Canadian letter re WCR

**INTER-CHURCH COMMITTEE FOR REFUGEES**
**COMITE INTER-EGLISES POUR LES REFUGIES**
**129 St Clair Ave West, Toronto, ON, Canada M4V 1N9 Tel (416) 921-9967 Fax 921 3843 E-Mail: iccr@web.net / website**
Letter to Canada's Secretary of State, Women/Multiculturalism, the Hon. Hedy Fry, concerning the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance *Re: Canada and World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance* Dear Dr. Fry, The Inter-Church Committee for Refugees, ICCR, urges you to ensure that there is opportunity for discussion about the Canadian experiences of the present world problem of Xenophobia and Related Intolerance - expressions of hatred against the stranger and its consequences. In particular, ICCR refers to the high profile media coverage of events and attitudes like the arrival of boats with refugees and migrants. This occurred most recently off the West Coast, Vancouver, in Summer 1999, but also occurred off the East Coast about a decade ago. Between these events have been periodic outbursts in the media directed against refugees as a class of persons: the bogus nature of refugee claims costing money to process; the use of welfare by refugee claimants (who could not work at the time) in Ontario; the linking of drugs to Honduran refugee youth in Vancouver and the hostile march against the Roma refugees from the Czech Republic in Toronto, Summer1997. ICCR notes that these outbursts, dominated by public anger, have paralleled reduced legal rights and safeguards in the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers and beyond to the rights of permanent residents (immigrants) and even naturalized citizens. The treatment is not fully in line with current international standards.

ICCR in no way wishes to imply that there are not other important issues for this World Conference. There are well informed and articulate voices to speak to them. The voices of refugees and asylum seekers and undocumented migrants are inevitably softer. Canada plays a significant role in international diplomacy related to refugees, asylum seekers and migrants and it is therefore particularly important for Canada to insist on a component of the Action Plan of measures to better protect refugees and asylum seekers. Furthermore, approaching the Action Plan from the perspective of refugee, asylum seeker and migrant needs shows that some more profound measures are needed. These would significantly benefit everyone in Canada in the long term.

In preparing for the Action Plan, ICCR draws particular attention to the concerns and recommendations of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, the UN Human Rights Committee, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights:

Recognition and effectiveness of international treaty rights in Canadian law;
Improved family rights for refugees and asylum seekers and migrant workers, especially for immediate family members (spouses and children) both pro-actively to enable visits or family reunion, and protectively - in expulsion;
Equal treatment (non-discrimination) in effective court protection for human rights.
Equal treatment (non-discrimination) with citizens in civil and criminal matters like detention and security and identity issues.

ICCR has previously recommended independent and impartial investigation, complaints, review and training measures. These arise in Canada's obligations under the Convention against Torture, but more generally they stem from the concept of "National Institutions" to promote human rights at the World Conference on Human Rights, Vienna, 1993, and as detailed in the "Paris Principles". For example:

provide in law for an independent & impartial investigation of all incidents involving cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment - including outbursts of public hostility;
ensure an independent and impartial complaint mechanism can provide redress (compensation) for torture and for cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;
ensure effective court protection in accordance with international human rights standards for refugees and migrants in status, detention, or deportation procedures;
provide for prosecuting or disciplining persons who trigger or fan such outbursts of public hostility against groups of refugees or migrants.

It is in grappling with the Xenophobia and Related Intolerance and the related needs of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, that Canada could put a significant mark on the Action Plan for a better world.

Yours sincerely,

Major Ron Trickett, Vice-Chair
Lynne Stott
Inter-Church Committee for Refugees
129 St Clair Ave. W., Toronto, ON, Canada M4V 1N5
Tel: (416) 921-9967 Fax: (416) 921-3843
WEB SITE

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