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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Kenney willing to tweak refugee reform bill

By: Carol Sanders and Larry Kusch

Posted: 04/9/2010 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

About a dozen protesters march outside the Fort Garry Hotel as Jason Kenney (left) speaks during a Canadian Club luncheon on Thursday. ( KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS )

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Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney (KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS)

The Harper government offered Thursday to work with opposition parties to alleviate their concerns about its refugee reform bill.

Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney told a Canadian Club of Winnipeg luncheon he's prepared to consult opposition politicians to tweak the proposed legislation and accompanying regulations.

Legislation introduced in Parliament last month would streamline the refugee application process to prevent large numbers of illegitimate claims from so-called "safe" countries that are democratic and known to respect human rights and protect vulnerable persons.

For example, Kenney said, Canada received 2,500 refugee claims from Hungary last year. Subsequently, 97 per cent withdrew their claims and only three persons were found to be legitimate refugees.

He said dealing with these unfounded claims -- which can number in the tens of thousands annually -- costs the government a small fortune and causes unacceptable delays in allowing legitimate refugees into the country.

"I will no longer tolerate situations where a victim of torture has to wait a year and a half to get Canada's protection," he told the Canadian Club audience during the noon-hour gathering.

As the Calgary MP sat down for lunch Thursday, more than two dozen demonstrators gathered outside the hotel to protest the proposed legislation and several other Conservative policies. Some were offended the rights of gays, lesbians and others were excluded from a new Canadian study guide for new immigrants to Canada.

Kenney said Thursday it's "imperative" the legislation be passed "in a timely fashion." He said concerns seem to centre not so much on the bill's principles but on the details, such as the process for designating safe countries.

He also plans to increase by 20 per cent the number of refugees allowed into Canada and the funding to help them resettle.

"It's about time," said Marty Dolin, executive director of Welcome Place, Manitoba's largest refugee resettlement agency.

Funding hasn't increased since the Resettlement Assistance Program began more than a decade ago, he said. "It doesn't keep up with inflation." Currently, the federal shelter allowance for a refugee in Manitoba is $360 a month. In Winnipeg, with a vacancy rate of less than one per cent, the average one-bedroom apartment costs more than $455. To add to their struggles, after they've been here one year, refugees are expected to pay Canada back for the airfare that brought them here, said Dolin.

"We're the only country doing that. It puts people in debt as soon as they set foot on the tarmac here."

Paying off a transportation loan while struggling with poverty, a new culture and language hampers the settlement process.

"If you're a single mom with four or five kids, she's on the hook for $12,000," said Dolin.

"People feel obligated and they pay even though it means taking money out of their food and rent budget and working at jobs to pay their transportation loans back," he said.

If they don't pay, their transportation loans are sent to collection agencies and interest is charged, said Dolin.

Ninety per cent of refugees pay the loans back, according to Citizenship and Immigration. And it's not easy, said Dolin.

"People have got to work night shifts while their kids are roaming the streets and getting in trouble."

Kenney said they've looked at changing the transportation loan policy, but it would cost too much.

"We can't do everything," said Kenney.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 9, 2010 A10

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