Refugees rush to beat new rules at Canadian borders
Last Updated Wed, 19 Jun 2002 20:46:44
LACOLLE, QUEBEC - Refugees are lining up at Canada's borders, trying to beat the clock before new immigration rules come into effect later this month.
At the crossing at Lacolle, Que., for example, 150 people were waiting to be processed on Wednesday. A normal day will see 15-20 people cross.
After days of travel, entire families find themselves packed into a waiting room with no beds and little food, while they wait their turn to fill out the paperwork and get their refugee claims started before June 28.
That's when the rules Immigration Minister Denis Coderre introduced earlier this month come into force.
Coderre said the regulations give the government the tools it needs to keep criminals and terrorists out, while making it easier for skilled workers and unmarried couples to get in.
Critics said the regulations will raise the bar so high that far fewer people will ultimately qualify to enter the country.
Many refugees don't want to take chances with the new Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, said an Immigration Canada spokesman.
"People believe they should claim refugee status before the beginning of the new act, thinking they have more advantages under the old act," said Robert Gervais.
The new rules won't even apply to many people, but they're coming in any way they can.
Muhammad Obaid arrived at the border with his pregnant wife and son. "We travelled for about 32 hours from Karachi, Pakistan, to the Canada border. It's been a horrible nightmare for me and for my family," he said.
They're putting themselves through such hardships for little reason, say refugee advocates.
"The Canadian government has been emphasizing that it's negotiating an agreement with the United States which would lead to the doors being closed," said Janet Dench, of the Canadian Council for Refugees. "That agreement is not about to come into effect."
Gervais says this kind of rush happens every time the rules change, and the government has brought in more agents to try to deal with the increased traffic.