44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 14, 2023e-4404e-4404 (Citizenship and immigration)LesleyWestonJennyKwanVancouver EastNDPBCApril 20, 2023, at 2:03 p.m. (EDT)June 19, 2023, at 2:03 p.m. (EDT)October 31, 2023December 14, 2023June 19, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Canada proudly proclaims that we welcome all refugees in need of safety, in keeping with our mostly-justified presentation of ourselves as caring, responsible people;The Safe Third Country Agreement with the US has made it very dangerous for refugees to enter Canada in order to escape persecution, violence and discrimination; andThe recent expansion in the STCA Agreement to 9,000 km of the US/Canada land border is forcing asylum seekers desperate for safety to look to even more dangerous pathways and people will die;We, the undersigned, citizens and/or residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to 1. reverse the recent amendment to the Agreement; and2. suspend the Safe Third Country Agreement altogether so refugees could then enter Canada safely without risking their lives, and be safe while their claims are being processed by the Immigration Refugee Board to determine whether or not they have a valid refugee claim.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Paul Chiang, M.P.Canada has a proud history of protecting and helping resettle the world’s most vulnerable groups and remains firmly committed to upholding its international obligations and maintaining a fair and compassionate refugee protection system which meets our international obligations.The Canada - U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA), in effect since 2004, is based on the principle accepted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) that asylum seekers should make their claim in the first country they arrive, in which it is safe to do so. The Canada - U.S. STCA requires that foreign nationals seek protection in either the U.S. or Canada, whichever they arrive in first, unless they meet an exception to the Agreement (e.g., having family member in Canada (with some restrictions)).The Government maintains that the STCA enhances the orderly management of asylum claims at the border, strengthening the integrity of our asylum system and public confidence in border integrity. Asylum seekers continue to have the opportunity to make an asylum claim in the U.S. if they are returned by Canada under the Agreement (or vice versa). When the Additional Protocol to the STCA came into effect on March 25, 2023, the STCA was able to be applied to all individuals entering Canada from the U.S. at the land border regardless of their location of entry. This ensured consistent treatment of claimants and removed the incentive to cross irregularly to evade the application of the STCA at ports of entry.In June 2023, the Supreme Court of Canada upheld the constitutionality of the designation of the U.S. as a safe third country under s.7 of the Charter (right to life, liberty and security); a status that is subject to ongoing review by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) under the four criteria set out under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA):
  1. Being a party to the Refugee Convention and to the Convention Against Torture;
  2. Maintaining domestic policies and practices that respect international obligations;
  3. Human rights record in the country; and
  4. Being a party to an agreement with the Government of Canada for the purpose of sharing responsibility with respect to claims for refugee protection.
The Government of Canada strongly discourages irregular crossings, which can be risky and dangerous to those involved. IRCC supports the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) in their efforts to detect and disrupt human smuggling networks, and to combat international criminal organizations that seek to profit from the desperation and vulnerability of others.Canada is also party to the United Nations Protocol against Migrant Smuggling by Land, Sea and Air, which requires states parties to criminalize, prevent and combat this illegal activity. We encourage other countries to ratify and implement this Protocol, as well as its parent convention, the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.While Canada’s law enforcement agencies work with international partners to disrupt smuggling networks, IRCC continues to develop new pathways to provide alternatives to irregular migration. In October of this year we announced the new humanitarian permanent residence pathway for 11,000 Haitians, Colombians and Venezuelans, as part of our commitment to welcome 15,000 migrants from Western Hemisphere on humanitarian basis with a path to economic opportunities, as an alternative to irregular migrationCanada is also working with international partners in the Americas, such as the International Organization for Migration and the UNHCR to increase the capacity of transit and host countries to respond to the needs of the large scale mixed migration movements. This assistance also addresses the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement, expands regular migration pathways, responds to humanitarian crises and helps to build more durable, stable and safe societies in Latin America and the Caribbean. 
Canada–U.S. Safe Third Country AgreementCanada-United States relationsRefugees
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 9, 2023441-01352441-01352 (Foreign affairs)PatrickWeilerWest Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky CountryLiberalBCApril 26, 2023June 9, 2023April 26, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:1. Canadian citizens of Iranian descent are wrongfully profiled based on their background and birthplace when travelling to the United States with Canadian passports;2. Law-abiding Canadians, including doctors, nurses, scientists, engineers, pilots, and faculty members who have contributed to Canada's economy and society, are being denied entry to the US without explanation, despite their previous incident-free entries;3. They undergo biometric screening, device searches, and questioning about their background and compulsory conscription in Iran, leading to personal and professional distress for them and endangering their careers. As confirmed by US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, "The primary sanction when it comes to the FTO designation actually is a travel ban, and the people affected by that ban [are conscripts] and they would not be able to travel", adding that: "the people who are the real bad guys have no intention of travelling here anyway.";4. Partners and children, even those born in Canada, are also unjustly flagged as travel risks and denied entry to the US without explanation;5. Canadian families following Customs and Border Protection advice to visit US Consulates endure lengthy administrative processing without explanation, causing economic and emotional strain;6. The Canadians followed proper legal channels and sought a Redress Control Number from the Department of Homeland Security, but the number provided was ineffective in resolving their situation; and7. The Transportation Security Administration added the Canadians' names to travel risk lists shared with US allies, leading to unreasonable secondary screenings for Canadians travelling to/from Canada and deportation from other countries.We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Ask the United States to provide reasons for unjust profiling of Canadians of Iranian descent and long administrative processing of the aforementioned Canadians;
  • Engage and negotiate with the United States Department of State to provide a mandate for impacted Canadian citizens of Iranian descent similar to the "Exercise of Authority Under Federal Registration Vol.87 No.120 (37523) dated on June 23, 2022."; and
  • Take action on the unjust security measures that Canadians face upon leaving and returning to their home, Canada, by removing the unjustified security flags.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada is horrified by the Iranian regime's violence against its own people and their blatant disregard for human rights. That is why our government took significant further action against the Iranian regime. On November 14, 2022 Canada designated the Islamic Republic of Iran as a regime that has engaged in terrorism and in systematic breaches of human rights under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).As a result, tens of thousands of prominent Iranian government officials are now permanently inadmissible to Canada, including heads of state, top IRGC members, intelligence operatives, senior government officials, diplomats, and judges. The Government of Canada, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, engages regularly with members of the Iranian community to hear directly from them with regard to their priorities and concerns, and how we can better hold the Iranian regime to account.The United States, like Canada, has sovereignty over deciding which foreign nationals can cross its border. The United States has a recourse mechanism for anyone deemed inadmissible to the United States which impacted Canadian can explore as appropriate.The Government of Canada understands this issue is having a significant impact on affected Canadians, and Government of Canada officials have been in contact with several affected Canadians. These discussions have been extremely helpful in better understanding the issue.
BordersCanada-United States relationsIranian Canadians