Tag: immigration

Dalhousie prof: Kenney's ideological rhetoric on failed refugees obscures truth

Carrie Dawson, DalhousieCarrie Dawson, (left)an English professor at Dalhousie University in Halifax, was watching and reading how Jason Kenney talked about the problem of failed refugee claimants who land on our shores while he was minister of citizenship and immigration. She has a few issues with the language Kenney and other Conservative government ministers used over the last several years on this topic. Dawson has a piece in the current issue of the University of Toronto Quarterly with the title “Refugee Hotels: The Discourse of Hospitality and the Rise of Immigration Detention in Canada.” I don’t think I’m spoiling anything by cutting straight to her conclusion:

Continue reading Dalhousie prof: Kenney's ideological rhetoric on failed refugees obscures truth

The courts vs the Harper cabinet: This time it's over refugee health care

Jason Kenney

This morning, Federal Court of Canada Justice Anne Mactavish delivered a sharply worded judgement slamming a decision, made by Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s cabinet, to deny some refugee claimants the benefits of Canada’s publicly funded health care system.

It’s the latest clash between the Harper government and the country’s judges.

Some quotes from the 256-page judgement [which you can read for yourself here]: Continue reading The courts vs the Harper cabinet: This time it's over refugee health care

Message to journos from Minister Kenney: Call us before writing sob stories from refugees facing removal

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney this evening released what is to me, at least, a remarkable statement that takes direct issue with some reporting in La Presse and also takes on the claims of a refugee — Kenney’s office calls her a fugitive — facing deportation.

Here’s the release in full (the hyperlinks, with more background, are provided by me): Continue reading Message to journos from Minister Kenney: Call us before writing sob stories from refugees facing removal

Jason Kenney refuses to talk about Conrad Black. And he refuses to talk a lot about it.

According to sources our newsroom spoke to, Conrad Black’s application for a Temporary Residency Permit (TRP) was pretty straightforward and he got one. So, when my former boss gets out of jail in Florida, he will be able to come back to Canada on his TRP. The TRP is good for a year.

During that year, one presumes he will apply for “permanent resident’ status and, assuming he gets that, he will proceed to apply for full Canadian citizenship.

His application for citizenship is not without controversy. I, for one, am saddened, most of all, by the fact that, in 2001, he quit on me, you and every other Canadian when he chose another country over ours simply to receive a foreign honour. There are tens of thousand of foreign nationals around the world who would love to join the tribe that is Canada. When all of those who have never committed a crime or turned their back on this great country have become Canadian citizens, then, by all means, let those who renounced their Canadian citizenship and went on to acquire a criminal record in another country be considered for membership in our tribe.  Continue reading Jason Kenney refuses to talk about Conrad Black. And he refuses to talk a lot about it.

New border deals: More aspirational than actual changes

Getting any kind of a deal with the Americans these days on just about anything can be considered a big deal.

U.S. President Barack Obama is, if the polls can be believed, not having a good time of it. He has been politically neutered by his Republic opponents in Congress and in the U.S. Senate. There is a virtual logjam in Washington on most issues because those Republicans refuse to play nice with Democrats and vice versa.

And so against that background two deals announced this afternoon between Canada and the U.S. can be considered an accomplishment of sorts.

Continue reading New border deals: More aspirational than actual changes