By Harinder Mahil

Migrant workers, refugees and human rights activists held demonstrations and rallies last week to express their displeasure at the federal government for its inaction to fulfill the promise Prime Minister Trudeau made in December 2021 to ensure permanent resident status for all migrants and refugees. Demonstrations were held in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and other cities to demand an immediate end to deportations and detentions.

The demonstrators demanded a regularization program that gives permanent resident status to every single migrant in the country. 

The activists were angry to learn that the members of Parliament ended their session early last week even though no action had been taken to provide permanent resident status to migrants and refugees. The Parliament will not sit now until September 18, 2023.

It has been over 550 days since Prime MinisterTrudeau’s promise during which undocumented migrants have continued to be shut out of schools, denied healthcare, exploited at work, and separated from their families.

A common question is: why do we have undocumented immigrants in Canada. People become undocumented because of the failures of Canada’s immigration policy. There is no access to permanent residency for most low-wage migrants in Canada, and only about 60% of refugee claimants are accepted. Most undocumented immigrants in Canada were previously on a temporary authorization (work, study, refugee claimant permit). They reached a point where they could not get permanent residency and the federal government refused to renew their permits. They were faced with an impossible choice: either return to a country where they may face war, discrimination, and leave communities, families and relationships in Canada or stay without access to any rights and services and in daily fear of deportation. Those who stay become undocumented immigrants.

Justice is only possible with permanent resident status for all migrants, and a complete overhaul of the immigration system so that no one is temporary or undocumented in the future.

In the midst of global challenge of irregular migration, Canada has the choice of being callous and insular or compassionate and tolerant. In polling, Canadians more often choose humanity, compassion and tolerance. When men, women, and children seeking sanctuary arrive at our borders, these are the values we must uphold.

Harinder Mahil is a human rights activist and is president of the West Coast Coalition Against Racism (WCCAR).