BETWEEN FEAR AND VULNERABILITY: THE EMERGENCE OF THE HUNAMITARIAN SECURITY- NEXUS IN THE CANADIAN REFUGEE PROTECTION REGIME by Soha Diab A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy with Specialization in Political Economy Carleton University Ottawa, Ontario © Soha Diab, 2014. ABSTRACT This thesis examines the humanitarian-security nexus in the Canadian refugee protection regime through a biopolitical and genealogical framework. Addressing the post-WWII period, it analyses the specific ways in which this nexus has been assembled in response to the Ugandan-Asian and Chilean refugee crises. Although diverse studies have focused on either security or humanitarian practices, there has been scant inquiry into the intersecting nature of these practices. Drawing from Michel Foucault and Giorgio Agamben’s theoretical understandings of biopolitics as an assemblage of technologies of power, this dissertation argues that governing authorities’ biopolitical power alternates among making live, letting die, and making survive. In the aftermath of WWII, the humanitarian-security nexus primarily aimed to eliminate immigrants who were deemed racially, politically, and physically unfit to contribute to Canada’s political and economic well-being, White-European heritage, and Western-liberal democratic values. As a result, the humanitarian response to the Ugandan-Asian refugee crisis involved a carefully orchestrated selection process that welcomed refugees who were deemed strong potential economic contributors. Meanwhile, the Chilean refugees, who were perceived to be a poor fit with Canada’s Western-liberal democratic value system and economic interests, were excluded and denied the humanitarian welcome that was extended to Ugandan-Asian refugees. Examining past practices illuminates present attempts to reform the refugee system. In the wake of the implementation of the Immigration Act in 1976, refugees were no longer considered politically or economically valuable to Canada; instead, they were regarded as “problems” that require management and control. By the beginning of the twenty-first century, governing authorities were revising their technologies of power in order to address the increasing numbers of refugees and asylum seekers arriving in Canada who were considered a threat to national security and a burden to taxpayers. When these technologies have proven insufficient in addressing ‘the refugee problem’, the Canadian governing authorities have sought the power to make survive (as opposed to the power to make live and let die). This power strives to depoliticize life by appealing to fear and vulnerability. Refugees in the re-emerging humanitarian-security nexus are treated either as dangerous and illegitimate, or as vulnerable individuals in need of care and compassion. Through its critical analysis of this nexus, this study offers a new insight into the Canadian refugee protection system and the political foundation of its governing system. ACKNOWLEDGMENT This dissertation would not have been written without the support and encouragement of my supervisor Cristina Rojas. Your insight, critical eye, patience, and reassurances has been pivotal in completing this dissertation. It has been an honour working with you. I also owe an immense gratitude to my committee members, James Milner and Graeme Auld. James’ enthusiasm, and compelling arguments were crucial in re-thinking my assumptions. Graeme’s invaluable feedback, and questions guided me throughout this process. I thank you both for being part of this project. I am also indebted to my external and internal examiners, Peter Nyers, and Has-Martin Jaeger. Your thoughtful and constructive comments enriched this research. It was a privilege to have you both on my defense committee. My doctoral research was supported by the Social Sciences for Humanities Research Council. I could not have completed this PhD without their financial assistance. My friends have played a major role in this project. Your comradery, love, companionship, and support in the different editing projects has made the writing process possible, and more enjoyable. I would like to particularly thank Saman Far, Mary Roufail, Maya Bhusari, Jennifer De Bruyn, Faisal Bhabha, Ichlas Zahran, Jeff Lively, Patrick Carey, Jose Ordoñez, Mark Trumbo, Esther Tordjman, and Adnan Türegün. I wish also to thank Xavier, Arnod, Doaa, Ryan, Stacy, Saleh, Nick, Niaze, Grace-Edwards, Chris, Katrina, Enas, Ali, and Gaby. Thank you for being so patient, helpful, attentivene, and accepting of me. A special thank you too to the Bridgehead staff (and the regulars) for allowing me the temporary home during this period. Your coffee has kept me awake and alert. The staff at the Library and Archive Canada has been very helpful in guiding me in accessing information. Thanks for your time and hard work, especially when considering the constrained environment you are operating under. Finally, it is hard to find the proper words to express my greatest gratitude to my biggest fans: My mom, Fahemeh el-Shomer, my Dad, Marwan el-Saleem, my siblings, Samah, Raef, Zenab, Samaa, and my super awesome brother Mahmoud. I am very grateful to have been part of this large family. Thank you for the endless and unconditional love, and for making life generally more exciting. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ii ACKNOWLEDGMENT iii LIST OF ACRONYMS vii INTRODUCTION Error! Bookmark not defined. Contribution to Knowledge 14 Chapter Outline 17 CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 22 Securitizing and Humanitarian Practices 23 (in)Securitizing and (de)Humanitarian Practices 32 Conclusion 42 CHAPTER 2: A THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK Error! Bookmark not defined. Biopolitics and the Security Apparatus: The Power to Make Live and Let Die 44 Minimalist Biopolitics: The Power to Make Survive 55 Genealogical Approach 69 Conclusion 74 CHAPTER 3: THE INTERNATIONAL REFUGEE PROTECTION REGIME Error! Bookmark not defined. The Pre-WWII Period: the Emergence of the International Refugee Protection Regime 77 The Post-WWII Period: the Solidification of the International Refugee Protection Regime 82 The Height of the Cold War: the Politics of Refugee Protection 89 The Post-Cold War Period: The Politics of Vulnerability, Suffering, and Security 94 Conclusion 105 iv CHAPTER 4: CANADA'S RESPONSE TO REFUGEE, THE END OF WWII AND THE ADOPTION OF THE 1976 IMMIGRATION ACT Error! Bookmark not defined. The Problem of Population 109 Securing the Insecurity of Canada’s Population: Make Live and Let Die 113 1940s-1950s 115 1960s-1970s 126 Conclusion 140 CHAPTER 5: THE UGANDAN ASIAN RESETTLEMENT Error! Bookmark not defined. The Ugandan-Asian Refugee Crisis and the Canadian Response 144 The Ugandan-Asian Refugee Crisis 144 Canada’s Immediate Response 150 Assembling the Humanitarian-Security Nexus: The Ugandan-Asian Refugees, and the Power to Make Live, and Let Die Error! Bookmark not defined. Conclusion 167 CHAPTER 6: THE CHILEAN REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT Error! Bookmark not defined. The Chilean Refugee Problem and the Canadian Response 170 The Chilean Refugee Crisis 171 Canada’s Immediate Response 174 Assembling the Humanitarian-Security Nexus: The Chilean Refugees, and the Power to Make Live, and Let Die 180 Conclusion 199 CHAPTER 7: THE CANADIAN REFUGEE PROTECTION REGIME IN THE POST- COLD WAR PERIOD Error! Bookmark not defined. Problematizing Refugees and Immigrants 203 Migration-Security Nexus : Make Live and Let Die 209 The Security-Humanitarian Nexus, the 1990s and 2000s: Make Live, Let Die and Make Survive 217 v (in)Securitizing Refugees 218 (de)Humanizing Refugees 232 Conclusion 243 CONCLUSION 247 Summary 247 Contribution to Knowledge 254 Limitations and Directions for Future Research 258 REFERENCE LIST 261 vi List of Acronyms ATCR Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement CBSA Canada Border Services Agency CCR Canadian Council for Refugees CIC Citizenship and Immigration Canada CIMM House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration CSIS Canadian Security Intelligence Service EU European Union EXCOM Executive Committee of the High Commissioner DFAIT Department of Foreign Affairs and GAR Government Assisted Refugees IBRD the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development ICEM Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration IGCR Inter-Governmental Committee on Refugees ILO International Labor Organization IOM International Organization for Migration IRO International Refugee Organization LAC Library and Archives Canada MANDI Refugee Policy Division, Manpower and Immigration NGO Non Governmental Organization PRS Protracted Refugee Situations PSEP Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness RCMP Royal Canadian Mounted Police UNRRA United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UN United Nations VSI Voluntary Sector Initiative WAR Women-at-Risk vii WGR Working Group on Resettlement WRY World Refugee Year WWI World War I WII World War I viii INTRODUCTION The notion of refugeehood frequently evokes two powerful images in Western societies. The first is that of the suffering victim, which creates an impulse to do something. This somewhat arbitrary impulse (arbitrary in terms of how “suffering,” i.e. a “deserving victim,” is determined) is the impetus for humanitarian practices and reflects a moral but non-political obligation. In this case, the United Nations High Commissioner for