This situation is pretty typical. The article is very much on point, however it does not mention another aspect of the problem, posed by marriages of convenience originating from India, Pakistan and other countries where "arranged marriages" are the norm rather than the exception. Since spousal sponsorships are the fastest way by far for obtaining Canadian residency, they have become the preferred route in most countries. Also, Canada does not require that the sponsor be a citizen, a resident can sponsor, and there are no longer any minimum income requirements in spousal sponsorships. In summary: this is a target of choice for fraud, both by sponsors and by those sponsored, and a huge problem for the economy, as the sponsored spouses become a burden to society, lack essential language and labour market skills, and account for a significant percentage of immigrants.
I do ... and I'm gone
Many Canadians who sponsor a foreign spouse find themselves jilted and on the hook financially - sometimes within a few weeks
ZOSIA BIELSKI
From Thursday's Globe and Mail
April 30, 2009 at 6:36 AM EDT
Cindy Green met her husband in the lobby of a Dominican Republic hotel: She was on vacation, he was on shift. There was chemistry, and the two would go dancing at a local discotheque. Ms. Green, a Toronto child-care worker, returned home single but soon racked up a hefty Visa bill, visiting the man every three months. After 19 months of long-distance dating, they wed in October, 2004, in the Dominican.
He landed in Toronto that December, securing permanent-resident status, as well as a social-insurance number and a health card through his marriage.
Shortly after he got his cards, Ms. Green says, her husband started picking fights. She wrote it off as an adjustment phase. He was experiencing his first Canadian winter, after all. But after she refused to send money to a family minding his apartment in the Dominican, her husband grew abnormally angry.
Several days later, he disappeared.
"The only thing he left was the key on the dresser," she recalls.
In the weeks that followed, Ms. Green says, she called her husband's cellphone frantically, but he would hang up or speak only in Spanish, which she does not understand. Increasingly agitated, Ms. Green hired a private investigator in the Dominican. She learned that the family her husband so desperately wanted her to send her earnings to was his own: a common-law wife and four children.
Ms. Green is just one of 1,500 Canadians who fall victim to marriage fraud each year, according to an advocacy group called Canadians Against Immigration Fraud. Falling in love with foreigners, they are jilted weeks - if not days - after the vows are exchanged.
Commenting on this issue last week, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said: "I would say it's one of the most frequent forms of immigration fraud."
Victims say such marriages of convenience stigmatize and humiliate them before their family, friends and peers. Worse still is the depression that follows the sudden marital abandonment. And there is a financial burden: Sponsors are on the hook financially for any social assistance their spouses might receive for three years - 10 years if they've also sponsored children.
Now, defrauded sponsors are fighting back. Canadians Against Immigration Fraud recently set in motion a federal class-action suit: They want errant spouses stripped of permanent-residence status and deported within a reasonable amount of time. In documents recently filed in Federal Court, Mr. Kenney stated that waiting nearly two years to open an investigation is "a short time period."
Last week, Ottawa performance artist Lainie Towell drew attention to the issue by putting on her wedding gown, strapping a full-size red door to her back and marching on Parliament Hill.
"The door was red, my dress was white - the colours echoed the Canadian flag," Ms. Towell says.
She said the door was supposed to represent the burden she bears for giving her husband, a musician named Fodé Mohamed Soumah (nicknamed Akra), entry into Canada on New Year's Eve, 2007.
The two met in Guinea in 2004; he was the drummer in a dance troupe she performed with. They married in the spring of 2007. Not two weeks after Mr. Soumah arrived in Ottawa, Ms. Towell discovered e-mails on her laptop that revealed he had fathered a baby with a 15-year-old girl in Africa. Two weeks later, Mr. Soumah disappeared, leaving only his wedding ring behind.
"That was probably the worst day of my life," Ms. Towell says.
It was difficult to accept that her husband had meticulously conned her, but when reality set in days later, Ms. Towell did not hesitate to call immigration and border officials.
"On one hand, you love this person, you married this person. And on the other hand, you're picking up the phone and you're turning them in. It's a very strange place to be in."
Last month, the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada found that her husband misrepresented himself when he claimed he was single and childless. Mr. Soumah was issued a removal order, which he has appealed, a process that could take years. In the meantime, Ms. Towell remains his sponsor, which leaves her financially responsible if he claims social assistance.
As in other cases, Ms. Towell's claim that her husband committed marriage fraud was more difficult to prove. Mr. Soumah insists he married Ms. Towell in good faith, but that the relationship disintegrated after she became controlling.
The government has cited this "he said, she said" element as one reason the cases take so long to process: Public servants are charged with deciding whether breakups are evidence of fraud or simply a romantic falling out.
Because of this inherent complexity, critics are agitating the government to adopt conditional residency laws such as those found in the United States and Australia, which require immigrant spouses to live with their husbands or wives for two years before they get full permanent residency.
"Isn't it easier to set up legislation that prevents the fraud in the first place?" asks Julie Taub, the Ottawa lawyer leading the class action. "We obviously can't deal with the fraud afterward."
Ms. Taub argues that those who cynically say Canadians marrying foreigners deserve their ordeals are missing the point. "When fraudsters become permanent residents, then they too have the right to sponsor family members. They're entitled to health care, social assistance, housing and all the benefits that Canadians are entitled to. ... The investigation trying to stem this fraud, it's not borne by the victim: that's all borne by Canadian taxpayers."
Ms. Green did not encounter such cynicism from her friends and family, who were supportive. "They thought he was a great guy. He was a good actor."
Even so, she says it has taken her years to recover from the experience, especially since her husband still lives somewhere in Toronto, his permanent-resident status intact.
"Even a year and a half after he left, I was just consumed with that. I would leave the house and get panic attacks, afraid that I would see him," Ms. Green said.
"I'm not going to forget what he did, and I won't forgive what he did, but in order for me to find peace, I don't think about those things any more."
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
MEXICAN FARM WORKERS COMING AMID FLU FEARS
Canada will monitor, not bar Mexican farm workers
Doctors to help border authorities process migrant workers during flu outbreak
Last Updated: Monday, April 27, 2009 2:14 PM CT
CBC News
Thousands of Mexican workers needed for Canada's growing season will have their temperature taken before being allowed to enter the country, in light of the swine flu outbreak, Canadian officials indicated Monday.
It's mandatory for seasonal or temporary workers from Mexico to undergo a physical examination before travelling to Canada, but now "they will have to have two doctors take their temperature, and all of this has to be done before they leave Mexico," Jason Kenney, minister of citizenship and immigration, said during Question Period Monday afternoon.
Kenney's comments in Parliament echoed earlier assertions from the Canadian government concerning safety precautions for Mexican migrant farm workers.
MDs to take workers' temperature
The minister of state for agriculture, Jean-Pierre Blackburn, said Monday that Canada has assigned two physicians to assist in the process of delivering permits to temporary farm workers and "to make sure that people who enter Canada don't have the disease.
"It's in that context that we will move forward, always with the objective of protecting public health," Blackburn said Monday at a French news conference in Quebec.
Authorities are closely monitoring the outbreak's evolution, while keeping things "in perspective," he added. "What is important for us is to ensure public health. At the same time, agricultural workers are important."
But the government has not ruled out the possibility of barring workers if the outbreak spreads, said Quebec Agriculture Minister Laurent Lessard.
"If the risk level evolves, necessarily, we will have to take appropriate measures," said Lessard, who accompanied Blackburn at the news conference.
Quebec farms depend on Mexican workers
Migrant farm workers from Mexico provide key labour to Canada's farming industry — especially in Quebec and Manitoba.
The Quebec industry was concerned workers may be blocked at the border given the risks of exposure and contamination in light of the swine flu outbreak.
More than 15,000 farm workers from Central America and the Caribbean eligible to work on Canadian fruit, vegetable and dairy farms are due here in the next few weeks, in time for the growing season's busiest period.
If they are delayed or eventually prevented from coming in, Quebec farms may be in trouble, said René Mantha, director of recruiting company FERME (Fondation des entreprises en recrutement de main-d'oeuvre étrangère).
"Without them, it's impossible to have the same production," Mantha said.
There has been a chronic shortage of agriculture help since at least 1974, since Canadians first started turning away from rural minimum-wage seasonal work, he explained.
Workers from Central America have consistently stepped in to fill that void, with the majority coming from Mexico. "We can recruit from other countries, but it could take months, and it would be too late," Mantha said.
"We already recruit workers from Guatemala, but we can't ask the Guatemalans to replace the Mexicans."
Hundreds of Mexican workers are already in Quebec, after arriving in January to work in flower and vegetable greenhouses. Mantha said they are very concerned about the flu reports, and many are speaking to their families at home every day for updates.
Recruiters ponder a contingency plan
Given the wave of layoffs across Canada, there may be an opportunity for the unemployed, Mantha suggested. "It's always the first option, to recruit Canadians before foreign workers," he said. Canadians are "already welcome on all … farms. If they are searching for temporary jobs, yes, we have jobs for them."
Farm workers earn between $9 per hour — to work on a vegetable farm — to $11.78 per hour on dairy farms, he said.
Doctors to help border authorities process migrant workers during flu outbreak
Last Updated: Monday, April 27, 2009 2:14 PM CT
CBC News
Thousands of Mexican workers needed for Canada's growing season will have their temperature taken before being allowed to enter the country, in light of the swine flu outbreak, Canadian officials indicated Monday.
It's mandatory for seasonal or temporary workers from Mexico to undergo a physical examination before travelling to Canada, but now "they will have to have two doctors take their temperature, and all of this has to be done before they leave Mexico," Jason Kenney, minister of citizenship and immigration, said during Question Period Monday afternoon.
Kenney's comments in Parliament echoed earlier assertions from the Canadian government concerning safety precautions for Mexican migrant farm workers.
MDs to take workers' temperature
The minister of state for agriculture, Jean-Pierre Blackburn, said Monday that Canada has assigned two physicians to assist in the process of delivering permits to temporary farm workers and "to make sure that people who enter Canada don't have the disease.
"It's in that context that we will move forward, always with the objective of protecting public health," Blackburn said Monday at a French news conference in Quebec.
Authorities are closely monitoring the outbreak's evolution, while keeping things "in perspective," he added. "What is important for us is to ensure public health. At the same time, agricultural workers are important."
But the government has not ruled out the possibility of barring workers if the outbreak spreads, said Quebec Agriculture Minister Laurent Lessard.
"If the risk level evolves, necessarily, we will have to take appropriate measures," said Lessard, who accompanied Blackburn at the news conference.
Quebec farms depend on Mexican workers
Migrant farm workers from Mexico provide key labour to Canada's farming industry — especially in Quebec and Manitoba.
The Quebec industry was concerned workers may be blocked at the border given the risks of exposure and contamination in light of the swine flu outbreak.
More than 15,000 farm workers from Central America and the Caribbean eligible to work on Canadian fruit, vegetable and dairy farms are due here in the next few weeks, in time for the growing season's busiest period.
If they are delayed or eventually prevented from coming in, Quebec farms may be in trouble, said René Mantha, director of recruiting company FERME (Fondation des entreprises en recrutement de main-d'oeuvre étrangère).
"Without them, it's impossible to have the same production," Mantha said.
There has been a chronic shortage of agriculture help since at least 1974, since Canadians first started turning away from rural minimum-wage seasonal work, he explained.
Workers from Central America have consistently stepped in to fill that void, with the majority coming from Mexico. "We can recruit from other countries, but it could take months, and it would be too late," Mantha said.
"We already recruit workers from Guatemala, but we can't ask the Guatemalans to replace the Mexicans."
Hundreds of Mexican workers are already in Quebec, after arriving in January to work in flower and vegetable greenhouses. Mantha said they are very concerned about the flu reports, and many are speaking to their families at home every day for updates.
Recruiters ponder a contingency plan
Given the wave of layoffs across Canada, there may be an opportunity for the unemployed, Mantha suggested. "It's always the first option, to recruit Canadians before foreign workers," he said. Canadians are "already welcome on all … farms. If they are searching for temporary jobs, yes, we have jobs for them."
Farm workers earn between $9 per hour — to work on a vegetable farm — to $11.78 per hour on dairy farms, he said.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
OBAMA'S CANADA BORDER POLICY
Friday, April 24, 2009
CANADA CONSIDERING VISA FOR CZECH CITIZENS
This is what happens when a group of people abuse the system: the innocent pays the piper. This is unfortunate, but necessary.Very time Canada lifts visa requirement on the Czech Republic, its Roma citizens flock to Canada in ever-increasing numbers to make refugee claims, and both the Canadian and the Czech governments are powerless to stem the flow. Imposing a visa is the only solution. The article below appeared in The Prague Post.
Canada rethinks Czech visa law
Minister blames fraud for influx of Roma asylum seekers
Posted: April 23, 2009
By Benjamin Cunningham - Staff Writer
An influx of Roma refugees has sparked a diplomatic row between the Czech Republic and Canada, with the Canadian government hinting at reinstituting visa requirements for Czechs, before back-peddling.
"We are obviously concerned about the number of false refugee claimants," said Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenney.
Experts on both sides of the Atlantic dispute Kenney's claim, citing the high number of Roma that succeed in obtaining refugee status under Canadian law as proof they are a persecuted minority.
"[Kenney] is talking through his hat. Their applications are accepted," said Paul St. Clair, executive director of the Roma Community Centre in Toronto. "Are they consistently able to fool the entire refugee board?"
The Canadian threat to again require a visa for Czech citizens has precedence. In 1997, about 1,500 Czechs applied for asylum in Canada, which prompted the Canadians to reinstitute visa restrictions after lifting them for one year. Between 1996 and 2000, 1677 Czechs sought asylum in Canada with 962 approved.
It was not until October 2007 that Canada again removed visa obligations for Czech citizens. By July 2008, Canada was again threatening to require visas in response to increased refugee applications.
In 2008, Czech citizens ranked seventh on Canada's list of asylum seekers. Last year, 853 Czech nationals sought refugee status in Canada, compared with 8,069 from Mexico, 4,936 from Haiti, 3,132 from Colombia and 1,711 from China. On April 20, Canada approved 84 Czech asylum applications.
Contrary to other media reports, Canadian Immigration Ministry Spokesman Nicolas Fortier said, "As we do not collect data on specific groups, we are unable to determine how many claims might be made by Roma."
It is widely assumed that the bulk of applicants coming from the Czech Republic are Roma.
Kenney said profiteers may be to blame for the increase in asylum applications. "If indeed there are commercial operations, I would hope the Czech authorities are able to identify those and crack down on them," he told the Vancouver Sun.
Fortier declined to clarify that statement or cite evidence that prompted Kenney's speculation. "There is no evidence of [commercial influence]," said Petr Koubek, a spokesman for the Czech Human Rights and Minorities Ministry.
Prague-based Roma rights activist Gwendolyn Albert calls Kenney's statement "very strange."
"I don't know where that is coming from," she said. "Perhaps he got his wires crossed with reports about the Czech government program to send migrant workers back to their home countries."
Meanwhile, Czech daily Lidové noviny cited an anonymous study in an April 20 article, saying Roma based in Canada - specifically Paul St. Clair - are assisting others to attain refugee status for profit.
"It's just not true," St. Clair said, adding he would respond directly to the paper about the claim.
Albert gives a straightforward explanation for the increased applications: the "low-level, persistent, psychological warfare" Roma endure in the Czech Republic. She also cited increased activities by right-wing extremist groups.
"It is well documented what the Roma face, especially in the past two years or so," she said, speaking from the UN International Conference on Racism in Geneva.
St. Clair cited similar rationale for Czech asylum-seeking Roma. "A democracy is not always a democracy for everyone," he said. "This is a European problem that nobody wants to deal with."
Albert said the Roma are a "close-knit family community in which information travels. They get to Canada, and they tell their relatives about how they can walk down the street without being stared at."
Fortier said "each [asylum] case is assessed on its own merits." Asked to clarify what Kenney meant by "false refugee claimants," Fortier declined comment and pointed to the government Web site for clarification on refugee policy.
Koubek said a Canadian delegation came to Prague to discuss the asylum issue three times, most recently in March. Roma asylum seekers are expected to be a major topic of discussion when Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper visits Prague May 6 for the Canada-EU summit.
"What the Canadian government doesn't want to admit is that it has a problem with these people coming from the Czech Republic," said Albert. "Despite all of the evidence, they refuse to acknowledge the wave of violent attacks and the completely untenable living situation they have in this country."
Canada rethinks Czech visa law
Minister blames fraud for influx of Roma asylum seekers
Posted: April 23, 2009
By Benjamin Cunningham - Staff Writer
An influx of Roma refugees has sparked a diplomatic row between the Czech Republic and Canada, with the Canadian government hinting at reinstituting visa requirements for Czechs, before back-peddling.
"We are obviously concerned about the number of false refugee claimants," said Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenney.
Experts on both sides of the Atlantic dispute Kenney's claim, citing the high number of Roma that succeed in obtaining refugee status under Canadian law as proof they are a persecuted minority.
"[Kenney] is talking through his hat. Their applications are accepted," said Paul St. Clair, executive director of the Roma Community Centre in Toronto. "Are they consistently able to fool the entire refugee board?"
The Canadian threat to again require a visa for Czech citizens has precedence. In 1997, about 1,500 Czechs applied for asylum in Canada, which prompted the Canadians to reinstitute visa restrictions after lifting them for one year. Between 1996 and 2000, 1677 Czechs sought asylum in Canada with 962 approved.
It was not until October 2007 that Canada again removed visa obligations for Czech citizens. By July 2008, Canada was again threatening to require visas in response to increased refugee applications.
In 2008, Czech citizens ranked seventh on Canada's list of asylum seekers. Last year, 853 Czech nationals sought refugee status in Canada, compared with 8,069 from Mexico, 4,936 from Haiti, 3,132 from Colombia and 1,711 from China. On April 20, Canada approved 84 Czech asylum applications.
Contrary to other media reports, Canadian Immigration Ministry Spokesman Nicolas Fortier said, "As we do not collect data on specific groups, we are unable to determine how many claims might be made by Roma."
It is widely assumed that the bulk of applicants coming from the Czech Republic are Roma.
Kenney said profiteers may be to blame for the increase in asylum applications. "If indeed there are commercial operations, I would hope the Czech authorities are able to identify those and crack down on them," he told the Vancouver Sun.
Fortier declined to clarify that statement or cite evidence that prompted Kenney's speculation. "There is no evidence of [commercial influence]," said Petr Koubek, a spokesman for the Czech Human Rights and Minorities Ministry.
Prague-based Roma rights activist Gwendolyn Albert calls Kenney's statement "very strange."
"I don't know where that is coming from," she said. "Perhaps he got his wires crossed with reports about the Czech government program to send migrant workers back to their home countries."
Meanwhile, Czech daily Lidové noviny cited an anonymous study in an April 20 article, saying Roma based in Canada - specifically Paul St. Clair - are assisting others to attain refugee status for profit.
"It's just not true," St. Clair said, adding he would respond directly to the paper about the claim.
Albert gives a straightforward explanation for the increased applications: the "low-level, persistent, psychological warfare" Roma endure in the Czech Republic. She also cited increased activities by right-wing extremist groups.
"It is well documented what the Roma face, especially in the past two years or so," she said, speaking from the UN International Conference on Racism in Geneva.
St. Clair cited similar rationale for Czech asylum-seeking Roma. "A democracy is not always a democracy for everyone," he said. "This is a European problem that nobody wants to deal with."
Albert said the Roma are a "close-knit family community in which information travels. They get to Canada, and they tell their relatives about how they can walk down the street without being stared at."
Fortier said "each [asylum] case is assessed on its own merits." Asked to clarify what Kenney meant by "false refugee claimants," Fortier declined comment and pointed to the government Web site for clarification on refugee policy.
Koubek said a Canadian delegation came to Prague to discuss the asylum issue three times, most recently in March. Roma asylum seekers are expected to be a major topic of discussion when Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper visits Prague May 6 for the Canada-EU summit.
"What the Canadian government doesn't want to admit is that it has a problem with these people coming from the Czech Republic," said Albert. "Despite all of the evidence, they refuse to acknowledge the wave of violent attacks and the completely untenable living situation they have in this country."
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
MOER FRAUDULENT MARRIAGE WOES COME TO LIGHT
Jilted bride takes immigration protest to Parliament
Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration says marriage fraud investigations take back seat to crime, security
BILL CURRY
April 20, 2009
OTTAWA -- Lainie Towell is putting on her white wedding dress on Thursday and heading to Parliament Hill.
In front of what are sure to be befuddled MPs walking into the Centre Block, Ms. Towell will protest her unusual battle with Canada's immigration system in the way that comes most naturally for the Ottawa dancer: performance art.
Ms. Towell is one of a growing number of people going public with their stories of marriage fraud in the immigration system. These are Canadians who married a foreigner only to see their husband or wife leave them within weeks or even days of landing on Canadian soil.
But when these self-described victims alert the federal government to the trick they say has been played on them and the country, they often wait years for their file to be investigated.
Meanwhile, the jilted spouse risks being on the hook financially should the new arrival file for social assistance.
"I think the image itself is going to be extremely powerful," said Ms. Towell of her protest, during which she intends to strap a heavy red door on her back. She said the door symbolizes the weight she bears for giving her husband entry into Canada.
"I hope that some MP comes forward and recognizes this is a problem," she said.
There has been little public response from Ottawa on the issue. However, in documents recently filed in Federal Court, the Minister of Citizenship and the Minister for Public Safety state that a nearly two-year wait for a fraud investigation is a "short time period" that is not unreasonable.
The government also says immigration investigators are short of staff, that marriage fraud investigations involve a complicated weighing of both sides in the dispute, and that such cases must take a back seat to those involving alleged criminals or security threats.
Ottawa's position comes in response to a proposed class-action suit on behalf of alleged victims of marriage fraud. The suit aims to force the federal government to investigate allegations of marriage fraud within a reasonable period.
It is based on the case of Saranjeet Singh Benet, a Brampton, Ont., man who says his wife left him just a month after he sponsored her immigration from India. If the court grants the class action status, his lawyer said hundreds of others could join the suit.
An affidavit filed by Ottawa from immigration officer Wendy Seunath states that the office in Mississauga that handles such cases has a staff of just eight officers and four counsellor assistants, yet is responsible for more that 650 files annually.
"I can understand and appreciate Mr. Benet's frustration, impatience and concern," Ms. Seunath said in her affidavit. "However, Mr. Benet's case is one among many."
Ms. Towell got her case investigated last year after she went public with her situation. The Canada Border Services Agency supported her view that her husband, a Guinean musician named Fodé Mohamed Soumah, entered the marriage in bad faith and lied to immigration officers about the fact that he had a dependent child.
The Immigration and Refugee Board heard the case, ruling that marriage fraud could not be proven but that Mr. Soumah should be deported for lying about his child. Mr. Soumah intends to appeal, arguing he did not lie and that the child is not his.
A spokesman for Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said the minister is aware of the issues based on his consultations with various ethnic communities across the country. The spokesman said that beginning in late summer, the government will roll out "a number of initiatives" to address immigration fraud.
Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration says marriage fraud investigations take back seat to crime, security
BILL CURRY
April 20, 2009
OTTAWA -- Lainie Towell is putting on her white wedding dress on Thursday and heading to Parliament Hill.
In front of what are sure to be befuddled MPs walking into the Centre Block, Ms. Towell will protest her unusual battle with Canada's immigration system in the way that comes most naturally for the Ottawa dancer: performance art.
Ms. Towell is one of a growing number of people going public with their stories of marriage fraud in the immigration system. These are Canadians who married a foreigner only to see their husband or wife leave them within weeks or even days of landing on Canadian soil.
But when these self-described victims alert the federal government to the trick they say has been played on them and the country, they often wait years for their file to be investigated.
Meanwhile, the jilted spouse risks being on the hook financially should the new arrival file for social assistance.
"I think the image itself is going to be extremely powerful," said Ms. Towell of her protest, during which she intends to strap a heavy red door on her back. She said the door symbolizes the weight she bears for giving her husband entry into Canada.
"I hope that some MP comes forward and recognizes this is a problem," she said.
There has been little public response from Ottawa on the issue. However, in documents recently filed in Federal Court, the Minister of Citizenship and the Minister for Public Safety state that a nearly two-year wait for a fraud investigation is a "short time period" that is not unreasonable.
The government also says immigration investigators are short of staff, that marriage fraud investigations involve a complicated weighing of both sides in the dispute, and that such cases must take a back seat to those involving alleged criminals or security threats.
Ottawa's position comes in response to a proposed class-action suit on behalf of alleged victims of marriage fraud. The suit aims to force the federal government to investigate allegations of marriage fraud within a reasonable period.
It is based on the case of Saranjeet Singh Benet, a Brampton, Ont., man who says his wife left him just a month after he sponsored her immigration from India. If the court grants the class action status, his lawyer said hundreds of others could join the suit.
An affidavit filed by Ottawa from immigration officer Wendy Seunath states that the office in Mississauga that handles such cases has a staff of just eight officers and four counsellor assistants, yet is responsible for more that 650 files annually.
"I can understand and appreciate Mr. Benet's frustration, impatience and concern," Ms. Seunath said in her affidavit. "However, Mr. Benet's case is one among many."
Ms. Towell got her case investigated last year after she went public with her situation. The Canada Border Services Agency supported her view that her husband, a Guinean musician named Fodé Mohamed Soumah, entered the marriage in bad faith and lied to immigration officers about the fact that he had a dependent child.
The Immigration and Refugee Board heard the case, ruling that marriage fraud could not be proven but that Mr. Soumah should be deported for lying about his child. Mr. Soumah intends to appeal, arguing he did not lie and that the child is not his.
A spokesman for Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said the minister is aware of the issues based on his consultations with various ethnic communities across the country. The spokesman said that beginning in late summer, the government will roll out "a number of initiatives" to address immigration fraud.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Canada flooded with Czech Roma refugee claims
2008 saw 993% increase from year before
By Peter O'Neil, Canwest News ServiceApril 15, 2009
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney called Wednesday on the Czech government to crack down on unscrupulous operators believed to be behind a massive surge in the number of refugee claimants arriving at Canadian airports from that country.
The increase, believed to emanate from the minority Roma community, began in late 2007 when Canada lifted the visa requirement for Czech visitors to Canada.
There were 78 claims during the last two months of 2007, compared to none a year earlier.
In 2008, there were 853 Czech nationals seeking Canadian protection from alleged persecution in a European democracy, a staggering 993 per cent increase.
The Czech Republic has suddenly become one of Canada's top seven sources of refugees, ahead of war-and violence-stricken countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia.
"This is obviously a concern," Kenney told Canwest News Service, noting the Czech Republic must comply with human-rights requirements as a member of the European Union.
"Although, like every other democracy, it has its challenges and its shortcomings, it's hard to believe that the Czech Republic is an island of persecution in Europe."
Kenney said the Canadian government has no immediate plans to re-impose the visa requirement — a move almost certain to infuriate Czech authorities and citizens.
"We would like to maintain our visa exemption with the Czech Republic. At the same time, we are obviously concerned about the numbers of false refugee claimants."
He said he hopes Czech authorities, who are also anxious to retain visa-free status, do their part.
"If indeed there are commercial operations, I would hope the Czech authorities are able to identify those and crack down on them."
He also said Canada and the Czech Republic are looking at ways "to prevent people from abusing our very generous refugee determination system."
He noted that seven other eastern European and Baltic countries had their visa requirements waived in the 2007-08 period, and in no other case was there a refugee spike.
Several of those countries, including Slovakia and Hungary, have large Roma minorities.
The Roma, also known as Romany or Gypsies, face systemic discrimination and racist attacks from far-right groups, according to numerous human-rights reports. Critics, however, question whether their situation fits the United Nations definition of persecuted refugees.
Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board, an independent tribunal that assesses refugee claims, sent a fact-finding mission to the Czech Republic last month to help the board assess living conditions for Roma.
The matter represents one of the touchiest bilateral issues to be discussed when Prime Minister Stephen Harper meets with Czech leaders in Prague on May 6 for the Canada-European Union summit.
The Czech Republic holds the rotating EU presidency and is therefore hosting the summit at which Canada-EU free-trade talks are expected to be launched.
Many claimants are settling in the Greater Toronto Area, according to news coverage that has included a report in France's Le Monde newspaper earlier this week.
The Czech refugee claimants have so far had a 40 per cent success rate, with 84 claims being accepted last year, compared to five that were rejected, 11 abandoned, and 95 claims withdrawn.
The huge 2008 increase made the Czech Republic the seventh-largest source of refugee claimants in a year, in which 34,800 claims were filed.
Mexico, at 8,069, was far and away the top source country, followed by Haiti (4,936), Colombia (3,132) and China (1,711).
The board defines refugees as "people who have left their home country and have a well-founded fear of persecution" based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group.
Canada has shown in the past it's prepared to take firm action, lifting in the mid-1990s and then re-imposing the visa requirement a year later, after a flood of more than 4,000 Czechs, again mostly Roma, showed up during the visa-free period. At the time, a documentary appeared on Czech television, touting Canada as a promised land for Roma because of alleged easy access into the country and generous social programs after arrival.
A Czech government official said in an e-mail exchange Wednesday that there is "no reason to consider them refugees."
Foreign affairs ministry spokeswoman Zuzana Opletalova noted the government has a special office responsible for minority rights. The head of that office is in "permanent contact" with Canadian officials.
There have been a number of neo-Nazi and skinhead marches into Roma ghettos, including one earlier this month, and there have been reports of unauthorized sterilizations of Roma woman as recently as last year. Roma children are routinely segregated in classrooms and often put in schools for developmentally challenged children, a fate that ensures difficulty in the job market, and shuts the door on post-secondary education.
2008 saw 993% increase from year before
By Peter O'Neil, Canwest News ServiceApril 15, 2009
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney called Wednesday on the Czech government to crack down on unscrupulous operators believed to be behind a massive surge in the number of refugee claimants arriving at Canadian airports from that country.
The increase, believed to emanate from the minority Roma community, began in late 2007 when Canada lifted the visa requirement for Czech visitors to Canada.
There were 78 claims during the last two months of 2007, compared to none a year earlier.
In 2008, there were 853 Czech nationals seeking Canadian protection from alleged persecution in a European democracy, a staggering 993 per cent increase.
The Czech Republic has suddenly become one of Canada's top seven sources of refugees, ahead of war-and violence-stricken countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia.
"This is obviously a concern," Kenney told Canwest News Service, noting the Czech Republic must comply with human-rights requirements as a member of the European Union.
"Although, like every other democracy, it has its challenges and its shortcomings, it's hard to believe that the Czech Republic is an island of persecution in Europe."
Kenney said the Canadian government has no immediate plans to re-impose the visa requirement — a move almost certain to infuriate Czech authorities and citizens.
"We would like to maintain our visa exemption with the Czech Republic. At the same time, we are obviously concerned about the numbers of false refugee claimants."
He said he hopes Czech authorities, who are also anxious to retain visa-free status, do their part.
"If indeed there are commercial operations, I would hope the Czech authorities are able to identify those and crack down on them."
He also said Canada and the Czech Republic are looking at ways "to prevent people from abusing our very generous refugee determination system."
He noted that seven other eastern European and Baltic countries had their visa requirements waived in the 2007-08 period, and in no other case was there a refugee spike.
Several of those countries, including Slovakia and Hungary, have large Roma minorities.
The Roma, also known as Romany or Gypsies, face systemic discrimination and racist attacks from far-right groups, according to numerous human-rights reports. Critics, however, question whether their situation fits the United Nations definition of persecuted refugees.
Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board, an independent tribunal that assesses refugee claims, sent a fact-finding mission to the Czech Republic last month to help the board assess living conditions for Roma.
The matter represents one of the touchiest bilateral issues to be discussed when Prime Minister Stephen Harper meets with Czech leaders in Prague on May 6 for the Canada-European Union summit.
The Czech Republic holds the rotating EU presidency and is therefore hosting the summit at which Canada-EU free-trade talks are expected to be launched.
Many claimants are settling in the Greater Toronto Area, according to news coverage that has included a report in France's Le Monde newspaper earlier this week.
The Czech refugee claimants have so far had a 40 per cent success rate, with 84 claims being accepted last year, compared to five that were rejected, 11 abandoned, and 95 claims withdrawn.
The huge 2008 increase made the Czech Republic the seventh-largest source of refugee claimants in a year, in which 34,800 claims were filed.
Mexico, at 8,069, was far and away the top source country, followed by Haiti (4,936), Colombia (3,132) and China (1,711).
The board defines refugees as "people who have left their home country and have a well-founded fear of persecution" based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group.
Canada has shown in the past it's prepared to take firm action, lifting in the mid-1990s and then re-imposing the visa requirement a year later, after a flood of more than 4,000 Czechs, again mostly Roma, showed up during the visa-free period. At the time, a documentary appeared on Czech television, touting Canada as a promised land for Roma because of alleged easy access into the country and generous social programs after arrival.
A Czech government official said in an e-mail exchange Wednesday that there is "no reason to consider them refugees."
Foreign affairs ministry spokeswoman Zuzana Opletalova noted the government has a special office responsible for minority rights. The head of that office is in "permanent contact" with Canadian officials.
There have been a number of neo-Nazi and skinhead marches into Roma ghettos, including one earlier this month, and there have been reports of unauthorized sterilizations of Roma woman as recently as last year. Roma children are routinely segregated in classrooms and often put in schools for developmentally challenged children, a fate that ensures difficulty in the job market, and shuts the door on post-secondary education.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
PLAYING THE "REFUGEE" SYSTEM
The article below from Embassy is a very good summary of what is wrong with the current refugee determination system: the problem is on the DEMAND side of the equation, and recent experience has shown that the larger the system gets, the larger the abuses an increase in demand. The number of refugee claims has tripled since the early 1990s and quadrupled since the 1980s due to a several factors which include a policy of not detaining claimants even though their identity may be in question; allowing them to collect social assistance and enjoy medical coverage; failing to enforce deportations after they exhaust their legal remedies; allowing them to make "humanitarian and compassionate grounds" applications after they lose their claims; allowing them to file spousal sponsorship applications for marriages that take place after they make or even lose a claim for refugee status; and failing to enforce deportation orders quickly, losing sight of the claimants whereabouts for years after they lose their claims. Also, allowing claims from countries such as the EU member states (i.e Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, etc) and even from the US is ludicrous, we need to get away from the notion that Canada is the beacon of all those who have a complaint against their country, even if it is not persecution as defined by the UN Convention on the Status of Refugees. There should be a "Safe Third Country Treaty" with the EU, and Mexicans should be required to obtain a visitors visa to enter Canada to cut the influx of bogus refugees. Finally, inland claims should be abolished, save for extreme circumstances that should be set by government policy as the need arises, such as a military coup in certain country. Able-bodied refugees should be required to work in exchange for welfare, and language classes should be mandatory for them. Finally, refugee protection should be temporary for a probationary period before e residency is granted, and those who commit crimes in Canad during their probation or after landing should be deported despite their refugee status. In summary: the refugee system should not be used to achieve an alternative path to residency.
EMBASSY
Apr. 8, 2009 -
http://embassymag.ca/page/printpage/refugee_funding_shortfalls-4-8-2009
Refugee Funding Shortfalls Could Lead to Two-Tier System
by Lee Berthiaume
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney refuted suggestions the government is inviting such abuse by refusing to increase funding for the IRB to meet increased demand.
Standing in the House of Commons on April 1, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney proudly refuted allegations the government was undermining Canada's immigration and refugee system.
The previous day, Auditor General Sheila Fraser had released a report calling attention to the government's failure to fill the Immigration and Refugee Board with new members and retain old ones.
The result has been a growing backlog of refugee cases—estimated at 65,000 this year—and processing times of up to two years, during which applicants can receive social and medical benefits as they await a decision.
In response, Mr. Kenney noted in the House that the government has been making numerous appointments over the past few months and the IRB is now operating at 95 per cent capacity.
But despite the minister's confidence, IRB documents show the refugee system is in serious trouble.
At current funding levels, even at 100 per cent capacity, the refugee application backlog is expected to continue growing by at least 25,000 applications each year. In fact, Mr. Kenney has confirmed the IRB would need to triple in size to keep up with demand.
Yet the government has no plans to increase the IRB's size or funding and is instead looking to reform the refugee system in ways some believe could be dangerous and immoral.
Policies, Not Money
In 2003, Canada's refugee system was in trouble. The number of unprocessed claims stood at almost 40,000 and the Liberal government was under pressure to act. The following year, however, the controversial Safe Third Country Agreement came into effect, which helped cut in half the number of cases referred to it.
Over the next few years, the backlog started shrinking, reaching a low of about 20,000 cases by the time the Conservatives came to power in January 2006. During that time, the Liberals had started cutting positions at the IRB, a trend that continued under the Tories. The number of members—IRB officials who hear and pass judgment on refugee applications and immigration appeals—dropped from almost 220 in January 2004 to the current 164.
At the same time, the IRB's budget was cut from $136.6 million in 2004/05 to $113.4 for this year, a figure that the government plans to keep constant through 2011/12. Of that, roughly $60 million will go to the Refugee Protection Division, which is responsible for accepting or rejecting refugee applications made within Canada.
The Conservatives' decision in 2007 to revamp the way IRB members are selected. While the reforms were underway, a large number of members saw their terms expire, while new appointments were practically non-existent. In her report, the auditor general noted the vacancy rate was 35 per cent in March 2008, and still at 23 per cent in September.
However, according to the IRB Report on Plans and Priorities, even with all vacancies filled, the board will only be able to finalize 25,000 refugee applications per year.
Yet, it is expecting 50,000 this year, and has made a conservative estimate that rate will remain constant, despite a 25 per cent annual increase in previous years. As a result, the current backlog of 65,000 is expected to grow to 140,000 by 2011/12.
"If intake levels and resource levels remain constant, it is expected that the inventory will continue to grow, even with a full complement of decision-makers," the IRB report reads. "While the IRB will continue to seek opportunities to further increase its productivity, workload pressures...are such that changes to resource levels will be required to return the pending inventory to normal operating levels."
At the same time, processing times are expected to increase, from 14 months in 2007/08 to 22.5 months in 2011/12, during which time applicants will be eligible for social and medical benefits.
In her report, the auditor general wrote: "To prevent abuse of our immigration system, it is important that a refugee claim not be perceived as providing an automatic stay in Canada for a significant period of time.
"Lengthy delays in rendering decisions on unsupported claims therefore have significant cost implications for all levels of government."
Late last month, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney made headlines when he said there was "wide-scale and almost systematic abuse" of the country's refugee system.
In an interview with Embassy last week, he refuted suggestions the government is inviting such abuse by refusing to increase funding for the IRB to meet increased demand. Rather, he said the government is fighting a battle that cannot be won with more money or, more importantly, board members.
"The chairman of the IRB tells me that it would require tripling the size of the IRB to deal with the current backlog," Mr. Kenney said. "That's clearly not an option, particularly during tight fiscal times.
"Let's say we triple the size of the IRB and we process cases faster, but the demand continues to grow, the number of claims continues to grow. That's not a sustainable solution."
At the same time, Mr. Kenney questioned why the government should be dedicating more resources when the number of fraudulent claims is increasing. In the last three years, 55 per cent of refugee claims were rejected or withdrawn.
"Should the Canadian taxpayer be forced to have unlimited increases in funding for processing when the majority of claimants are abusing our system and our generosity," he said. "Or should we find more expeditious ways to process false claims and to remove people from the country. I think the latter is the more responsible solution."
The minister has ordered his staff to come up with new policies and other options to reform the refugee system and "disincentivize" false claimants. He points to the UK as proof such measures can work. After a number of measures were adopted—measures Mr. Kenney says are compliant with British Common and European human rights law—the UK saw claims drop by 300 per cent.
The minister said the review is still at the early stages, and it's too early to rule anything in or out. However, he has shed light on some options he is looking at.
In a speech to the Canadian Council for Refugees in Toronto in November, Mr. Kenney raised the possibility of a two-tier system where applicants from what he called "liberal democracies" like Mexico, Britain and the Czech Republic are treated differently than those from conflict zones or totalitarian societies.
Speaking to Embassy, Mr. Kenney said other countries like the UK have adopted measures that make distinctions between countries of origin. For example, applicants from some countries cannot appeal a rejection.
In addition, there has been word the government is considering detaining applicants until a decision is rendered. Mr. Kenney said there is increased use of detention in the British system, but would not comment further.
No matter what it decides, Mr. Kenney said the government will fulfil its domestic and international obligations, and adhere to decisions made in past court decisions.
"Obviously anything we propose would be compliant with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and our international obligations," he said, "which would mean we give people a chance to make a claim in Canada, and to consider it in accordance with due process and natural justice."
Resources Desperately Needed
While acknowledging major problems with Canada's refugee system, opposition critics and refugee advocates say the government needs to add resources to have any hope of getting it under control
In addition, they questioned suggestions Canada could treat asylum seekers from some countries differently than others.
"I don't think we want to get into a system where people's rights are not being protected," said Liberal Immigration critic Maurizio Bevilacqua. "There's a right balance. Ninety per cent of Mexicans are rejected. That means 10 per cent are accepted.... If you paint everybody with the same stroke from one country, that's a danger."
Mr. Bevilacqua said improving the system and streamlining it is important, but "we have a government that actually believes the system can be fixed with no further funding. That's highly unlikely.
"The message that the world needs to get from Canada is we are running a very efficient, effective immigration system. Not one that is flawed and weak and full of loopholes."
Janet Dench, executive director of the Canadian Council for Refugees, said it's no surprise to those who work with the system that it is heavily under-resourced and in desperate need of help.
She said the only smart thing to do is increase the number of IRB members and resources for the short-term to get the growing backlog under control—and cut down on fraudulent claims as people try to take advantage of the long processing time.
"We know there are people out there...who say 'This is a good way to go to Canada, work for a few years, even if you don't have a refugee claim,'" she said. "Then you multiply the problem."
EMBASSY
Apr. 8, 2009 -
http://embassymag.ca/page/printpage/refugee_funding_shortfalls-4-8-2009
Refugee Funding Shortfalls Could Lead to Two-Tier System
by Lee Berthiaume
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney refuted suggestions the government is inviting such abuse by refusing to increase funding for the IRB to meet increased demand.
Standing in the House of Commons on April 1, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney proudly refuted allegations the government was undermining Canada's immigration and refugee system.
The previous day, Auditor General Sheila Fraser had released a report calling attention to the government's failure to fill the Immigration and Refugee Board with new members and retain old ones.
The result has been a growing backlog of refugee cases—estimated at 65,000 this year—and processing times of up to two years, during which applicants can receive social and medical benefits as they await a decision.
In response, Mr. Kenney noted in the House that the government has been making numerous appointments over the past few months and the IRB is now operating at 95 per cent capacity.
But despite the minister's confidence, IRB documents show the refugee system is in serious trouble.
At current funding levels, even at 100 per cent capacity, the refugee application backlog is expected to continue growing by at least 25,000 applications each year. In fact, Mr. Kenney has confirmed the IRB would need to triple in size to keep up with demand.
Yet the government has no plans to increase the IRB's size or funding and is instead looking to reform the refugee system in ways some believe could be dangerous and immoral.
Policies, Not Money
In 2003, Canada's refugee system was in trouble. The number of unprocessed claims stood at almost 40,000 and the Liberal government was under pressure to act. The following year, however, the controversial Safe Third Country Agreement came into effect, which helped cut in half the number of cases referred to it.
Over the next few years, the backlog started shrinking, reaching a low of about 20,000 cases by the time the Conservatives came to power in January 2006. During that time, the Liberals had started cutting positions at the IRB, a trend that continued under the Tories. The number of members—IRB officials who hear and pass judgment on refugee applications and immigration appeals—dropped from almost 220 in January 2004 to the current 164.
At the same time, the IRB's budget was cut from $136.6 million in 2004/05 to $113.4 for this year, a figure that the government plans to keep constant through 2011/12. Of that, roughly $60 million will go to the Refugee Protection Division, which is responsible for accepting or rejecting refugee applications made within Canada.
The Conservatives' decision in 2007 to revamp the way IRB members are selected. While the reforms were underway, a large number of members saw their terms expire, while new appointments were practically non-existent. In her report, the auditor general noted the vacancy rate was 35 per cent in March 2008, and still at 23 per cent in September.
However, according to the IRB Report on Plans and Priorities, even with all vacancies filled, the board will only be able to finalize 25,000 refugee applications per year.
Yet, it is expecting 50,000 this year, and has made a conservative estimate that rate will remain constant, despite a 25 per cent annual increase in previous years. As a result, the current backlog of 65,000 is expected to grow to 140,000 by 2011/12.
"If intake levels and resource levels remain constant, it is expected that the inventory will continue to grow, even with a full complement of decision-makers," the IRB report reads. "While the IRB will continue to seek opportunities to further increase its productivity, workload pressures...are such that changes to resource levels will be required to return the pending inventory to normal operating levels."
At the same time, processing times are expected to increase, from 14 months in 2007/08 to 22.5 months in 2011/12, during which time applicants will be eligible for social and medical benefits.
In her report, the auditor general wrote: "To prevent abuse of our immigration system, it is important that a refugee claim not be perceived as providing an automatic stay in Canada for a significant period of time.
"Lengthy delays in rendering decisions on unsupported claims therefore have significant cost implications for all levels of government."
Late last month, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney made headlines when he said there was "wide-scale and almost systematic abuse" of the country's refugee system.
In an interview with Embassy last week, he refuted suggestions the government is inviting such abuse by refusing to increase funding for the IRB to meet increased demand. Rather, he said the government is fighting a battle that cannot be won with more money or, more importantly, board members.
"The chairman of the IRB tells me that it would require tripling the size of the IRB to deal with the current backlog," Mr. Kenney said. "That's clearly not an option, particularly during tight fiscal times.
"Let's say we triple the size of the IRB and we process cases faster, but the demand continues to grow, the number of claims continues to grow. That's not a sustainable solution."
At the same time, Mr. Kenney questioned why the government should be dedicating more resources when the number of fraudulent claims is increasing. In the last three years, 55 per cent of refugee claims were rejected or withdrawn.
"Should the Canadian taxpayer be forced to have unlimited increases in funding for processing when the majority of claimants are abusing our system and our generosity," he said. "Or should we find more expeditious ways to process false claims and to remove people from the country. I think the latter is the more responsible solution."
The minister has ordered his staff to come up with new policies and other options to reform the refugee system and "disincentivize" false claimants. He points to the UK as proof such measures can work. After a number of measures were adopted—measures Mr. Kenney says are compliant with British Common and European human rights law—the UK saw claims drop by 300 per cent.
The minister said the review is still at the early stages, and it's too early to rule anything in or out. However, he has shed light on some options he is looking at.
In a speech to the Canadian Council for Refugees in Toronto in November, Mr. Kenney raised the possibility of a two-tier system where applicants from what he called "liberal democracies" like Mexico, Britain and the Czech Republic are treated differently than those from conflict zones or totalitarian societies.
Speaking to Embassy, Mr. Kenney said other countries like the UK have adopted measures that make distinctions between countries of origin. For example, applicants from some countries cannot appeal a rejection.
In addition, there has been word the government is considering detaining applicants until a decision is rendered. Mr. Kenney said there is increased use of detention in the British system, but would not comment further.
No matter what it decides, Mr. Kenney said the government will fulfil its domestic and international obligations, and adhere to decisions made in past court decisions.
"Obviously anything we propose would be compliant with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and our international obligations," he said, "which would mean we give people a chance to make a claim in Canada, and to consider it in accordance with due process and natural justice."
Resources Desperately Needed
While acknowledging major problems with Canada's refugee system, opposition critics and refugee advocates say the government needs to add resources to have any hope of getting it under control
In addition, they questioned suggestions Canada could treat asylum seekers from some countries differently than others.
"I don't think we want to get into a system where people's rights are not being protected," said Liberal Immigration critic Maurizio Bevilacqua. "There's a right balance. Ninety per cent of Mexicans are rejected. That means 10 per cent are accepted.... If you paint everybody with the same stroke from one country, that's a danger."
Mr. Bevilacqua said improving the system and streamlining it is important, but "we have a government that actually believes the system can be fixed with no further funding. That's highly unlikely.
"The message that the world needs to get from Canada is we are running a very efficient, effective immigration system. Not one that is flawed and weak and full of loopholes."
Janet Dench, executive director of the Canadian Council for Refugees, said it's no surprise to those who work with the system that it is heavily under-resourced and in desperate need of help.
She said the only smart thing to do is increase the number of IRB members and resources for the short-term to get the growing backlog under control—and cut down on fraudulent claims as people try to take advantage of the long processing time.
"We know there are people out there...who say 'This is a good way to go to Canada, work for a few years, even if you don't have a refugee claim,'" she said. "Then you multiply the problem."
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