Prime Minister Trudeau Pledges Canada’s Continued Support To Help Address The Current Refugee And Humanitarian Crisis
Canada’s Prime Minister Trudeau reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to help combat the world’s refugee crisis in his speech at the United Nations Summit on Refugees, which took place on September 20, 2016, in New York City. The Prime Minister stated that over the next several years the Canadian government will provide 64.5 million dollars in humanitarian aid for displaced people around the world.
In addition to refugee funding commitments, Prime Minister Trudeau also pledged increased support for education and integration initiatives for those who have been resettled after fleeing their home countries. In his speech, the Prime Minister warned against divisiveness at this crucial time and instead encouraged people to identify with the hardships and fears faced by refugees, many of whom have been forcibly displaced from their homes by conflict and other catastrophes. In fact, the UNHCR reports that over 65 million persons have now been forcibly displaced from their homes worldwide.
At the UN Summit, the Canadian government also announced a new partnership between Canada, the United Nations, and billionaire George Soros to aid in the refugee crisis. Canada’s Immigration Minister stated that the partnership’s objective is to help other countries establish their own versions of private sponsorship programs for refugees. Since last November, Canada welcomed approximately 9,000 refugees from Syria alone through private sponsorship.
The Prime Minister’s speech and the commitments coming out of the UN Summit offer encouragement during the increasing anti-refugee and anti-immigration sentiment of the last few months. Such sentiments have been particularly alarming to refugee and immigration lawyers, who in helping refugees seek protection in Canada, know the fears and horrors these individuals face on a daily basis. Immigration and refugee lawyers in Canada therefore hope that the Canadian government’s reaffirmed commitment to combat what has now become a humanitarian crisis is the a much-needed first step towards changing the perception of refugees for the better.
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Arghavan Gerami
Arghavan Gerami is the Founder and Senior Counsel at Gerami Law Professional Corporation ('PC'), a full-service immigration law firm in Ottawa, Ontario. Since 2011, Ms. Gerami has focused her practice on immigration and refugee litigation. Prior to that, Ms. Gerami worked at the Ministry of Attorney General and the Department of Justice and had the privilege of serving the Honourable Mr. Justice M. Evans at the Federal Court of Appeal on immigration and administrative law appeals. Ms. Gerami contributes to the Immigration Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association, the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Ms. Gerami has also published numerous journal articles and presented at various immigration and refugee law conferences and events across Canada.