Refugee Rights Day: April 4
Each year, Canadians celebrate Refugee Rights Day to mark the progress made in protecting and welcoming refugees.
April 4th is the anniversary of the 1985 Supreme Court decision in the Singh case. This decision confirmed that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms extends to refugee claimants.
Keeping with this inclusive spirit, this year, the Canada Council of Refugees (CCR), is urging the Canadian government to:
- Resettle 20,000 government-assisted refugees annually
- Ensure applications of privately sponsored refugees are processed within 12 months
- Reform the refugee determination system so that all claimants have access to a fair hearing before an expert independent tribunal (the Immigration and Refugee Board)
Learn more about the CCR recommendations here.
Help spread the word
On Refugee Rights Day, we’ll be sharing stories and resources to help raise awareness about the refugee experience in Nova Scotia—and you can too! If you’re using Twitter, follow the #RefugeesWelcomeHere and #RefugeeRightsDay hashtags.
Learn more
As a young lawyer only a few years out of law school, Barbara Jackman successfully argued the Singh case before the Supreme Court. You can watch her reflections on the decision in this video.
Visit the CCR website.
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