Refugee advocates ‘shocked and dismayed’ over asylum changes in Ottawa’s budget bill

Representatives of refugees are expressing their concerns over proposed changes to asylum laws in Canada. Lawyers and advocates are calling it “a devastating attack”.

The possible amendments to asylum laws involve preventing asylum seekers from making refugee claims in Canada if they’ve made similar claims in certain other countries, including the U.S. . Border Security minister Bill Blair says that the changes will prevent what he calls “Asylum shopping”.

We spoke yesterday with Janet Dench, the Executive Director at the Canadian Council for Refugees, she explained to us how these laws would disproportionately affect poorer asylum seekers:

Guest: Bill Blair

Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction

Representatives of refugees are expressing their concerns over proposed changes to asylum laws in Canada. Lawyers and advocates are calling it “a devastating attack”.

The possible amendments to asylum laws involve preventing asylum seekers from making refugee claims in Canada if they’ve made similar claims in certain other countries, including the U.S. . Border Security minister Bill Blair says that the changes will prevent what he calls “Asylum shopping”.

We spoke yesterday with Janet Dench, the Executive Director at the Canadian Council for Refugees, she explained to us how these laws would disproportionately affect poorer asylum seekers:

Guest: Bill Blair

Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction