WUSC’s Submission to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Consultations
Over the past year, the number of people displaced around the world grew by nearly six million, with an estimated 12.4 million newly displaced people. The rate of new displacements and their increasingly protracted nature will only see this number continue to rise. We are at a pivotal moment where the actions of Canada and other countries, in response to this crisis, will shape the global future.
In this context, Canada has an unprecedented opportunity to demonstrate global leadership; build upon the national refugee commitments and public momentum of the recent months; and mobilize further public support to continue to create a more inclusive and diverse Canadian society.
IRCC consulted with Canadians from July 5 to August 5, to pave the way for new ideas and approaches that will enable Canada to demonstrate more global leadership and have an even greater impact at home.
Our recommendations to IRCC recognize the critical role of the Canadian public for refugee resettlement. They draw from our decades of experience collaborating with the Canadian post-secondary community through our Student Refugee Program (SRP) and its unique youth-to-youth sponsorship model. They build upon our experience working in refugee camps in Kenya to improve access to quality education for refugee youth, particularly young girls.
Our submission includes higher level comments on the overall direction and focus of Canada’s strategy for responding to the global displacement crisis, and the means through which this could best be implemented:
- Put the private sponsorship of refugees at the heart of Canada’s response, prioritizing the engagement of the Canadian public.
- Mobilize the Canadian private sector to invest in refugee resettlement and integration efforts.
- Make education a key component at the forefront of the Canadian response.
- Apply a multi-departmental approach to Canada’s response.
- Ensure that refugee resettlement remains inclusive and diverse.
- Continue to promote and share Canada’s expertise internationally.
Click here to read our Immigration Consultation Submission.
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