The Media Roundup provides links to recent and archived articles, in both English and French, on immigration and diversity appearing in the national and local news. Some international content is also included. Articles are updated weekly.
CBC News – Refugee Lawyers Under ‘Major Pressure’ Amid Backlog of Asylum Claims
Even as politicians in Quebec and Ottawa maintain they are prepared for any influx in asylum seekers, immigration lawyers working on the front lines say they are already struggling to deal with a backlog of refugee claimants. The latest figures, released late Wednesday, suggest the delays are only getting longer as a result of last summer’s surge of arrivals into Quebec from the U.S. Since last February, a total of 14,467 asylum seekers have made claims after crossing illegally into Canada, and 12,895 of those cases are still pending.
CBC News – U.S. Getting Better at Informing Ottawa of Immigration Changes that Impact Canada, Goodale Says
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale says the U.S. is doing a better job of informing Canada of immigration changes that may prompt people living in the U.S. on special immigration status to try to cross the border into Canada illegally. Officials say the number of irregular crossings has decreased to about 60 a day, from what had swelled to 250 in the warmer months. The decline comes as the federal government continues an outreach and public awareness campaign to try to correct misinformation spreading on social media that Canada has an open door to migrants.
Toronto Star – For 40 Years, This Toronto Agency Has Focused on Treating Refugee Victims of Torture
On May 8, 1977, some of the doctors got together for a first meeting at Dr. Federico Allodi’s Toronto home to brainstorm ideas to treat and advocate for refugee patients referred by churches, lawyers, social workers and family physicians. From a humble beginning as a volunteer group, they later moved to a small meeting room at the Doctor’s Hospital, to a small office on Major St. and to a church basement before finding a permanent home in an office building at Jarvis and Dundas Sts. Incorporated in 1983 with $12,000 seed funding from the federal government to hire a single staff member, the Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture today has 40 employees and an annual budget of $2.5 million for a wide range of programs to help heal survivors and integrate them into the community.
Le Devoir – Entrées irrégulières : 10% des Haïtiens ont obtenu le statut de réfugié au Canada
La majorité des demandeurs d’asile ayant traversé irrégulièrement la frontière au Canada jusqu’à maintenant cette année sont des Haïtiens, et à ce jour, seulement 10 % de leurs demandes ont été acceptées, indiquent des données présentées mercredi.
Toronto Star – Immigration Minister Vows to Change Law that Bars Immigrants with Disabilities and Illnesses
Canada’s Immigration Minister says he’s committed to changing the rule that bars many people with disabilities and illnesses from immigrating to Canada. Rights groups and individuals affected by the so-called “medical inadmissibility” rule say not only is it inhumane, but it also breaches the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, as well as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The provision is at the centre of public hearings by a parliamentary committee to review a provision of Canada’s immigration law that rejects immigrants who are expected to place “excessive demand” on health or social services if let into the country.
Toronto Star – Immigration Minister Warns Haitian Border-Crossers that Canada Will Probably Reject Them
With another influx of Haitian refugees from the U.S. in sight, Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen is warning that Canada is not a viable option for them — and data released Wednesday by Ottawa backs him up on that. On Wednesday, the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada released data on the outcomes of the 1,314 asylum decisions made involving those who crossed unguarded points along the border with the United States from February to October. Of those, 941 were accepted and 373 rejected. Some other 258 claims were either abandoned or withdrawn. Haitians, who account for 6,304 or 44 per cent of those claims, were among those with the lowest acceptance rate, at 17 per cent.
