Ottawa, ON – The Honourable Tony Clement, Member of Parliament for Parry Sound – Muskoka, today expressed his support for legislation to improve Canada’s asylum system introduced by his colleague the Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. These changes will deliver quicker decisions on asylum claims and provide faster protection to those in need.
“Canada’s asylum system is broken and in need of reform” said MP Clement. “Our government is acting to avoid a two-tier immigration system: one for immigrants who wait in line – often for years – to come to Canada, and another for those who make false refugee claims to get into our country through back channels”.
The result of this is an overburdened system with a backlog of refugee status claimants, many of whom have unfounded claims of asylum. To address this inequality and backlog, our government is proposing legislation that will:
- Result in faster decisions and quicker removals of failed claims;
- Depoliticize the process through which claims are heard; and
- Deliver balanced reform which will increase help for those who genuinely and desperately need it.
Currently, it takes an average of 18 months for claims to be heard by the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB). Our balanced reforms would shorten this to 60 days. Those in need of protection will receive decisions sooner; those making unfounded claims would be removed more quickly.
This new system will also save taxpayers money; currently an unfounded asylum claim costs taxpayers $50,000 mainly in provincial welfare and social assistance costs.
These improvements to Canada’s asylum system will ensure that our asylum system is fair and balanced to help those who truly need protection.
