DOCSLIB.ORG

History and Legacy of Refugee Resettlement in Ottawa a PRIMER

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
History and Legacy of Refugee Resettlement in Ottawa a PRIMER History and Legacy of Refugee Resettlement In Ottawa A PRIMER Authored by APRIL CARRIÈRE June, 2016 1 Acknowledgement This report would not have been possible without the contribution of local leaders who generously donated their time, knowledge and insight. The OLIP would like to thank the following people for their willingness to be interviewed as part of this project: • Barbara Gamble, Member of the Stakeholder Committee for Refugee 613 Past member of the Executive of the Board of Directors of Project 4000 Executive and Founding Member of the Marion Dewar Scholarship Fund • Carl Nicholson, E.D., Catholic Centre for Immigrants (CCI) • Chamroeun Lay, Manager, CCI Maison Sophia House • Don Smith, Chair, Refugee Working Group, The Anglican Diocese of Ottawa • Heng Chau, Housing Coordinator, CCI Resettlement Assistance Program • Hindia Mohamoud, Director, Ottawa Local Immigration Partnership • Louisa Taylor, Director, Refugee 613 • Mike Bulthuis, E.D., Alliance to End Homelessness • Nancy Worsfold, E.D., Crime Prevention Ottawa, Previous E.D. of the Canadian Coalition for Refugees • Norma McCord, Coalition for Refugees of Ottawa We would also like to thank Dr. Caroline Andrew and Mr. Michael Molloy for their generosity in providing editorial feedback on this primer. Their knowledge, insight, and keen eyes were essential to the completion of the project. Finally, we thank Mr. Colin Gillespie who volunteered his time to transcribe some of the interviews. 2 History and Legacy of Refugee Resettlement in Ottawa — A PRIMER TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgement .................................................... 2 Table of Contents ...................................................... 3 List of Abbreviations .................................................. 4 The Basics ................................................................... 5 Refugees by the Numbers ........................................ 7 Myth Buster ................................................................ 8 Brief Timeline of Refugee Policy and Resettlement in Canada .................................. 13 Legacy ...................................................................... 26 Final Thoughts ......................................................... 30 Sources ..................................................................... 31 Cover photo: A portrait of a Somali refugee in Dollo Ado, Ethiopia. 25 August 2011 Photo # 483099 History and Legacy of Refugee Resettlement in Ottawa — A PRIMER 3 List of Abbreviations BVOR – Blended Visa Office Referred Program CCI – Catholic Centre for Immigrants COR – Coalition for Refugees in Ottawa CSIS – Canadian Security Intelligence Service GAR – Government Assisted Refugee IRCC – Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada OCISO – Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization RCMP – Royal Canadian Mounted Police RLC – Refugees Landed in Canada SAH – Sponsorship Agreement Holder UNHCR – Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNRWA – United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Introduction Canada has made significant contributions to refugee Now more than ever, it is of the utmost importance that resettlement efforts over the years, especially since the Canada continues to be a place of refuge. The world is end of World War Two. We have welcomed more than a in the midst of a refugee crisis of unprecedented propor- million refugees who have adopted Canada as their home tions. According to the Office of the United Nations High and made tremendous contributions to Canadian society. Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), there are nearly 60 As the Honourable John McCallum, Minister for Immigra- million forcibly displaced people fleeing war, persecution, tion, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada, recently observed, and danger worldwide. Although most are displaced within two Governors General of Canada, Adrienne Clarkson and their own countries, over 14.4 million fall under the UNHCR Michaëlle Jean, arrived in Canada as refugees, as did his mandate as refugees. colleagues, the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister of Democratic Institutions, and the Honourable Ahmed Hus- This primer is intended to provide basic information on the sen. These are illustrious examples, but they are joined by history and legacy of refugee resettlement in Canada and many others who have quietly built good lives for them- to highlight Ottawa’s role in these efforts. It contains basic selves and for their descendants in Canada. facts about refugees and Canadian refugee policy, a brief timeline of refugee resettlement in Canada, highlights from Ottawa’s history of refugee resettlement, and a myth buster intended to dispel some of the misconceptions about refu- gees and refugee resettlement history in Canada. 4 History and Legacy of Refugee Resettlement in Ottawa — A PRIMER The Basics What are refugees? in Canada, they are referred to as Non-penalization: In recognition of Refugees are people who are fleeing ‘refugee claimants’. the fact that the seeking of asylum can armed conflict or persecution. When require refugees to breach immigra- they are forced to cross a national What are the basic rights tion rules, the convention holds that border to seek safety in neighbouring of refugees? refugees should not be penalized for countries and it is too dangerous for As laid down in the 1951 Refugee their illegal entry or stay in a coun- them to return home, they become Convention and subsequent inter- try. Under this provision, it is illegal refugees as defined and protected in national law, three basic principles to arbitrarily detain refugees, and international law by the Refugee Con- govern refugee rights: non-discrimi- to charge them with immigration or vention and its 1967 Protocol, to which nation, non-penalization, and non- criminal offenses relating to the seek- Canada is a signatory country. refoulement. ing of asylum. What are asylum seeker Non-discrimination: The convention Non-refoulement: The most funda- and refugee claimants? holds that refugees are to be treated mental principle of the Convention Asylum seekers are those who have without discrimination based on their is that refugees shall not be returned crossed an international border in race, religion, country of origin, sex, against their will to a territory where order to seek protection under the age, disability, sexuality, or other their life and freedom would be under Refugee Convention, but whose internationally recognized prohibited threat. claims for refugee status have not yet grounds of discrimination. been determined. When asylum seek- ers seek to be recognized as refugees History and Legacy of Refugee Resettlement in Ottawa — A PRIMER 5 How do people gain refugee status What kinds of support do refugees Refugee claimants: If they do not in Canada? receive in Canada? have resources of their own, refugee Under Canada’s current refugee sys- The types of support that a refu- claimants may, depending on the reg- tem, asylum seekers can gain refugee gee receives depends on whether a ulation in the province in which they status in Canada in two ways: refugee arrived as an asylum seeker, reside, be eligible for the same social as a GAR, as a privately sponsored assistance offered to other residents. 1. Asylum seekers can come to refugee, or through the BVOR. Canada on their own. Those who do Refugees can also access a loan to so must prove that they are a refu- GARS: If they do not have resources cover the cost of their transporta- gee to the Immigration and Refugee of their own, the Resettlement As- tion to Canada, and the cost of the Board of Canada. If successful, they sistance Program (RAP) provides medical examination that they must are recognized as refugees and given assistance to GARs to help them with undergo before coming to Canada. permanent residence in Canada. Once their initial settlement in Canada for This initial loan can range in the thou- these refugee claimants are recog- up to one year after their arrival. This sands of dollars, interest is charged on nized as refugees in Canada, they are assistance includes a one-time house- the loans, and refugees are expected categorised in one of two ways: hold start-up allowance, and monthly to repay it. i. Refugees Landed in Canada income support. (RLCs); or ii. As a dependent (family member) BVORs: If they do not have resources of an RLC. of their own, BVORs receive up to six months of support from the federal 2. Asylum seekers can also seek to government, and another six months gain a refugee status determination of support from their sponsor(s). from UNHCR, or from the country to which they fled. Those who do so can PSRs: If they do not have resources of be resettled in Canada one of three their own, PSRs receive support from ways: their sponsor(s) for up to one year. i. As a Government Assisted Refugee (GAR); RLCs: If they do not have resources of ii. As a Privately Sponsored their own, RCLs and their dependants Refugees (PSR); may, depending on the regulation in iii. As a Blended Visa-Office Referred the province in which they reside, be refugee(BVOR) in which case eligible for the same social assistance responsibility is shared equally offered to other residents. between the government and private sponsors; 6 History and Legacy of Refugee Resettlement in Ottawa — A PRIMER Vietnamese refugees at the Pulau Bidong refugee camp in Malaysia. 01 August 1979. Photo # 100695 Refugees by the Numbers Number of Refugees Worldwide (Source UNHCR) provisions which are not included
Load more

Recommended publications
  • What Role Does Type of Sponsorship Play in Early Integration Outcomes? Syrian Refugees Resettled in Six Canadian Cities
    Document generated on 09/25/2021 9:34 a.m. Refuge Canada's Journal on Refugees Revue canadienne sur les réfugiés What Role Does Type of Sponsorship Play in Early Integration Outcomes? Syrian Refugees Resettled in Six Canadian Cities Michaela Hynie, Susan McGrath, Jonathan Bridekirk, Anna Oda, Nicole Ives, Jennifer Hyndman, Neil Arya, Yogendra B. Shakya, Jill Hanley and Kwame McKenzie Private Sponsorship in Canada Article abstract Volume 35, Number 2, 2019 There is little longitudinal research that directly compares the effectiveness of Canada’s Government-Assisted Refugee (GAR) and Privately Sponsored Refugee URI: https://id.erudit.org/iderudit/1064818ar (PSR) Programs that takes into account possible socio-demographic differences DOI: https://doi.org/10.7202/1064818ar between them. This article reports findings from 1,921 newly arrived adult Syrian refugees in British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec. GARs and PSRs See table of contents differed widely on several demographic characteristics, including length of time displaced. Furthermore, PSRs sponsored by Groups of 5 resembled GARs more than other PSR sponsorship types on many of these characteristics. PSRs also had broader social networks than GARs. Sociodemographic differences Publisher(s) and city of residence influenced integration outcomes, emphasizing the Centre for Refugee Studies, York University importance of considering differences between refugee groups when comparing the impact of these programs. ISSN 0229-5113 (print) 1920-7336 (digital) Explore this journal Cite this article Hynie, M., McGrath, S., Bridekirk, J., Oda, A., Ives, N., Hyndman, J., Arya, N., Shakya, Y., Hanley, J. & McKenzie, K. (2019). What Role Does Type of Sponsorship Play in Early Integration Outcomes? Syrian Refugees Resettled in Six Canadian Cities.
    [Show full text]
  • Citizenship Revocation in the Mainstream Press: a Case of Re-Ethni- Cization?
    Citizenship RevoCation in the MainstReaM pRess: a Case of Re-ethni- Cization? elke WinteR ivana pRevisiC Abstract. Under the original version of the Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act (2014), dual citizens having committed high treason, terrorism or espionage could lose their Canadian citizenship. In this paper, we examine how the measure was dis- cussed in Canada’s mainstream newspapers. We ask: who/what is seen as the target of citizenship revocation? What does this tell us about the direction that Canadian more often critical than supportive of the citizenship revocation provision. However, the press ignored the involvement of non-Muslim, white, Western-origin Canadians in terrorist acts and interpreted the measure as one that was mostly affecting Canadian Muslims. Thus, despite advocating for equal citizenship in principle, in their writing and reporting practice, Canadian newspapers constructed Canadian Muslims as sus- picious and less Canadian nonetheless. Keywords: Muslim Canadians; Citizenship; Terrorism; Canada; Revocation Résumé: Au sein de la version originale de la Loi renforçant la citoyenneté cana- dienne (2014), les citoyens canadiens ayant une double citoyenneté et ayant été condamnés pour haute trahison, pour terrorisme ou pour espionnage, auraient pu se faire révoquer leur citoyenneté canadienne. Dans cet article, nous étudions comment ce projet de loi fut discuté au sein de la presse canadienne. Nous cherchons à répondre à deux questions: Qui/quoi est perçu comme pouvant faire l’objet d’une révocation de citoyenneté? En quoi cela nous informe-t-il sur les orientations futures de la citoy- enneté canadienne? Nos résultats démontrent que les journaux canadiens sont plus critiques à l’égard de la révocation de la citoyenneté que positionnés en sa faveur.
    [Show full text]
  • Ali Salam, from Pierre Trudeau to Justin Trudeau
    From Pierre Trudeau to Justin Trudeau – comparing Immigration and Refugee policy then and now Thank you Margaret. First of all, I’d like to acknowledge the brilliant panelists that have been assembled today and make it clear that I feel very inadequate to be amongst you all. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t thank Tom Axworthy for his hard work in putting these events together. I was lucky enough to have studied under Tom once upon a time and for those of you who’ve had the pleasure of having Tom in your life, you know that his generosity and ability to challenge you are a perpetual gift, so thanks Tom. Today, I’m going to be speaking to the actions and perceptions of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau and Justin Trudeau Governments on immigration broadly and refugees specifically, including how both have been progressive as it can be defined relative to their times, but also politically pragmatic when managing public expectations from Canadians. When considering such a broad period of time and such an expansive subject, it is often best to consider the pertinent events as a series of moments. Not in the temporal sense of a moment, but more as a fork in the road where a choice was made, and one can look back and clearly trace our nation’s journey from there to here in the present day. In this case we’ll look at two sets of moments, one from each government. I would encourage you all to consider the impact that different choices would have had on the Canadian fabric, and related to that, the Canadian foreign and development policy decisions noted by the other panelists today.
    [Show full text]
  • Ridrissue5 1..74
    First Session Première session de la Forty-second Parliament, 2015-16 quarante-deuxième législature, 2015-2016 Proceedings of the Standing Délibérations du Comité Senate Committee on sénatorial permanent des Human Rights Droits de la personne Chair: Président : The Honourable JIM MUNSON L'honorable JIM MUNSON Wednesday, May 11, 2016 Le mercredi 11 mai 2016 Wednesday, May 18, 2016 Le mercredi 18 mai 2016 Issue No. 5 Fascicule nº 5 Consideration of a draft agenda (future business) Étude d'un projet d'ordre du jour (travaux futurs) and et First and second meetings: Première et deuxième réunions : Study on steps being taken to facilitate the integration of Étude sur les mesures prises pour faciliter l'intégration des newly-arrived Syrian refugees and to address the challenges réfugiés syriens nouvellement arrivés et les aider à they are facing, including by the various levels of surmonter les difficultés qu'ils vivent, notamment par les government, private sponsors and non-governmental divers ordres de gouvernement, les répondants du secteur organizations privé et les organismes non gouvernementaux APPEARING: COMPARAÎT: The Honourable John McCallum, P.C., M.P., Minister of L'honorable John McCallum, C.P., député, ministre de Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship l'Immigration, des Réfugiés et de la Citoyenneté THE THIRD REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE LE TROISIÈME RAPPORT DU COMITÉ (Special Study Budget (Integration of Newly-arrived (Budget pour étude spéciale (Intégration des réfugiés Syrian Refugees) 2016-2017) syriens nouvellement arrivés) 2016-2017) WITNESSES: TÉMOINS : (See back cover) (Voir à l'endos) 52579-52611 STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMITÉ SÉNATORIAL PERMANENT DES HUMAN RIGHTS DROITS DE LA PERSONNE The Honourable Jim Munson, Chair Président : L'honorable Jim Munson The Honourable Salma Ataullahjan, Deputy Chair Vice-présidente : L'honorable Salma Ataullahjan and et The Honourable Senators: Les honorables sénateurs : Andreychuk Hubley Andreychuk Hubley * Carignan, P.C.
    [Show full text]
  • Citizenship Revocation in the Mainstream Press: a Case of Re-Ethni- Cization?
    CITIZENSHIP REVOCATION IN THE MAINSTREAM PRESS: A CASE OF RE-ETHNI- CIZATION? ELKE WINTER IVANA PREVISIC Abstract. Under the original version of the Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act (2014), dual citizens having committed high treason, terrorism or espionage could lose their Canadian citizenship. In this paper, we examine how the measure was dis- cussed in Canada’s mainstream newspapers. We ask: who/what is seen as the target of citizenship revocation? What does this tell us about the direction that Canadian citizenship is moving towards? Our findings show that Canadian newspapers were more often critical than supportive of the citizenship revocation provision. However, the press ignored the involvement of non-Muslim, white, Western-origin Canadians in terrorist acts and interpreted the measure as one that was mostly affecting Canadian Muslims. Thus, despite advocating for equal citizenship in principle, in their writing and reporting practice, Canadian newspapers constructed Canadian Muslims as sus- picious and less Canadian nonetheless. Keywords: Muslim Canadians; Citizenship; Terrorism; Canada; Revocation Résumé: Au sein de la version originale de la Loi renforçant la citoyenneté cana- dienne (2014), les citoyens canadiens ayant une double citoyenneté et ayant été condamnés pour haute trahison, pour terrorisme ou pour espionnage, auraient pu se faire révoquer leur citoyenneté canadienne. Dans cet article, nous étudions comment ce projet de loi fut discuté au sein de la presse canadienne. Nous cherchons à répondre à deux questions: Qui/quoi est perçu comme pouvant faire l’objet d’une révocation de citoyenneté? En quoi cela nous informe-t-il sur les orientations futures de la citoy- enneté canadienne? Nos résultats démontrent que les journaux canadiens sont plus critiques à l’égard de la révocation de la citoyenneté que positionnés en sa faveur.
    [Show full text]
  • House of Commons Debates
    House of Commons Debates VOLUME 146 Ï NUMBER 248 Ï 1st SESSION Ï 41st PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Tuesday, May 7, 2013 Speaker: The Honourable Andrew Scheer CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) 16379 HOUSE OF COMMONS Tuesday, May 7, 2013 The House met at 10 a.m. EXPANSION AND CONSERVATION OF CANADA'S NATIONAL PARKS ACT Hon. Peter MacKay (for the Minister of the Environment) moved that Bill S-15, an act to amend the Canada National Parks Act Prayers and the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation Act and to make consequential amendments to the Canada Shipping Act, 2001, be read the first time. ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS (Motion agreed to and bill read the first time) Ï (1005) *** [English] PETITIONS GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO PETITIONS GENETICALLY MODIFIED ALFALFA Mr. Tom Lukiwski (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of Mr. Earl Dreeshen (Red Deer, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I rise today the Government in the House of Commons, CPC): Mr. Speaker, to present a petition regarding genetically modified alfalfa. It is pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both signed by constituents in my riding and the surrounding area. official languages, the government's response to 13 petitions. NUCLEAR FUEL PROCESSING LICENCE *** Mr. Andrew Cash (Davenport, NDP): Mr. Speaker, I have two NAVIGABLE WATERS PROTECTION ACT petitions to present today. Mr. Craig Scott (Toronto—Danforth, NDP) moved for leave to Several months ago, the people in my riding of Davenport in introduce Bill C-506, an act to amend the Navigable Waters Toronto awoke to the fact that for 50 years now, GE Hitachi has been Protection Act (Don River).
    [Show full text]
  • Core 1..142 Hansard
    House of Commons Debates VOLUME 146 Ï NUMBER 197 Ï 1st SESSION Ï 41st PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Wednesday, December 12, 2012 Speaker: The Honourable Andrew Scheer CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) 13203 HOUSE OF COMMONS Wednesday, December 12, 2012 The House met at 2 p.m. country. They were nominated by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs for this well-deserved and prestigious honour. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs is a non-partisan Prayers organization, implementing strategies to improve the quality of Jewish life in Canada and abroad, increase support for Israel and strengthen the Canada-Israel relationship. Ï (1405) [English] I reviewed the accomplishments of these outstanding citizens and I can attest to the dedication and commitment they have to their The Speaker: It being Wednesday, we will now have the singing communities, their province and their country. One common trait the of the national anthem led by the hon. member for Toronto Centre. recipients share is their long-standing dedication to volunteerism and [Members sang the national anthem] devotion to their fellow citizens. They are an example for all citizens, and most deserving of this honour. I ask all members of the House to join me in expressing our STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS congratulations to the these distinguished recipients and our thanks for their continued service to Canada. [English] *** ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS Mr. Bruce Hyer (Thunder Bay—Superior North, Ind.): Mr. SEASONS GREETINGS Speaker, the first nations of northwestern Ontario are concerned that Mr. Joe Comartin (Windsor—Tecumseh, NDP): Mr. Speaker, it their rights have been trampled by Bill C-45, the government's is one of life's most beautiful ironies that at this darkest, coldest time omnibus budget bill.
    [Show full text]
  • Uvic Thesis Template
    Identity voyage: An investigation into how homeland conflict affects the identities of immigrants to Canada by Anna Melinda Press Bachelor of Arts, York University, 2010 Bachelor of Education, York University, 2010 A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS in the School of Public Administration Anna Melinda Press, 2014 University of Victoria All rights reserved. This thesis may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without the permission of the author. ii Supervisory Committee Identity voyage: An investigation into how homeland conflict affects the identities of immigrants to Canada by Anna Melinda Press Bachelor of Arts, York University, 2010 Bachelor of Education, York University, 2010 Supervisory Committee Dr. Catherine Althaus-Kaefer, (School of Public Administration) Supervisor Dr. Thea Vakil, (School of Public Administration) Departmental Member iii Abstract Supervisory Committee Dr. Catherine Althaus-Kaefer, (School of Public Administration) Supervisor Dr. Thea Vakil, (School of Public Administration) Departmental Member This thesis aims to address the challenges faced by immigrants to Canada from countries in conflict, namely Turkey and Israel. Through the use of a conceptual framework, this research study identifies how context, conflict and identity impact upon each other and are expressed through insightful narratives. Data collection was conducted in Toronto and Ottawa, Canada, using semi-structured interviews and reflective journals. Findings indicated that regardless of physical proximity to conflict in one’s homeland, it can continue to have an effect – in many cases through familial (sentimental) attachments rather than concern for the country. As well, identity should be considered permeable but also overlapping; emigration does not necessarily entail disengagement from the homeland (or its conflicts).
    [Show full text]
  • Refugee Health and Resettlement: Lessons Learned from the Syrian Response
    RESEARCH SUMMARY REPORT REFUGEE HEALTH AND RESETTLEMENT: LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE SYRIAN RESPONSE INTRODUCTION plan was to accomplish this ambitious commitment by the end of 2015. e e Syrian Civil War, according to the UN deadline was later extended to early spring Human Rights Commissioner Zeid Ra’ad of 2016. Advocacy groups and community al Hussein, has become “the worst agencies continued to rally the Canadian [human-made] disaster the world has seen government to increase the Syrian resettle- since World War II” (United Nations News ment numbers. By mid-2017, a total of Services, 2017). Over 6.5 million people 40,000 Syrian refugees have been resettled have been internally displaced within Syria in Canada (Government of Canada, 2017). (UNHCR, 2016), and 5 million have ed Syria and are living as refugees in Turkey, Resettling this large cohort of Syrian Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and other refugees to Canada within a short amount North African countries (UNHCR, 2017b). of time was an extraordinary and complex Almost one million Syrians have requested undertaking. e last time Canada under- asylum in European countries (UNHCR, took such a rapid and large scale refugee 2017a). resettlement was in 1979, when we resettled 60,000 refugees from South East Asia In line with our humanitarian tradition, (Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos) within a Canadian government and Canadian period of two years. In the case of Syrian citizens stepped in with a nationwide refugee resettlement process, several inter- commitment to resettle Syrian refugees. e national organizations and all levels of widely shared story of the tragic loss of government in Canada were involved.
    [Show full text]
  • Pm Harper Says World Must Act in Syria, Others Call
    EXCLUSIVE POLITICAL COVERAGE: NEWS, FEATURES, AND ANALYSIS INSIDE NO ONE CAN HILL CLIMBERS: THERE’S ANOTHER BIOTECHNOLOGY ACCURATELY PMO HIRES MORE OPTION: MAKING POLICY PREDICT THE STAFFERS SOBER SECOND WINNER OF THE AHEAD OF FALL THOUGHT BRIEFING 2015 ELECTION p. 9 SESSION p. 34 EFFECTIVE p. 12 pp. 19 -28 TWENTY-FOURTH YEAR, NO. 1202 CANADA’S POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT NEWSWEEKLY MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013 $4.00 PMO to focus on FOREIGN POLICY: SYRIA Global community long-term, policy- PM HARPER SAYS WORLD ‘inept’ at dealing with centric, offensive mass atrocities, Syria, political game MUST ACT IN SYRIA, OTHERS says Sen. Dallaire The PMO is crafting the Throne And critics say PM Stephen Speech, as Prime Minister Stephen CALL FOR DIPLOMACY Harper has no interest in Harper plans to roll out a ‘robust’ putting these policy decisions policy agenda, say Conservatives. into the hands of Parliament. By LAURA RYCKEWAERT By BEA VONGDOUANGCHANH PMO chief of staff Ray Novak The global community is still has repatriated familiar and expe- “inept” on how to deal with inter- rienced staffers whose strengths national crises in light of the mass play to the offensive, long-term atrocities currently taking place and policy-centric political game in Syria, says a retired Canadian which Conservative sources say Forces general. the government will pursue in the “Instead of having reinforced fall with the 2015 election in mind. the responsibility to protect and “You have to have staff in place operationalize it and take the who have the skill to recognize that risks of going through the delib- a particular issue is an issue that erate process, the stages of the can surface during an election and responsibility to protect, which is Please see story on Page 6 the creation of the post-Rwandan catastrophe, we are still inept, internationally, to bring about not Photograph courtesy of the White House: Pete Souza House: Pete the White courtesy of Photograph President Barack Obama, pictured Aug.
    [Show full text]
  • A Qualitative Investigation of the Mental Health Needs of Syrian Refugees and Immigrants
    A Qualitative Investigation of the Mental Health Needs of Syrian Refugees and Immigrants by Rosemary Yachouh A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Department of Health Policy Management and Evaluation University of Toronto © Copyright by Rosemary Yachouh (2018) A Qualitative Investigation of the Mental Health Needs of Syrian Refugees and Immigrants Rosemary Yachouh Master of Science Department of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation University of Toronto 2018 Abstract The mental health of Syrian refugees has become extremely important for refugee and mental health scholars worldwide. A scoping review of 14 publications was conducted to synthesize current findings on this issue, which displayed a gap in understanding Syrian coping strategies and well-being. A qualitative investigation was done to explore the mental health perceptions and related resources of Syrians that migrated to Canada both before and after the war. Thirty semi-structured interviews were conducted with Syrian immigrants, 15 non-refugees and 15 refugees. The purpose was to investigate perspectives on mental health, resilience, and desired or received services. Study findings showed refugees’ mental health was affected by traumatic events and their resettlement process. Non-refugees expressed feelings of sadness because their homeland has been destroyed. All participants sourced social support as extremely helpful in their lives and was preferred over professional help. These findings can help develop appropriate mental health resources. ii Acknowledgments As a Canadian born of Syrian descent, it was my mission to write this thesis after witnessing the pain and suffering that the conflict in Syria has inflicted upon my family and friends.
    [Show full text]
  • Private Sponsorship in Canada
    Refuge Special issue Private Sponsorship in Canada Vol 35 • No 2 • 2019 Refuge Canada’s Journal on Refugees Revue canadienne sur les réfugiés Vol. 35, No. 2 Centre for Refugee Studies, Room 844, Kaneff Tower, York University 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3J 1P3 E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.yorku.ca/refuge Guest Editors Johanna Reynolds and Christina Clark-Kazak Editor-in-Chief Dagmar Soennecken Managing Editor Kathryn Barber Book Review Editor Dianna Shandy Editorial Advisory Board Sharryn Aiken, Queen’s University; Laura Bisaillon, University of Toronto Scarborough; Megan Bradley, McGill University; François Crépeau, McGill University; Jeff Crisp, Oxford University; Judith Kumin, University of New Hampshire, Manchester; Susan McGrath, York University Founded in 1981, Refuge is an interdisciplinary journal published by the Centre for Refugee Studies, York University. The journal aims to provide a forum for discussion and critical reflection on refugee and forced migration issues. Refuge invites contributions from researchers, practitioners, and policy makers with national, international, or comparative perspec- tives. Special, thematic issues address the broad scope of the journal’s mandate, featuring articles and reports, shorter commentaries, and book reviews. All submissions to Refuge are subject to double-blinded peer review. Articles are accepted in either English or French. Refuge is a non-profit, independent periodical funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and supported by the membership of the Canadian Association for Refugee and Forced Migration Studies (CARFMS). The views expressed in Refuge do not necessarily reflect those of its funders or editors. Refuge is indexed and abstracted in the Index to Canadian Legal Literature, Pais International, Sociological Abstracts, the International Bibliography of the Social Sciences, and Canadian Business and Current Affairs.
    [Show full text]