Broadbent rips into Sgro Refugee Policies

[maplesyrup]

Sgro rapped for stand on church sanctuaries

The tradition dates from at least the Middle Ages, when European churches gave sanctuary to the persecuted.

I have confidence that the Unitarian and the United churches are not harbouring criminals.

Canadians need to pay attention here as we watch our freedoms being eroded in the name of security for our country. Where have we seen this scenerio play out before?

This issue is going to haunt the Martin Liberals.

[takeanumber]

So, you'd be fine with a mosque holding a terrorist?

Thought so.

I think you need to be equally careful.

[maplesyrup]

So, you'd be fine with a mosque holding a terrorist?

Thought so.

I think you need to be equally careful.

Read my lips:

I have confidence that the Unitarian and the United churches are not harbouring criminals.

[kimmy]

Read my lips:

I think you should go back and read *his* lips again.

It's a fair question: if a church and the dept of immigration have a difference of opinion, who should win out?

If the United Church is allowed to harbour some guy the government says is not allowed to be in Canada, then why shouldn't a mosque? Why not a mosque with a radical agenda? Where do you draw the line?

The United Church doesn't represent me. The United Church isn't accountable to the people of Canada. And the United Church shouldn't be allowed to decide who gets to stay or go.

Ed Broadbent might be right that the immigration system needs to be overhauled first. It seems to me that there were persistent allegations of corruption (say, isn't that why Gagliano wound up in Denmark?) and the criteria might not be fair. That doesn't change my view that churches don't get to decide who is allowed to live in Canada.

This issue is going to haunt the Martin Liberals.

Sure it is! It's going to be a hot-button issue next election, right up there with the shortage of French highway signs in BC

-kimmy

[belfred]

In my opinion, if a person is purposefully seeking to avoid lawful prosecution through flight and/or a warrant has been issued for his/her apprehension, the individual should not be able to escape apprehension by securing himself /herself in a place of worship , embassy or consolate, or any public or private shelter.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if an individual is attempting to avoid persecution and is from a country other than Canada, every opportunity should be afforded the individual to make a case for refugee status, without the need for prolonged detention. It must be clearly established the applicant is not or does not pose a threat to the peace and security within Canada, prior to liberty, pending a hearing.

I realize this may be a tad simplistic.

[maplesyrup]

It must be clearly established the applicant is not or does not pose a threat to the peace and security within Canada, prior to liberty, pending a hearing.

This security threat is a red herring. Would someone like to share with us when any of these individuals temporarily housed in Canada's churches seeking refugee status, has ever been a threat to Canada's security?

Maybe some people are confusing these refugee seekers with Maher Arar - he's a terrorist too, isn't he?

[The Terrible Sweal]

The principle takeanumber is arguing would stand irrespective of any enhanced interest in 'security'. If a Church can provide sanctuary, and I can proclaim myself a church with just a few hundred bucks, basically, what's to stop me setting up a sanctuary industry?

Well, the government is. That's the point. If conscienciously a church wishes to disobey the law, as they have thru history, let them, and let these campaigns work out when good is on their side. But policy cannot allow the government to concede that churches have the right to ultimately defy them on immigration questions.

[maplesyrup]

Churches seen as claimants' last resort

This Unitarian minister, someone who walks the talk, is the kind of calibre of MP I would like to see in the House of Commons.

Terrorism my ass! :angry:

Does anyone remember the War Measures Act that Trudeau invoked in 1970?

[maplesyrup]

Ottawa to limit refugee appeals

Critics say that despite the various options, the federal government has failed to provide refugee claimants with a truly effective means of contesting the substance of refugee board rulings. They argue the existing avenues are no substitute for a full-fledged appeal division of the refugee board.

Two years ago, the government delayed plans for an appeal division, citing a dramatic rise in the number of refugee claims. Clearing up the backlog of cases and reducing processing times became priorities.

The refugee board currently has just fewer than 30,000 cases, down from about 53,000 at the end of 2002.

Janet Dench, executive director of the Canadian Council for Refugees, said that if the government plans to redesign the system it should implement the appeal division as an interim measure.

Canadians need to stop their knee-jerk reactions, and learn the details, to these hot button issues.

A straight forward appeals process, which does not exist at the moment, would be a good first step, and this is the kind of thing Ed Broadbent is talking about when he says Immigration Minister Sgro is going about it a bit backwards.

[maplesyrup]

Churches say they'd close doors to refugees if appeal process worked

A host of social activists and church leaders gathered for a news conference to respond to Immigration Minister Judy Sgro's demand last week that churches cease the time-honoured tradition of harbouring failed refugee claimants.

But the problem of sanctuary is a symptom of a severely limited appeals process that leaves those facing deportation with no other choice, said Mary Corkery, executive director of KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiative.

"The churches and refugee activists, they don't want sanctuary to continue," Corkery said. "We want to want to put in place something to end the need for refugees to seek sanctuary."

Church leaders want to see Parliament enact an amendment to the Immigrant and Refugee Protection Act, introduced in 2001, which would institute a merit-based appeal system for failed refugee claimants.

Currently, the law only allows for appeals in the event of process-related errors.

Corkery said that when the amendment was passed two years ago, then-immigration minister Denis Coderre asked for at least a year to clear a huge backlog of cases before instituting a new appeal process.

The refugee board currently has just under 30,000 cases, down from about 53,000 at the end of 2002, but the appeal mechanism still isn't in place.

As I suspected churches do not want to be in the refugee business, it is just that Ottawa does not have its act together, so instead of cleaning up their own back yard, Sgro is trying to scapegoat the churches. Disgusting! :angry:

[maplesyrup]

Flawed refugee system makes sanctuary a must, say churches

TORONTO - Churches should continue giving sanctuary to some people who face deportation because Canada has a flawed system for refugee claims, religious leaders said Wednesday.

INDEPTH: The church as sanctuary

 

Archbishop Andrew Hutchison 

While churches don't want to be put in the role of judges, they still have an obligation to give people a "moment of safety" while they sort out their claims, said Rev. Peter Short, moderator of the United Church of Canada.

Short and other leaders met at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Toronto to respond to Ottawa's request that churches stop harbouring refugees whose claims have been rejected. Last month, Immigration Minister Judy Sgro said some refugees take shelter in churches "as the back door to enter Canada."

I am glad that church leaders have spoken out on Canada's broken refugee appeal process system. What are Canadians supposed to do - lose all our liberties over this terrorism bugaboo? No way Jose!. Each case needs to be decided on its own merits.

[maplesyrup]

Ottawa challenges sanctuary claims

Mary Corkery, executive director of Kairos, the ecumenical social justice organization representing 11 Canadian churches and church organizations, said the issue the churches are calling attention to is not sanctuary but the flaws in the refugee-adjudication system -- specifically, the lack of a merit-based appeals process.

Ms. Sgro's sudden and unexpected attack on sanctuary, Ms. Corkery said, "is a huge diversion of attention."

Yesterday's Kairos-organized press conference in Toronto was attended by Presbyterian Moderator Richard Fee, United Church Moderator Peter Short, Anglican Primate Andrew Hutchison, Rev. William Veenstra of the Christian Reformed Church, Tom Reilly, a senior official with the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Mary Jo Leddy of the church-based Ontario Sanctuary Coalition.

The church leaders said sanctuary was done at considerable cost for church congregations.

This whole issue is beginning to not pass the smell test for Ottawa. :angry:

[maplesyrup]

Refugee claims at lowest level in 10 years

The number of people making refugee claims in Canada dropped by 30 per cent in the first six months of this year, to the lowest level in a decade.

Nothing like a little dose of reality instead of the hesteria being promoted by certain groups in our society. People really need to get off their soapboxes and stop their fearmongering, when in reality there is very little or nothing for Canadians to fear about refugees.

[kimmy]

I'm not afraid of refugees in general. To me, what this is about is the rule of law. If the churches can spur some reform of the refugee system, then good for them, I will support their activism 100%.

However, if the government rejects a claim, then the church better step aside.

-kimmy

[maplesyrup]

There is no proper appeal process in place, and that is why the churches are involved.

[kimmy]

I have heard that appointments to the refugee board are often given as favors to friends or associates who see it as a high-paying job where they don't need to do any work. I have also heard that refugee boards are subject to bribery (and no doubt the people who have the kind of money to buy their way in are often from criminal backgrounds).

Maybe the churches' stance will spur some journalist to do some hard-core investigation into the refugee claims process.

-kimmy

[maplesyrup]

It would be useful to have a policy for our civil servants that no relative (parents, children, aunts & uncles, cousins) be allowed to work in the civil service. This would help to prevent a lot of the problems.

[maplesyrup]

I guess Canada's Immigration Minister is not too swift, jeez what a brain-dead proposal:

Sgro comes under fire for sanctuary proposal