ENDING STATELESSNESS STATELESSNESS ENDING Relating To e Status COMPATIBILITY Of Stateless Persons With Canada’s Legal OF THE Framework And Its International Human 1954 CONVENTION Rights Obligations A SPECIAL REPORT Ending STATELESSNESS W Y #IBELONG © United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 2015 Researched And Written For UNHCR By Gregg Erauw ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ COMPATIBILITY OF THE 1954 CONVENTION RELATING TO THE STATUS OF STATELESS PERSONS WITH CANADA’S LEGAL FRAMEWORK AND ITS INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS OBLIGATIONS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ RESEARCHED AND WRITTEN FOR UNHCR BY GREGG ERAUW © United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 2015 The views expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the United Nations or UNHCR. COMPATIBILITY OF THE 1954 CONVENTION RELATING TO THE STATUS OF STATELESS PERSONS WITH CANADA’S LEGAL FRAMEWORK AND ITS INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS OBLIGATIONS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................. 3 Background to the Report .................................................................................................................... 3 The Purpose of the Report .................................................................................................................... 4 Methodology ........................................................................................................................................ 4 Limitations of the Report ..................................................................................................................... 5 CHAPTER I: GENERAL PROVISIONS ............................................................................................ 7 Article 1: Definition of the term “stateless person” ............................................................................. 7 I. Background & Commentary ...................................................................................................... 7 II. The Canadian Legal Framework .............................................................................................. 8 III. Assessment ............................................................................................................................ 11 IV. Recommendations ................................................................................................................. 13 Article 3: Non-discrimination ............................................................................................................ 14 I. Background & Commentary .................................................................................................... 14 II. Canadian Legal Framework ................................................................................................... 14 III. Assessment ............................................................................................................................ 16 Article 4: Religion .............................................................................................................................. 17 I. Background & Commentary .................................................................................................... 17 II. Canadian Legal Framework ................................................................................................... 17 III. Assessment ............................................................................................................................ 19 CHAPTER II: JURIDICAL STATUS................................................................................................ 19 Article 12: Personal status .................................................................................................................. 19 I. Background & Commentary .................................................................................................... 19 II. Canadian Legal Framework ................................................................................................... 20 III. Assessment ............................................................................................................................ 22 IV. Recommendations ................................................................................................................. 22 Article 13: Movable and immovable property ................................................................................... 23 I. Background & Commentary .................................................................................................... 23 II. Canadian Legal Framework ................................................................................................... 24 III. Assessment ............................................................................................................................ 25 IV. Recommendations ................................................................................................................. 26 Article 14: Artistic rights and industrial property .............................................................................. 26 I. Background & Commentary .................................................................................................... 26 II. Canadian Legal Framework ................................................................................................... 27 III. Assessment ............................................................................................................................ 31 Article 15: Right of association .......................................................................................................... 32 I. Background & Commentary .................................................................................................... 32 II. Canadian Legal Framework ................................................................................................... 33 III. Assessment ............................................................................................................................ 35 IV. Recommendations ................................................................................................................. 36 Article 16: Access to courts ............................................................................................................... 36 I. Background & Commentary .................................................................................................... 36 II. Canadian Legal Framework ................................................................................................... 37 III. Assessment ............................................................................................................................ 40 IV. Recommendations ................................................................................................................. 40 1 i CHAPTER III: GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT .................................................................................... 40 Article 17: Wage-earning employment .............................................................................................. 40 I. Background & Commentary .................................................................................................... 40 II. Canadian Legal Framework ................................................................................................... 42 III. Assessment ............................................................................................................................ 46 IV. Recommendations ................................................................................................................. 47 Article 18: Self-employment .............................................................................................................. 48 I. Background & Commentary .................................................................................................... 48 II. Canadian Legal Framework ................................................................................................... 49 III. Assessment ............................................................................................................................ 52 Article 19: Liberal professions ........................................................................................................... 53 I. Background & Commentary .................................................................................................... 53 II. Canadian Legal Framework ................................................................................................... 53 III. Assessment ............................................................................................................................ 54 CHAPTER IV: WELFARE ................................................................................................................. 55 Article 21: Housing ............................................................................................................................ 55 I. Background & Commentary ...................................................................................................