Assess, critically, how legislative processes attempt to address emerging issues of immigration.

What is the Immigration & Refugee Protection Act?  The ________ and ______ Protection Act dates from It is the most recent of many laws Canada has had about immigration since it became a country in ____.  It establishes categories of who can come to Canada from other countries to make permanent homes here. It lays out the objectives of those categories.

What are the Immigration Categories? Here are Canada’s immigration categories as of 2006 (Pg. 167):  ________: ppl who are escaping persecution, torture, or cruel and unusual punishment.  ________: spouses, partners, children, parents and grandparents of ppl living in Canada,  _______ _________: skilled workers and businesspeople.  ______: ppl accepted as immigrants for humanitarian or compassionate reasons.

What is the point system for accepting immigrants?  The point system is part of the criteria Canada uses to decide who to accept as immigrants. It dates back from  It applies only to economic immigrants (skilled workers and professionals). Refugees and family- class immigrants do not have to qualify under the point system.  If you are not a refugee or a family-class immigrant, you MUST qualify under Canada’s point system to enter Canada as an immigrant.  Economic immigrants make up the biggest group of immigrants to Canada.

How does health factor into qualifying as an immigrant?  Every potential _________ immigrant to Canada must provide _____ that they are in good _____. These health _______ do not necessarily apply to ppl entering Canada as ______ or as ____-____ immigrants. A person may be refused entry to Canada if: Their health could put the health of _____ at risk – for example, they have tuberculosis. They have a condition that could endanger ______ ______– for example, a mental disorder. Their health could put an “______ _______” on Canada’s health services – for example, HIV/AIDS.

How are Canada’s immigration laws today different than in the past?  No one today is ______ from Canada because of their _______or country of origin. The point system, for example, evaluates people based on their skills and education.  In the past, Canada _______immigrants of British ancestry and restricted immigration from Asian countries, such as China and India.  (Pg. 173)

What is Canada’s policy towards refugees?  Here is some background on how Canada’s position on refugees evolved (developed): Canada signed the U.N. Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees in During the 1950s and 1960s, Canada offered to shelter refugees in response to specific world crises. In 1976, Canada made _______ one of its immigration categories. The change meant that Canada accepted ______ ______, instead of ______ by____.

Some Objectives of the Immigration & Refugee Protection Act, 2002 Save lives and offer protection to ppl who are displaced and persecuted. Fulfill and affirm Canada’s int’l commitments to protect refugees. Grant fair consideration to ppl who claim to be persecuted, as an expression of Canada’s humanitarian ideals. Offer refuge to ppl facing ________ because of ____, ______, _____ ______or membership in a ____ _____, and to ppl who face _____, or cruel and unusual ________ or ________.

What Languages Do Immigrants to Canada Speak?  Graph (Pg. 180).  Why might the info. in this graph connect to issues raised by immigration for Canada’s official language groups?

What is the Singh decision?  Satnam Singh came to Canada from India seeking refugee status. Canada’s gov’t rejected his case under the Immigration Act  This act did not allow Mr. Singh to state his case in person or to appeal the gov’ts decision on his case.  The Supreme Court said this violated section 7 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  The Supreme Court said everyone in the Charters means everyone – every person physically present in Canada (they do not necessarily need to be a citizen).

Results of Singh Decision The results of Singh decision were:  Ppl claiming refugee status in Canada have the right to a hearing, which they attend in person.  Canada established the Immigration and Refugee Board to provide quick and fair hearings.  Canada’s gov’t provides ppl seeking refugee status with the necessities of life while they wait for a hearing. (Pg. 182).