Speaking Notes - The Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, to the 2006 Sponsorship Agreement Holders’ Forum

Montréal, Quebec, November 20, 2006

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INTRODUCTION

Thank you for that kind introduction. I am grateful for this invitation to speak at your annual forum. It is always an honour to be among people who contribute so much more than time and money to sponsor refugees in need of Canada’s protection. You make many personal sacrifices and bring enormous compassion to the cause. I know that for most people in this community, this really is a labour of love.

Since I became Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, I have had many occasions to meet with some of you, but this really is my first opportunity to address all of you at once. I want to start by thanking you for your efforts and contributions on behalf of the 184,000 refugees and others in need of protection who have been sponsored through the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program since 1979.

THE BENEFITS OF PRIVATE SPONSORSHIP

I have said this before, and I believe it bears repeating: the PSR program is a great way to bring refugees to Canada. In fact, the unique relationship between government and private citizens is a source of national pride and international esteem. It showcases Canada’s commitment to humanitarian action. The PSR program delivers some of the best results for refugees because it engages communities and allows ordinary Canadians to take a very personal leadership role in refugee protection.

The value of your sponsorship of a refugee family’s financial, emotional and material needs during their integration in Canada cannot be overstated. Welcoming newcomers and helping with their settlement requires everyone to be involved—from different levels of government and institutions to employers, schools, non-profits, religious communities and individuals.

As you know, my government recently raised the upper end of the target for the privately sponsored refugee class by 500 people, to 4,500 for 2007.

I know the PSR program is not without its challenges. In some of my meetings with those in the PSR community, we have discussed that under Canadian resettlement criteria, some people referred to the program are not genuine refugees. Assessing ineligible applicants takes valuable resources away from processing genuine refugees overseas. We need to work closely with the sponsorship community through ongoing training and information sharing to improve the quality of private sponsorship of refugee applications. And together, we are now working on that. But more than that, we need to see each other as partners, not adversaries—each committed equally to helping those people who need help the most.

In case there is any doubt, let me be clear. I am committed to working with my friends in the sponsorship community to find solutions so that we can more effectively identify and resettle more refugees in Canada.

IMPORTANCE OF PARTNERSHIPS

I recently met with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, and I wish to share with you some of my impressions from his visit. He spoke of the extraordinary quality of Canada’s hospitality toward refugees and asylum seekers.

He praised Canada’s society, with our respect for other cultures, and where border security that protects citizens also respects the rights of people in need of international protection.

Right now, many industrialized countries are dealing with mixed flows of migrants attempting to gain access to their territory through domestic asylum systems—whether in need of protection or not. High Commissioner Guterres strongly praised Canada ’s refugee determination system, describing it as one of the best in the world. We must keep that in mind as we continue to address the challenge of striking the right balance between protecting the people of Canada and the integrity of our system, and being a safe haven for the victims of persecution.

There are over 8 million refugees in the world, many in protracted situations. Those millions of refugees languishing in camps are gradually losing hope of returning to their home countries or being settled locally. Mr. Guterres and I spoke of minority ethnic groups from Myanmar, such as the Karens in Thailand, the Chin in Malaysia, the Rohingas in Bangladesh, and the Bhutanese refugees in Nepal, and many other protracted refugee situations around the world.

The large majority of refugees prefer to go back home. Between October 2005 and 2006, more than one million voluntarily returned home—that’s more than 10 percent of the refugee caseload in the world. As part of the international community, Canada can help emerging democracies solve many of the problems that create refugee populations, and we can help find durable solutions for more refugees.

We are one of barely a dozen countries that resettle refugees. We also need to help other countries develop their capacity to do the same. I’m proud that during Mr. Guterres’ visit, Canada’s new government announced that we are giving $1 million to the UNHCR and the Mexico Plan of Action. The plan proposes concrete actions for the regional resettlement of refugees in Latin America and, most importantly, will provide refugees with the care and protection they need.

MOVING FORWARD

Assisting and protecting refugees who have been driven from their homes with no prospect of returning must be a priority for all of us. It is an objective that I hold dear—ideally through voluntary repatriation, or even local integration. There are situations, however, where these options are not possible, and where resettlement is just the best solution.

Canada should be ready to respond to these situations. We have done so with the Burmese refugees stranded in camps in Thailand for more than a decade. In June, Canada’s new government announced that we would welcome a group of 810 refugees predominantly of the Karen ethnic group. Since then, the Karens have been arriving, settling in towns and cities across Canada from Vancouver to Charlottetown. I met some of them in Winnipeg in September, where they told me, among other things, how great it was to be able to have ice cream every day. I agree—it’s one of the best things about Canada. As winter approaches in Winnipeg, they may rethink that. One hundred and fifty-four of this group will benefit from the support of the private sponsorship community. Looking ahead, I’m optimistic that we can do even more to help. But before we can help, we need to understand.

As Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, I am expected to make decisions that affect the lives of thousands of refugees, but to really understand the plight of refugees, I need to glimpse life through their eyes.

That’s why I’m planning to travel to several countries in Asia in January, and I will be visiting a Karen refugee camp. That is an experience that I’m sure many of you in this room have already had, and my hope is that together, we can use that experience to better help refugees. With camps of 140,000 people in Thailand alone, continuous assistance and support is needed.

The increase by 500 of the upper target range of the Privately Sponsored Refugee Program for 2007 will provide flexibility for sponsors to play a larger role in making a significant dent in protracted refugee situations. Ladies and Gentlemen, you have made a clear commitment to help, and my commitment is that we will refer more cases to you.

CONCLUSION

There are 8.4 million refugees overseas in need of protection, 6.2 million of whom are languishing in camps and denied basic rights. Canada’s new government is committed to helping find durable solutions for these refugees. The warehousing of refugees for years—and often decades—makes it difficult for those refugees to adapt to life in Canada. It requires serious commitments from various levels of government and communities to give refugees a helping hand, a place to call home, and most importantly, hope for the future. Some of you here today are recent immigrants to Canada yourselves—some of you came as refugees, having fled persecution and the worst this world has to offer.

And if that is your story, you know how precious it is to find a place that feels safe—a place where you can start over, a place of peace and opportunity. If that is your story, you see Canada as an inspiration. But Canada sees you as an inspiration too. You need to know that.

You are an inspiration to us all. Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of my government and the Department, thank you for your selfless service to the world’s poor and persecuted, and best wishes for a successful forum.