Amnesty International Canada says Bill C-2, the federal government’s sprawling new border bill, is an attack on refugees’ right to seek asylum.
If passed, Bill C-2 would make it virtually impossible for most people entering Canada via the U.S. to have their refugee claim reviewed by the Immigration and Refugee Board. In addition, the bill would effectively block people who have been in Canada for more than a year from seeking refugee status. People who face persecution, torture or worse in their countries of origin could be unfairly denied refugee protection by Canada as a result.
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“Seeking asylum is a human right,” said Ketty Nivyabandi, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada’s English-speaking section. “With Bill C-2, the Canadian government threatens to chip away at that right, making it harder for people seeking safety and freedom to file an asylum claim and have it assessed fairly. This attack on the right to seek asylum will severely diminish Canada’s international standing when it comes to protecting human rights.”
Tabled on Tuesday, Bill C-2 proposes sweeping changes to existing rules around border security, immigration, customs, and law enforcement. Amnesty International Canada, along with other civil society organizations, is examining the legislation further to assess its human rights impacts and whether it aligns with the Canadian constitution and Canada’s obligations under international law.
Bill C-2 stigmatizes immigrants, refugees in Canada
However, it is already clear that Bill C-2, and the government’s messaging around it, is congruent with the Trump administration’s vicious assault on refugee and migrant rights and its efforts to paint newcomers in a negative light.
“Intentionally or not, Bill C-2 paints people escaping persecution and violence with the same brush as serious public safety concerns such as the flow of illegal fentanyl or weapons,” said France-Isabelle Langlois, Executive Director of Amnistie internationale Canada francophone. “Stigmatizing refugees and linking them to public safety problems not of their making is cruel, irresponsible, and heightens their risk of facing violence, harassment and discrimination in their everyday lives.”
Additionally, the legislation would give Canadian officials more discretionary power in a way that threatens people’s rights and well-being. For example, Bill C-2 proposes giving cabinet the power to cancel existing permanent resident visas, study and work permits, temporary resident visas and other immigration status documents if the Governor in Council is of the opinion that “it is in the public interest to do so.”
“People deserve fairness and due process in decisions about their future in Canada,” Nivyabandi said. “Their lives, choices and indeed their rights must not hinge on the whims of whichever government or minister is in power in one year or the next.”
