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The Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement: Canada During a Refugee Crisis

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Hundreds of protesters shut down the U.S. Embassy in Toronto on Jan. 30, 2017.

By Jeremy Greenberg

Photography by Radu Caracaleanu

While global outcry over Donald Trump’s refugee ban continues unabated, pressure has been mounting on U.S. allies to take action. For Canada, that has meant the requisite calls to take in more refugees, as well as one proposal that has recently been gaining traction: suspension of the 2004 Canada-US Safe Third Country Agreement[1].

By |February 3rd, 2017|Blog|
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Are We Getting Too Cozy With China?

By Michael Christopher Ly

On 13 September 2016, the Federal government of Canada announced that it has commenced high-level dialogue on national security and the rule of law with China. The ongoing discussions would be a mechanism for consultations concerning judicial and law-enforcement cooperation, with the objective of addressing counter-terrorism, cyber security and combatting cybercrime, combatting transnational organized crime, law enforcement issues, consular issues, judicial cooperation and exchanges on rule of law. [1]

By |January 30th, 2017|Blog|
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Bill C-1: Protecting Canada’s Diverse Gender Identities

By Jinny Kim

This September, a University of Toronto professor released an online lecture series that led to heated debates and protests about gender identity. In the lectures, Professor Jordan Peterson expressed frustration regarding requests to use alternative pronouns, such as “ze” and “zir,” which some use in place of “she” and “he.” He also criticized proposed legislation that prohibits gender-based discrimination.[1] Bill C-16[2] amends the Canadian Human Rights Code[3] and the Criminal Code[4] to include gender identity and expression as prohibited grounds of discrimination, thereby protecting transgender and gender non-conforming individuals through a legal framework.

By |January 8th, 2017|Blog|
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Bill 62: Restrictions on Freedom or Proponent of Neutrality?

By Mireille Pichette

The ban on wearing articles of clothing that cover one’s face has become a pressing domestic and international issue. The media has framed these laws as disproportionately affecting women who wear burqas or niqabs, and extend them not only to the professional sphere but to the public sphere as well. Courts in France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Bulgaria have adopted similar laws.[1] Quebec now sets out to follow in the footsteps of these nations. On October 18th 2016, in the 1st session of the 41st Legislature of the Parliament of Quebec, Bill 62 was introduced.[2] Bill 62 purports to be “an Act to foster adherence to state religious neutrality and, in particular, to provide a framework for religious accommodation requests in certain bodies”.[3] This isn’t the first time a Bill such as this has been introduced in Quebec and many have compared this Liberal bill with the controversial secularism charter introduced by the Parti-Quebecois in 2013.[4]

By |December 12th, 2016|Blog|
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Canadian Responses to the Syrian Refugee Crisis: Report from a CLAIHR Panel

By Jeremy Greenberg

Photos by Rikin Morzaria and Noah Aiken-Klar

Juda Strawcynzski, President of CLAIHR, speaks as Marco Oved, Mario Calla, Jacqueline Swaisland and Louis Century look on. Photo by Rikin Morzaria.

Juda Strawcynzski, President of CLAIHR, speaks as Marco Oved, Mario Calla, Jacqueline Swaisland and Louis Century look on. Photo by Rikin Morzaria.

On November 24, Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights co-hosted a panel discussion on “Canadian Responses to the Syrian Refugee Crisis,” in partnership with the OBA Foundation. Guests were treated to an in-depth and multifaceted overview of the ways Canadians have responded to the influx of Syrian refugees in the past twelve months.

By |November 30th, 2016|Blog|
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First Nations Education: First Nations Control of First Nations Education Act, the UNDRIP, and New Promises

By Tony (Hao Nan) Zhou

The education of First Nations in Canada is an ongoing issue in Canadian domestic politics and may present new challenges for Canada in meeting its international obligations if the new federal government follows through on its promise to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).[1]

By |October 24th, 2016|Blog|
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Excluded from Justice? Immigration Detainees in Canada

By Petra Molnar and Stephanie J Silverman

The migrants’ rights community was rocked by two recent deaths in the Toronto area at two separate immigration detention facilities. These deaths have been shrouded in secrecy and few details have emerged other than brief biographical sketches of the deceased. What we have learned is that the first man was found unconscious and not breathing in his cell in the Toronto East Detention Centre after an apparent suicide. Guards at the Maplehurst Correctional Facility in Milton found the second man six days later in his cell with no vital signs. Both men were awaiting deportation from Canada. An official total of 14 detainees have died while in the custody of Canadian immigration officials since 2000.

By |April 4th, 2016|Blog|
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International Women’s Day: Reflecting on Human Trafficking in Canada: A Distressing Reality

By Andreina Minicozzi

March 8 is International Women’s Day, first recognized in August 1910 at the International Women’s Conference in Denmark. It was proposed by German socialists, Luise Zeits and Clara Zetkin, who sought to acknowledge women workers in America and Europe.[1] The objective of this annual event was to combat violence against vulnerable women and children and to recognize women’s struggles by forming alliances among them both domestically and internationally.[2] Today, International Women’s Day not only celebrates the actions of women throughout history, but also acts as a time of reflection.

By |March 4th, 2016|Blog|
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Celebrating the Ten Year Anniversary of the Responsibility to Protect: Battling WWII Global Displacement Rates with an Emphasis on Implementation

By Heather Cohen

Tomorrow marks the celebration of the ten year anniversary of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P). At the United Nations, the President of the General Assembly (PGA) will lead a thematic panel discussion from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. EST in the Trusteeship Council Chamber. For those of you who will not be in New York, you can tune into the live webcast here.

By |February 25th, 2016|Blog|
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The Mandated 3-Month Wait for OHIP Coverage

By Shalu Atwal

While the Canadian health care system is widely touted for its universality, three provinces – Ontario, Quebec[1] and British Columbia – do not allow landed immigrants[2] to access provincial health care coverage until three months after their arrival.[3] According to a piece published by the Toronto Star, entitled “Ontario urged to eliminate OHIP wait,” there are two main rationales behind this policy.[4] First, the policy operates as a cost-saving measure. The three-month wait has supposedly resulted in $90 million in savings per year for Ontario. Second, delaying access to federally-funded health care serves to discourage medical tourism. In other words, the three-month wait disincentivizes persons moving to Ontario for a brief period of time solely for the purpose of taking advantage of free medical services. Instead, the Ontario Government provides alternatives for landed immigrants, including advising immigrants to obtain private insurance before arriving to Canada.[5] The government also funds several Community Health Centres (CHC), which provide primary care free of charge.[6]

By |February 9th, 2016|Blog, Uncategorized|
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