October 21, 2010
MP
Holder Welcomes Changes
October 21, 2010 – “This summer, when a boatload of migrants arrived in
Canada, my office was flooded with phone calls, mail and emails from
constituents. Their
frustration at the current system’s inability to deter and prevent
such illegal arrivals was evident and they demanded changes.
I’m pleased with the improvements being proposed today by the
Government of Canada,” said
London West Member of Parliament Ed Holder.
“We are taking fair, reasonable and tough action to
prevent the abuse of Canada’s immigration system by human smugglers.
The legislation introduced
today will send a clear message: Canada opens its doors to those who
work hard and play by the rules, while cracking down on those who
seek to take advantage of our generosity, and who abuse our fair and
welcoming immigration system,” said Holder.
The Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada’s Immigration
System Act will:
·
ensure law
enforcement have the tools they need to crack down on human
smugglers
·
help ensure the
safety and security of Canadian communities
·
deter illegal
migrants from using human smugglers to come to
Canada
“The Vancouver dock is where the illegal
migrant vessel the Ocean Lady is moored, and our Government
is delivering on its commitment to crack down on human smugglers who
seek to abuse Canada’s immigration system,” said Holder.
“The demand for changes from
Canadians is clear and victims of human smuggling need our help.
It is my hope that the Opposition parties will fully support
the swift passage of this legislation,” concluded Holder.
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For more information, please call
613.996.6675
Background
Under the Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada’s Immigration
System Act, our government is cracking down on human smugglers
by:
·
Making it easier
to prosecute human smugglers;
·
Imposing mandatory
minimum prison sentences on convicted smugglers; and
·
Holding ship
owners and operators to account for use of their ships in human
smuggling operations.
Under the Act, our government is ensuring
the safety and security of our streets and communities by:
-
Establishing the mandatory detention of participants for up to
one year, or until a positive decision by the Immigration and
Refugee Board, whichever comes sooner, in order to allow for the
determination of identity, admissibility and illegal activity;
Under the Act, our government is also reducing the attraction of
coming to Canada
by way of an illegal human smuggling operation including by:
·
Preventing those
who come to Canada as part of a human smuggling event from applying
for permanent resident status for a period of five years, should
they successfully obtain for refugee status; and
·
Preventing illegal
migrants from sponsoring family members for five years.
·
Ensuring the
health benefits participants receive are not more generous than
those received by the Canadian public by the government; and
·
Enhancing the
ability to terminate the protected person status of those who return
to their country of origin for a vacation or demonstrate in other
ways that they are not in legitimate need of Canada’s
protection.
In addition, our Government is detecting and deterring human smuggling
overseas through:
·
Appointing a
Special Advisor on Human Smuggling and Illegal Migration; and
·
Increasing the presence
overseas through operational activities, diplomatic outreach,
partnership with other affected nations, and engagement of
multilateral bodies like the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees.
