Report on Cross-Canada Consultations in Response to the Tsunami of December 26, 2004
Executive Summary
The recent tsunami that affected countries in South and Southeast Asia and Africa on December 26, 2004 was one of the largest natural disasters in modern history. Over 160,000 people lost their lives and many more are missing, injured or displaced.
This report summarizes consultations former Citizenship and Immigration Minister Judy Sgro and her officials held with community groups across Canada regarding measures that CIC should implement to help victims of the tsunami, and those Canadians who are either from, or who have close family members in, the affected regions.
Many of those who participated in the consultations said that Canadian aid must be directed primarily at the victims, and not at governments in the affected areas. Some suggested that accountability mechanisms be built into Canadian aid.
Human rights were raised repeatedly. Some said the relief effort provided Canada with an opportunity to send a message that it is not acceptable for countries to persecute their residents, and that disaster relief should be contingent on improvements in human rights.
The need for a long-term plan for disasters that require massive humanitarian relief was raised frequently. The plan should include: prior identification of staff with the required expertise and language skills; a plan to engage Canadians as volunteers; input from relief agencies; and a coordinated federal response.
One of the strongest themes was the need to help the many children who were affected. Many interveners said that Canada should explore various options to facilitate the entry into Canada of the many children left orphaned by the tsunami. Another identified priority was to rebuild the education infrastructure.
While there was general satisfaction with Canada’s response, there were concerns that some areas within the affected regions had been excluded. Specifically, some communities said e fforts appear to be focused on Southeast Asia, and that the African side of the story has been ignored.
Many interveners expressed support for opening the doors to anyone affected and wanting to come to Canada, rather than simply accelerating applications.
The widespread loss of identity and travel documents was raised frequently. Many people suggested that the use of affidavits and testimonials be allowed to establish the identities of tsunami victims.
Some interveners were concerned that moving applications up the immigration queue would delay applications already in the system. The need for new funding in order to respond effectively was raised frequently. Stakeholders are concerned that if CIC simply addresses the issue through reallocations, there will be negative impacts on already high inventories and long wait times.
Several proposals were made to facilitate immigration to Canada by immigrants who may have suffered significant financial setbacks because of the tsunami.
Many interveners said that expanding the definitions of the Family Class under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act would assist tsunami victims who want to come to Canada.
Interveners noted the tsunami’s impact on students from affected areas who are currently in Canada. They cited the interruption of financial support from home and the stress and mental anguish experienced by students as prime concerns.
It was suggested that, while they rebuild, people from affected areas with family in Canada, be issued temporary residency permits for short-term stays . This measure could be tailored to assist unskilled workers.
A recurring theme in discussions on integration and settlement services was the need for additional counseling and mental health support to help families in Canada from the affected areas to deal with the effects of the tsunami. Many people stressed the need for additional funds and resources for language training and other settlement services to help cope with a large influx of immigrants from areas affected by the tsunami.
The need for Canada to establish a strong presence on the ground in stricken areas was articulated by a number of stakeholders as essential in ensuring that Canadian aid and other measures to assist victims is targeted and effective.
Several provinces said they were pleased to work with the Federal Government on humanitarian relief for tsunami victims, and appreciated the efforts being made to consult them and other stakeholders.
Many people cited the need for improved communications by the Government. The greatest need is for clear, plain language information that is provided in easily accessible formats.
MPs and their staff noted that immigration inquiries are becoming more and more time-consuming; in some cases making up 75 to 90% of their constituency workload. They attributed this increase to a reduction in resources and services by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. The need for additional resources and the ability of CIC to increase its case-handling capacity were the two most pressing issues identified by MPs.
Many specific measures that address the suggestions made at the consultations have been put in place by CIC to respond to the disaster. CIC will continue to work with stakeholders to reunify families as quickly as possible, while ensuring that families receive the support and counseling that they need and deserve.
