Bill C-11 is new legislation proposed proposed by the federal government to deal with the backlog in the refugee system. Under the proposed changes, Canada’s refugee determination system will undergo significant changes including shortening the time of processing of cases, transferring part of the power to determine cases to immigration officers and barring refugee claimants from accessing the humanitarian immigration system. While some of the proposed changes are viewed as positive, such as establishing a refugee appeal tribunal, Bill C-11 has come under fire from stake holders for the negative effects it will have on vulnerable refugees.
More information can be found at the Canada Council for Refugee website and the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website.
