Canada must lift caps on refugees, end agreement with U.S.

Ottawa – On Tuesday, the NDP proposed several measures the government of Canada should take to address the situation following the immigration and travel ban instituted by US President’s Trump.

“Canadians reject any ban based on race, religion or place or birth, and they expect their leaders to speak out and take appropriate action,” said Jenny Kwan, NDP Critic for Immigration. “Canada must do its part by lifting caps on refugees and working with the global community to address the many refugees stranded by this ban.”

The NDP proposals include lifting the 1,000 application cap on privately sponsored refugees and fast tracking refugees whose applications in the United States were approved before the ban but are now shut out. Additionally, the NDP is calling on the Liberal government to immediately suspend the Safe 3^rd Country Agreement with the US as Trump’s ban constitutes a massive shift in the American refugee system.

“We can no longer have confidence that refugees in the United States have access to a fair process,” said Hélène Laverdière, the NDP’s Foreign Affairs Critic. “As well, Canada needs to secure assurances for those traveling into the US, that they will be granted entry without undue hardship.”