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On March 30, 2010, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration, and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney introduced Bill C-11, An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Federal Courts Act. This legislation is intended to "improve Canada’s asylum system, deliver quicker decisions on asylum claims and provide faster protection to those in need." While applauding these objectives, refugee advocates have expressed concern over the changes proposed by the government.

Key problems identified by the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR), an organization that MCC Canada belongs to, include new provisions for distinguishing claimants based upon country of origin, relying on civil servants as first-instance decision makers, and barring claimants from applying for humanitarian and compassionate consideration.

Ed Wiebe, MCC Canada's National Refugee Program Coordinator, notes that MCC is engaged mostly in resettling refugees from abroad rather than those who make claims within Canada. And the government intends to rely even more on organizations like MCC for this work - the day before he introduced Bill C-11, Minister Kenney announced that the government intended to expand Canada's refugee resettlement programs. Despite this commitment, Wiebe stresses that the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program (PSRP) has also been hampered by long delays that will require attention.

In any case, Wiebe shares the concerns raised by the CCR: "We oppose any list of so-called 'safe' countries, since any country can be both 'safe' and 'insecure' depending upon the particular situation of an individual refugee claimant." Furthermore, while Wiebe applauds the more substantive appeal system that has been proposed, he cautions that this system needs to be available to all.

Given concerns such as this, MCC Canada is joining with the CCR and other organizations such as the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee in urging the government to embark upon a thorough process of consultation on Bill C-11.

Members of Parliament should study this bill in committee before, rather than after, second reading in the House of Commons. Since the lives of refugees are at stake, input from the public needs to be incorporated before the bill is approved in principle and the door to substantial amendments has been closed.