Director, KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice
Initiatives
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More information can be found at www.kairoscanada.org
For more information and to book interviews contact:
Sara Stratton, KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives,
416-463-5312 x 241.
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