Refugees in Canada
Common Myths About Refugees
MYTH: The refugee system lets criminals and terrorists into Canada.
FACT: The Canadian refugee determination system excludes people who have criminal or terrorist pasts.
While in the past, some human rights violators have made their homes in Canada, there are a few ways to address this issue. Canada has laws in place allowing for the prosecution in Canada of individuals accused of committing crimes against humanity, war crimes and torture abroad. However, the Canadian government has preferred to deport such people, rather than prosecute them. This is troubling when such people are deported to countries where they face a serious risk of human rights violations, or are likely to go unpunished for their crime.
MYTH: Refugees are a drain on our economy.
FACT: Studies show that refugees and immigrants contribute positively to the Canadian economy. Many refugees start small businesses that employ both themselves and "native" Canadians. In addition, immigration helps to offset the effects of our declining birth rate and aging population.
MYTH: Most "refugees" are really economic migrants - they come to Canada just to get richer.
FACT: It is not always easy to separate refugees fleeing persecution from others fleeing economic instability in the countries from which they flee.
An April 2003 study done by the U.K. based Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) found that the majority of asylum seekers are driven by "conflict and repression rather than economic factors...1
In a detailed analysis of refugee trends, the study concluded the ten most common countries of origin of asylum-seekers in Western Europe are linked by their chronic instability, rather than their poverty.
MYTH: Canada takes more than its share of refugees
FACT: Because of its geographic isolation, Canada receives a relatively small number of refugees. By far the largest number of refugees are in developing countries.
The majority of the world's refugees come from - and remain in - countries of the South. The following countries have each been hosting over a quarter of a million uprooted people: Congo/Zaire, Ethiopia, Guinea, Sudan, Tanzania, Azerbaijan, Germany, Russian Federation, Yugoslavia, United States, China, Gaza Strip, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank, India, and Pakistan.
The equivalent figure for Canada was 48,800.
The number of refugees Canada accepts each year is less than a tenth of 1% of the population.2
MYTH: Canada's acceptance rate for refugees is too high
FACT: There is no "right" acceptance rate, only "right" or "wrong" decisions on individual cases. It may be true that Canada's acceptance rate is higher than some other countries. However, there are various reasons for this, including the fact that other countries may use a narrower interpretation of the Convention Refugee definition, have a politicized determination system or lack procedural safeguards. Some countries offer temporary protection, with limited legal safeguards, to people who seek refugee within their borders.
While each country's refugee determination systems are different, Canada's acceptance rates of refugee claims are comparable to the United States (58% vs. 52% respectively)3
ENDNOTES:
1. http://www.ippr.org/publications/index.php?book=359