The Minister of Immigration believes that offering a regularization program for undocumented immigrants currently living in Canada “makes sense”, but he points out that he does not make these decisions alone.
I am not the last to speak on this subject nor the highest authority on the subject, nor should I be
said Mark Miller on the radio of CBC in an interview broadcast on Saturday.
I think from a humanitarian point of view it’s a good thing. From an economic point of view, it makes sense
to offer a path to regularization for undocumented immigrants, he explains.
As Radio-Canada revealed in March, the political climate less conducive to immigration and dissensions within the Trudeau cabinet changed the initial plans of the government, which gave up on its massive regularization project.
Mr. Miller made reference to this political climate during the interview at CBC SATURDAY. However, demonstrators showed up on Sunday afternoon in Toronto in front of the constituency offices of the Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, Chrystia Freelandto demand the regularization of undocumented immigrants.
A demonstration for regularization
The undocumented families and their supporters who gathered were keen to emphasize that being undocumented has consequences for their families.
Undocumented immigrants already live and work in Canada but face exploitation and exclusion
can we read in the press release from the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change [MWAC, Alliance des travailleurs migrants pour le changement, traduction libre], the organization behind the protest. There MWAC requires these undocumented immigrants to obtain permanent resident status. Without regularization, families are separated.
Dave Kaleb, a father who says he has been separated from his children for more than six years because of his undocumented status, was at the protest.
Dave Kaleb is a father of three who says he is separated from his family because of his undocumented status.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Lounan Charpentier
Mr. Kaleb says he works with children in the Greater Toronto Area. He explains that his request for political refugee was refused after his arrival in the country in 2018. However, he cannot spend Father’s Day with his own children for this reason, he says. My children are […] in Uganda. […] It breaks my heart. It is so sad!
According to Syed Hussan, managing director of the MWAC,without status, people are unable to protect their families. In addition, offering them status would be a positive element for our communities. It’s an investment in future generations
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Syed Hussan is executive director of the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, which organized the protest.
Photo: Radio-Canada
Mr. Hussan emphasizes that offering regularization would allow these workers to contribute more to society by paying taxes.
No consensus
However, during the interview broadcast on Saturday at CBCMr. Millerreiterated what he had emphasized last April: even within the government and the Liberal Party of Canada, there are divisions on this subject.
I don’t think there is a consensus in Canada on whether we should [régulariser les sans-papiers] or not. I would even dare to say that there is not necessarily a consensus within the caucus [libéral]. It makes me think.
It makes me think when I hear progressive voices say that we are trying to regularize people who want to get ahead [d’autres immigrants] in the queue. It’s false, but it’s a discourse that exists
he clarified.
We need to have a discussion instead of demonizing people. […] And I respect people who think we shouldn’t do it at all, just as I respect people who think we should be even more voluntary in what I would suggest, even under normal circumstances
Mr. Miller said.
According to the Government of Canada (New window), Undocumented migrants are people who do not have authorization to reside in Canada. The majority of these people become undocumented migrants after losing their temporary resident status, while others may have remained in Canada following a rejected asylum application.
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000 to 500000persons”,”text”:”There is no precise data on the number or composition of the undocumented migrant population in Canada. Estimates from academic sources vary from 20,000 to 500,000 people”}}”>There is no precise data on the number or composition of the undocumented migrant population in Canada. Estimates from academic sources vary from 20,000 to 500,000 people
we read on canada.ca.
Some regularization programs for undocumented immigrants currently exist, for example one that allows a certain number of construction workers who live in the Greater Toronto Area to submit an application to stay in the country and work legally.
With information from Lounan Charpentier
