Protecting Canada's Immigration System Act

Bill C-31
An Act to Amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Balanced Refugee Reform Act, the Marine Transportation Security Act and the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Act.
Citation Bill C-31
Enacted by House of Commons of Canada
Enacted by Senate of Canada
Date of Royal Assent June 28, 2012
Legislative history
Bill introduced in the House of Commons of Canada Bill C-31
Introduced by MP Jason Kenney
First reading February 16, 2012[1]
Second reading March 23, 2012[1]
Third reading June 11, 2012[1]
Conference committee bill passed May 14, 2012[1]
Bill introduced in the Senate of Canada Bill C-31
First reading June 11, 2012
Second reading June 13, 2012
Third reading June 27, 2012
Conference committee bill passed June 21, 2012
Status: Current legislation

"Protecting Canada's Immigration System Act", or Bill C-31, "An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Balanced Refugee Reform Act, the Marine Transportation Security Act and the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Act", is an act of the 41st Canadian Parliament, sponsored by the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, Jason Kenney. It was introduced on 16 February 2012 and received Royal Assent on 28 June 2012.[1]

The following changes were made by the bill:

Jason Kenney claimed that the bill is necessary to protect the refugee system, and that it would address the number of "bogus refugees" and claimants from European Union democracies.[2]

Criticism

Don Davies criticized the bill, saying that it broke the compromise previously reached within the government, and that it "puts too much power in the hands of the minister".[2]

Amnesty International, the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, and the Canadian Council for Refugees have called for the withdrawal of the bill, claiming that it has provisions that would "arbitrarily detain groups of refugees; keep parents, children and spouses apart for years; undermine the fairness of the refugee claim and protection process; introduce the use of biometrics; and authorize the stripping of permanent residence from refugees", and "gives Ministers broad, unfettered and unprecedented powers".[3]

Human Rights Watch has also criticized the bill, saying that "[s]ubjecting 16- and 17-year-old children to mandatory, unreviewable detention backtracks on Canada’s commitments to children", and that "[w]e believe it is impossible to make a blanket determination that any country is safe for everyone and would never produce a refugee".[4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "House Government Bill C-31". Parliament of Canada. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  2. 1 2 Elliott, Louise; Payton, Laura (15 February 2012). "Refugee reforms include fingerprints, no appeals for some". CBC News. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  3. "Media Advisory: Human Rights Groups Protest Draconian Refugee Bill". Canadian Civil Liberties Association. 15 March 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  4. "Canada: Vote No on Migrant Detention Bill". Human Rights Watch. 16 March 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
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