to s

tay

to re

turn

to m

ove

free

dom

to s

tay

to re

turn

to m

ove

free

dom

##

Wha

t is

the

Refu

gee

Cris

is?

You

hav

e to

und

erst

and,

that

no

one

puts

thei

r ch

ildre

n in

a b

oat

unle

ss th

e w

ater

is s

afer

than

the

land

-

War

san

Shir

e

Ther

e ar

e ov

er 5

9.5

mill

ion

disp

lace

d pe

ople

aro

und

the

wor

ld,

the

high

est

leve

r ev

er r

ecor

ded.

42,

500

peop

le a

re f

orce

d to

lea

ve t

heir

ho

mes

eve

ryda

y du

e to

mili

tary

con

flict

s.

Econ

omic

dev

asta

tion

and

clim

ate

chan

ge a

re a

lso

forc

ing

fam

ilies

out

of

the

ir h

omes

. W

orld

Ban

k-fu

nded

pro

ject

s di

spla

ced

3.4

mill

ion

peop

le o

ver

the

past

dec

ade

and

by t

he y

ear

2020

it is

exp

ecte

d th

at

ther

e w

ill b

e 50

mill

ion

clim

ate

refu

gees

, m

ostl

y fr

om t

he A

fric

an

cont

inen

t.

Nor

th A

mer

ican

and

Eur

opea

n co

untr

ies

and

thei

r co

rpor

atio

ns a

re

part

ly

resp

onsi

ble

for

crea

ting

this

un

prec

eden

ted

disp

lace

men

t. Ca

nada

is

carr

ying

out

mili

tary

cam

paig

ns i

n pl

aces

lik

e Sy

ria

and

Afgh

anis

tan.

Ca

nada

s

refu

sal

to

take

ac

tion

on

the

clim

ate

is

acce

lera

ting

clim

ate

cata

stro

phe.

Ca

nada

al

low

s its

m

inin

g co

rpor

atio

ns li

ke N

evsu

n an

d G

oldc

orp

to c

omm

it fo

ur ti

mes

as

man

y vi

olat

ions

as

othe

r co

untr

ies.

Bec

ause

Ca

nadi

an

gove

rnm

ent

polic

ies

and

corp

orat

ions

ar

e re

spon

sibl

e, w

e ha

ve a

res

pons

ibili

ty t

o en

d Ca

nada

s r

ole

in f

orce

d di

spla

cem

ent

arou

nd

the

wor

ld

and

on

thes

e In

dige

nous

la

nds.

#

Ref

ugee

sWel

com

e is

a c

all f

or th

e fr

eedo

m to

sta

y, m

ove

and

retu

rn.

The

deat

hs o

f Ala

n, G

halib

and

Reh

ana

Kurd

i hav

e aw

aken

ed m

any

to a

gl

obal

cris

is.

This

cris

is is

nt i

nevi

tabl

e. W

e ca

n ac

t tog

ethe

r to

insi

st:

#Ref

ugee

sWel

com

e!

Wha

t is

the

Refu

gee

Cris

is?

You

hav

e to

und

erst

and,

that

no

one

puts

thei

r ch

ildre

n in

a b

oat

unle

ss th

e w

ater

is s

afer

than

the

land

-

War

san

Shir

e

Ther

e ar

e ov

er 5

9.5

mill

ion

disp

lace

d pe

ople

aro

und

the

wor

ld,

the

high

est

leve

r ev

er r

ecor

ded.

42,

500

peop

le a

re f

orce

d to

lea

ve t

heir

ho

mes

eve

ryda

y du

e to

mili

tary

con

flict

s.

Econ

omic

dev

asta

tion

and

clim

ate

chan

ge a

re a

lso

forc

ing

fam

ilies

out

of

the

ir h

omes

. W

orld

Ban

k-fu

nded

pro

ject

s di

spla

ced

3.4

mill

ion

peop

le o

ver

the

past

dec

ade

and

by t

he y

ear

2020

it is

exp

ecte

d th

at

ther

e w

ill b

e 50

mill

ion

clim

ate

refu

gees

, m

ostl

y fr

om t

he A

fric

an

cont

inen

t and

low

-lyi

ng n

atio

ns.

Nor

th A

mer

ican

and

Eur

opea

n co

untr

ies

and

thei

r co

rpor

atio

ns a

re

part

ly

resp

onsi

ble

for

crea

ting

this

un

prec

eden

ted

disp

lace

men

t. Ca

nada

is

carr

ying

out

mili

tary

cam

paig

ns i

n pl

aces

lik

e Sy

ria

and

Afgh

anis

tan.

Ca

nada

s

refu

sal

to

take

ac

tion

on

the

clim

ate

is

acce

lera

ting

clim

ate

cata

stro

phe.

Ca

nada

al

low

s its

m

inin

g co

rpor

atio

ns li

ke N

evsu

n an

d G

oldc

orp

to c

omm

it fo

ur ti

mes

as

man

y vi

olat

ions

as

othe

r co

untr

ies.

Bec

ause

Ca

nadi

an

gove

rnm

ent

polic

ies

and

corp

orat

ions

ar

e re

spon

sibl

e, w

e ha

ve a

res

pons

ibili

ty t

o en

d Ca

nada

s r

ole

in f

orce

d di

spla

cem

ent

arou

nd

the

wor

ld

and

on

thes

e In

dige

nous

la

nds.

#

Ref

ugee

sWel

com

e is

a c

all f

or th

e fr

eedo

m to

sta

y, m

ove

and

retu

rn.

The

deat

hs o

f Ala

n, G

halib

and

Reh

ana

Kurd

i hav

e aw

aken

ed m

any

to a

gl

obal

cris

is.

This

cris

is is

nt i

nevi

tabl

e. W

e ca

n ac

t tog

ethe

r to

insi

st:

#Ref

ugee

sWel

com

e!

How

Has

Can

ada

Resp

onde

d to

the

Refu

gee

Cris

is?

Mor

e th

an

half

of

the

wor

lds

en

tire

refu

gee

popu

latio

n co

mes

fr

om

Afgh

anis

tan,

Syr

ia a

nd S

omal

ia.

Pus

hed

out

of t

heir

hom

es,

mig

rant

s an

d re

fuge

es f

ace

trem

endo

us v

iole

nce

in s

earc

h of

fre

edom

. D

espi

te t

his,

th

ousa

nds

are

cros

sing

bor

ders

int

o Eu

rope

eve

ryda

y in

one

of

the

larg

est

colle

ctiv

e ac

ts o

f civ

il di

sobe

dien

ce in

rec

ent h

isto

ry. I

nspi

red

by th

is c

oura

ge,

com

mun

ities

of

peop

le i

n Eu

rope

hav

e ri

sen

up t

o w

elco

me

them

. O

ver

30

com

mun

ities

in C

anad

a ha

ve d

one

the

sam

e.

Cana

da h

as t

aken

les

s th

an 1

0% o

f th

e co

mpl

etel

y in

adeq

uate

10,

000

Syri

an

refu

gees

th

at

it pr

omis

ed,

whi

le

refu

gees

fr

om

all

coun

trie

s ar

e sy

stem

atic

ally

tu

rned

aw

ay.

Dec

ades

be

fore

th

e cu

rren

t cr

isis

, Ca

nada

ai

rlift

ed 5

,000

peo

ple

from

Kos

ovo

in t

he l

ate

1990

s, 5

,000

fro

m U

gand

a in

19

72, a

nd 6

0,00

0 Vi

etna

mes

e in

1979

-80.

But

in th

e w

hole

of 2

015,

Can

ada

only

as

sist

ed 1

88 r

efug

ees

from

Syr

ia a

nd o

nly

7,57

3 re

fuge

es f

rom

the

ent

ire

wor

ld.

Man

y re

fuge

es t

here

fore

mak

e re

fuge

e cl

aim

s w

ithin

Can

ada.

But

ref

ugee

ac

cept

ance

rat

es h

ave

falle

n 30

% u

nder

the

cur

rent

gov

ernm

ent.

Ref

ugee

se

eker

s in

Can

ada

have

few

er a

venu

es to

imm

igra

tion

stat

us, f

ace

man

dato

ry

impr

ison

men

t fo

r th

em

and

thei

r ch

ildre

n,

a tw

o-tie

r sy

stem

th

at

disc

rim

inat

es b

ased

on

natio

nalit

y, a

nd la

ck o

f acc

ess

to a

dequ

ate

heal

thca

re

and

soci

al

assi

stan

ce.

With

re

duce

d nu

mbe

rs

of

fam

ily

spon

sors

hips

, re

fuge

es li

ke o

ther

imm

igra

nts,

can

not r

euni

te w

ith th

eir

fam

ilies

.

#R

efug

eesW

elco

me

calls

for

just

ice

and

dign

ity fo

r al

l ref

ugee

s an

d m

igra

nts,

w

hich

mea

ns:

An

over

haul

of t

he r

efug

ee s

yste

m

P

erm

anen

t res

iden

cy

L

abou

r pr

otec

tions

End

to d

eten

tions

and

dep

orta

tions

Ful

l soc

ial a

nd e

cono

mic

equ

ality

Wel

com

e

mea

ns

mor

e th

an

sim

ply

ente

ring

Ca

nada

; it

is

a ca

ll fo

r tr

ansf

orm

atio

n of

the

str

uctu

res

of t

he c

ount

ry t

o en

sure

ful

l rac

ial,

gend

er,

econ

omic

, and

soc

ial j

ustic

e fo

r al

l.

Wha

t Can

I Do

?P

ledg

e yo

ur H

ome

to W

elco

me

Ref

ugee

s at

Ref

ugee

sWel

com

e.ca

. Fi

nd a

n ev

ent n

ear

you

or O

rgan

ize

one

with

the

help

of o

ur T

oolk

it at

: w

ww

.Ref

ugee

sWel

com

e.ca

. Le

arn

abou

t Key

Dis

crim

inat

ory

Chan

ges

to C

anad

ian

Imm

igra

tion

and

Ref

ugee

Pol

icy

at N

ever

Hom

e.ca

/NoO

neIs

Illeg

alN

etw

ork

@no

onei

sille

gal

How

Has

Can

ada

Resp

onde

d to

the

Refu

gee

Cris

is?

Mor

e th

an

half

of

the

wor

lds

en

tire

refu

gee

popu

latio

n co

mes

fr

om

Afgh

anis

tan,

Syr

ia a

nd S

omal

ia.

Pus

hed

out

of t

heir

hom

es,

mig

rant

s an

d re

fuge

es f

ace

trem

endo

us v

iole

nce

in s

earc

h of

fre

edom

. D

espi

te t

his,

th

ousa

nds

are

cros

sing

bor

ders

int

o Eu

rope

eve

ryda

y in

one

of

the

larg

est

colle

ctiv

e ac

ts o

f civ

il di

sobe

dien

ce in

rec

ent h

isto

ry. I

nspi

red

by th

is c

oura

ge,

com

mun

ities

of

peop

le i

n Eu

rope

hav

e ri

sen

up t

o w

elco

me

them

. O

ver

30

com

mun

ities

in C

anad

a ha

ve d

one

the

sam

e.

Cana

da h

as t

aken

les

s th

an 1

0% o

f th

e co

mpl

etel

y in

adeq

uate

10,

000

Syri

an

refu

gees

th

at

it pr

omis

ed,

whi

le

refu

gees

fr

om

all

coun

trie

s ar

e sy

stem

atic

ally

tu

rned

aw

ay.

Dec

ades

be

fore

th

e cu

rren

t cr

isis

, Ca

nada

ai

rlift

ed 5

,000

peo

ple

from

Kos

ovo

in t

he l

ate

1990

s, 5

,000

fro

m U

gand

a in

19

72, a

nd 6

0,00

0 Vi

etna

mes

e in

1979

-80.

But

in th

e w

hole

of 2

015,

Can

ada

only

as

sist

ed 1

88 r

efug

ees

from

Syr

ia a

nd o

nly

7,57

3 re

fuge

es f

rom

the

ent

ire

wor

ld.

Man

y re

fuge

es t

here

fore

mak

e re

fuge

e cl

aim

s w

ithin

Can

ada.

But

ref

ugee

ac

cept

ance

rat

es h

ave

falle

n 30

% u

nder

the

cur

rent

gov

ernm

ent.

Ref

ugee

se

eker

s in

Can

ada

have

few

er a

venu

es to

imm

igra

tion

stat

us, f

ace

man

dato

ry

impr

ison

men

t fo

r th

em

and

thei

r ch

ildre

n,

a tw

o-tie

r sy

stem

th

at

disc

rim

inat

es b

ased

on

natio

nalit

y, a

nd la

ck o

f acc

ess

to a

dequ

ate

heal

thca

re

and

soci

al

assi

stan

ce.

With

re

duce

d nu

mbe

rs

of

fam

ily

spon

sors

hips

, re

fuge

es li

ke o

ther

imm

igra

nts,

can

not r

euni

te w

ith th

eir

fam

ilies

.

#R

efug

eesW

elco

me

calls

for

just

ice

and

dign

ity fo

r al

l ref

ugee

s an

d m

igra

nts,

w

hich

mea

ns:

An

over

haul

of t

he r

efug

ee s

yste

m

P

erm

anen

t res

iden

cy

L

abou

r pr

otec

tions

End

to d

eten

tions

and

dep

orta

tions

Ful

l soc

ial a

nd e

cono

mic

equ

ality

Wel

com

e

mea

ns

mor

e th

an

sim

ply

ente

ring

Ca

nada

; it

is

a ca

ll fo

r tr

ansf

orm

atio

n of

the

str

uctu

res

of t

he c

ount

ry t

o en

sure

ful

l rac

ial,

gend

er,

econ

omic

, and

soc

ial j

ustic

e fo

r al

l.

Wha

t Can

I Do

?P

ledg

e yo

ur H

ome

to W

elco

me

Ref

ugee

s at

Ref

ugee

sWel

com

e.ca

. Fi

nd a

n ev

ent n

ear

you

or O

rgan

ize

one

with

the

help

of o

ur T

oolk

it at

: w

ww

.Ref

ugee

sWel

com

e.ca

. Le

arn

abou

t Key

Dis

crim

inat

ory

Chan

ges

to C

anad

ian

Imm

igra

tion

and

Ref

ugee

Pol

icy

at N

ever

Hom

e.ca

/NoO

neIs

Illeg

alN

etw

ork

@no

onei

sille

gal