Here is Thomas Trappenberg's Response:
engagement and concerns which are also of great concerns to me. While I am
an immigrant myself, I was very lucky that I did not have to come here as a
refugee with the threads of persecution in my home country, and I didn't
even pretend that I know how that would feel like other than that I would
not understand the world anymore if a rich and `nice' country like Canada
would drop me. I had only the pleasure of helping once with a family from
Kosovo (who also spoke some German) early after the war started there, and I
was pleasantly surprised that officials knew about humanitarian concerns
long before it became well known in the public. But I am also increasingly
concerned about our system. Why do we send families on a boat in the storm
season when the whole community supports the familty as in Lunenburg a few
years ago? I am sorry that I have not yet heard about the Chaudhry family.
While I do not know the details I am very concerned especially (but not
only) that there are children involved. I think we must include the judgment
of our local communities instead of bureaucrats blindly following dobvious
rules.
You mention other cases where so called security is an excuse for human
right abuses. This is very concerning and since this often includes the US
it is practically impossible to intervene without a government that stands
up for us. I am personally also very unhappy with how immigrants are
supported (or rather the luck of support) even if they are excepted into
Canada. Immigrants have often outstanding skills that are not easily
recognized in Canada, and it seems to be a wide-held believe that immigrants
are a burden where in truth is that they contribute more than average to our
economic strength, often starting whole new traits in Canada.
I am sorry to ramble on when I know that you like specific answers to your
questions. However, I am not sure how much I can say without further
information on the specific cases (here is another example where the
incumbent has an advantage). And I also do not want to just blindly promise
things because it sounds good. But I would like to ensure you that I am
genuinely concerned.
Below is a section of our platform that specifically addresses immigration
and refugee issues:
4.9.3 Immigration and new Canadians
Canada is a multicultural society with a strong history of welcoming
immigrants and celebrating cultural diversity. Canada currently accepts
about 300,000 new immigrants annually. Opportunities for new immigrants,
however, vary. Studies show that immigrants from some countries do a lot
better than others in securing jobs with decent incomes and opportunities
for advancement. Access to immigration itself varies, as well. The criteria
for granting landed immigrant status to refugees and other immigrants seem
at times arbitrary and the process is frustrating and stressful for many.
The backlog of files is too long. Over- cautious security officials have in
some cases put the civil liberties of new Canadians at risk. Recent reforms
to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act have fostered a culture of
fear and discrimination. Canadian citizens, like Maher Arar, have had their
rights as Canadians discarded by allies who are too willing to break
international law to fight a “war on terrorism.”
Our immigration policies must be revamped to ensure we stay true to our
identity as a just, fair and open country, and to be prepared for new
challenges that are predicted to arise with increased numbers of
environmental refugees seeking a safe new home in an increasingly perilous
world.
Canada’s multicultural diversity is an essential part of our national
identity. New Canadians are a source of incredible skills and potential for
our country. Immigrants and refugees come to Canada in search of a safer,
more fulfilling life for themselves and their families, and to be full
participants in Canadian society. We must make sure they are supported in
achieving their hopes and ambitions as new Canadians. Our national tradition
of welcoming newcomers and embracing social and ethnic differences gives us
a unique opportunity to exert a positive influence on the rest of the world.
Canada must embrace the energy and creativity of all our cultural
communities and ensure genuine equality of opportunity and equal treatment
of all Canadian citizens, regardless of their country of origin.
Green Party MPs will: • Lead a national discussion to define
“environmental refugee” and advocate for the
inclusion of environmental refugees as a refugee category in Canada and
accept an
appropriate share of the world’s environmental refugees into Canada. •
Eliminate the valuation of foreign credentials for immigration purposes
except in those
cases where such credentials are recognized in Canada or a clear and
expeditious path to Canadian accreditation is established, and in place
establish realistic criteria for immigrants based on existing job
opportunities for immigrants to Canada.
• Press professional societies to remove unnecessary barriers hindering
the recognition of valid professional credentials of immigrants.
• Ensure professionals being considered for immigration will have the
licensing requirements for their professions clearly explained before entry.
Landed immigrants with professional qualifications will be supported and
given the opportunity to obtain Canadian licenses consistent with public
safety.
• Allocate much greater funding for training in official languages (ESL
and FSL) for new immigrants, knowing that many new immigrants are not fluent
in either official language, through earmarked transfers to the provinces
for primary and secondary public school and free night school programs.
• Establish a program to deal with the estimated 200,000 people living in
Canada without official status that leads to full landed immigrant status
for those who have become contributing members of Canadian society.
• Work with municipalities and provinces to improve the integration of
new Canadians into the multicultural fabric of our country.
• Support multicultural communities by assisting cultural organizations
to obtain charitable status.
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4.9.4
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gendered rights
• Seek to have the regulations governing the practices of immigration
consultants toughened and enforced and increase penalties in the Criminal
Code for those convicted of human smuggling.
• Amend the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Public Safety Act to require that,
after a reasonable length of time, formal charges be brought against all
those detained.
• Open an investigation into allegations by the United Nations Human
Rights Committee of Canadian officials cooperating with foreign agencies
known to use torture.
• Ensure the “lost Canadians” quietly being denied citizenship through
archaic laws are protected and their citizenship restored. Although some
significant progress has been made, some are still “lost.”
• Implement the recommendation made by the Standing Committee on
Citizenship and Immigration to immediately allow those who have refused or
left military service regarding a war not sanctioned by the United Nations
permanent resident status in Canada.
• Oppose legislation imposing jail time retroactively, and targeting
people who arrive by ship.
• Oppose the Harper government’s efforts to place barriers on family
reunification.