The Conundrum of Refugee Protection in Canada: From Control to Compliance to Collective Deterrence

Abstract

Canadian policy on the protection of refugees has evolved through three distinct traditions. During the first era, refugee protection was constructed as a matter of immigration control. Indeed, until the middle of the twentieth century, Canada had no law or policy specifically oriented to the admission of refugees. Refugees simply applied for permission to enter Canada under the auspices of the general immigration scheme, the primary purpose of which was to promote domestic economic interests. The erosion of this historical view of refugees as immigrants has occurred only gradually, such that even today most refugees protected by Canada must meet immigration selection criteria, in addition to showing that they are at risk in their home country.

Refugee Flow or Brain‐Drain? The Humanitarian Policy and Post-Tiananmen Mainland Chinese Immigration to Canada

“…21 The humanitarian policy and its consequences cannot be fully appreciated without taking into account the complexity of Canadian refugee policy. Current studies indicate that policy dilemmas have arisen from Canada's conflicting aims and responsibilities between its humanitarian obligation and the need to control levels of immigration, to avoid being flooded by refugee inflows, and to fulfil its social (family reunion) and economic goals of immigration (Hathaway, 1992;Adelman and Cox, 1994;Richmond, 1994). The situation is further complicated by adding ideological considerations.…”

Refugee Flow or Brain-Drain? The Humanitarian Policy and Post-Tiananmen Mainland Chinese Immigration to Canada

“…Current studies indicate that policy dilemmas have arisen from Canada's conflicting aims and responsibilities between its humanitarian obligation and the need to control levels of immigration, to avoid being flooded by refugee inflows, and to fulfil its social (family reunion) and economic goals of immigration (Hathaway, 1992;Adelman and Cox, 1994;Richmond, 1994). The situation is further complicated by adding ideological considerations.…”