Canada is a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, which was created after the Second World War as a humanitarian response to the needs of the huge number of resulting refugees. Canada signed the convention in 1969, and it is part of our domestic law.

Canada no longer a safe haven for genuine refugees
Human Rights . . . Here & There
Written by Sonya Nigam
Posted Date: April 09, 2012

While Canada ranks fifth as one of the world’s happiest places, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees it ranks 8th as a destination of choice for asylum seekers — with the United States, France, and Germany taking the top spots.
A recent UNHCR report defines an asylum-seeker as:
“An individual who has sought international protection and whose claim for refugee status has not been determined yet. As part of its obligation to protect refugees on its territory, the country of asylum is normally responsible for determining whether an asylum seeker is a refugee or not. This responsibility is often incorporated in national legislation of the country and, for State Parties, is derived from the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.”

Left to right: Saly Abed 17, artistic facilitator Pamala Rojas, Teba Amer,17, and Maisaa Alithawi, 20, show off the Philip Walker/Record staff

Liz Monteiro, Record staff Sat, 14 Apr 2012 Be the first to
Mural project helps young refugees express themselves

02APR12 refugeeyouth Left to right: Saly Abed 17, artistic facilitator Pamala Rojas, Teba Amer,17, and Maisaa Alithawi, 20, show off the Philip Walker/Record staff
Murals depicting their journeys to Canada. Philip Walker/Record staff

KITCHENER — (…)
Some of the youth who arrive at Reception House Waterloo Region — a temporary home for government assisted refugees — may appear shy, aloof and withdrawn, but give them a paintbrush and you might see them come alive.

A youth mural project was a way to connect the youth with their community and “to produce something they can see,” said Santiago Grande, project co-ordinator at Mosaic Counselling and Family Services.

(…)
“Relationships are essential to learning that services exist and increasing their capacity to reach out,’’ said Grande, who hopes to hold similar projects for more youth.

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Diane Ablonczy issued a joint statement asking Iran to release and halt the execution of Hamid Ghassemi-Shall.

Feds issue plea for Canadian on death row in Iran
Hamid Ghassemi-Shall is shown in this undated photo.

CTVNews.ca Staff

Date: Sunday Apr. 15, 2012 5:25 PM ET

The federal government issued a plea Sunday for the life of a Canadian on death row in Iran, over fears his execution “may be carried out imminently.”

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Diane Ablonczy issued a joint statement asking Iran to release and halt the execution of Hamid Ghassemi-Shall.

Baird and Ablonczy said “Canada is gravely concerned” that all indications point to Ghassemi-Shall’s imminent execution. The statement did not specify the nature of those indications.