Asvini Uthayakumaran emphasizes the necessity for a comprehensive housing plan for refugee claimants that is informed by organizations working directly with those seeking asylum in Canada.
CPJ’s 2023/2024 Public Justice Intern, Asvini Uthayakumaran, wrote a reflection piece for Kentro Christian Network on the rationale behind the collaborative International Development Week events with International Justice Mission Canada and World Renew.
For international development week CPJ joined International Justice Mission Canada and World Renew for a joint panel at Centennial College on February 6th, and Redeemer University on February 7th. The three organizations discussed how they work to center the agency of individuals and communities most impacted by injustice and inequality in their work.
Emilio Rodriguez, CPJ’s Policy Analyst for Refugee and Migrant Rights, shared his expertise with Maisonneuve Magazine, discussing why the latest developments are further endangering refugee claimants seeking protection in Canada.
The Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA), effective since 2004, mandates that refugees must claim asylum in the first safe country they reach—either the U.S. or Canada—making many asylum seekers ineligible if they enter Canada at land or water borders. The agreement has been criticized for inaccurately designating the U.S. as a safe country, given its record of human rights violations and inadequate protections for women facing gender-based violence.
Since the launch of the #WelcometoCanada campaign in 2022, CPJ has partnered with Human Rights Watch to call for an end to immigration detention in Canada. Since then, eight provinces have cancelled their immigration detention contracts with Canada Border Services Agency. However, some provinces have been transferring detainees to other provinces rather than releasing them,…
The 2023 Federal Budget was announced at a time when Canadian residents share deep concerns about affordability, access to health care, and the ever-accelerating climate crisis. The question that CPJ asks around every federal budget cycle remains the same: Does this budget prioritize systemic solutions that could eradicate poverty, uphold the rights and dignity of…
“The Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) has been receiving increased attention as Canada recently announced an additional protocol that came into effect on March 25, creating significant barriers to those seeking asylum in Canada,” writes Rena Namago, CPJ’s Public Justice Intern. “This article responds to common misconceptions around the agreement and elaborates on its impacts…
We at International Justice Mission (IJM) Canada and Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ) are committed to supporting national and international policies that strengthen protection to survivors of Gender-Based Violence (GBV). During these 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, we want to draw special attention to the initiatives that Canada can support to provide protection…
Universal access to health care is perceived as a fundamental Canadian value, with roots that trace back to the first province-wide universal health care plan in Saskatchewan in 1947. Likewise, Canada purports to be a world leader in providing a fulsome welcome to refugees and migrants, with plans to grant permanent residence status to at…