International Settlement Canada
Volume 24, Numbers 3-4, Winter-Spring 2011
A Review of Immigrant Information
Practices
Introduction
Tracking down relevant information is an essential and urgent component of settlement
processes. Yet we know very little about how
newcomers and longer established immigrants
find and make sense of the information they
need to migrate and settle in Canada. This article is a synthesis of two literature reviews on
the topic of immigrant information practices (or
how newcomers find and make sense of needed
information to conduct their daily lives).1 While it
must be acknowledged that immigrants are highly
heterogeneous, and have different information
requirements at different stages in the immigration process, this paper attempts to synthesize the
information needs, sources (where newcomers go
to find information), and barriers to accessing information experienced by newcomers to Canada.
Why Information Matters
Newcomers face significant barriers as they
settle in Canada. Communication barriers, lack
of knowledge of the host country, loss of socioeconomic and family networks, and lack of recognition of foreign educational or professional
credentials are some of the established causes of
social isolation and feelings of social exclusion
by immigrants. All of these issues are, to some
extent, examples of problems caused by a lack
of relevant and timely information. Thus, social
exclusion may well be an information problem
caused in part by the significant barriers immigrants face as they navigate the Canadian information environment (Caidi and Allard 2005).
For newcomers who may not yet have established
patterns or information sources, finding everyday
information may be an incredibly daunting and
complex process. Both information needs and
Danielle Allard* and
Dr. Nadia Caidi**
barriers to accessing adequate information are
high. Mehra and Papajohn (2007) refer to this as a
“culturally alien information environment.”
Defining Information
Practices
Information practices is an umbrella term used
within the field of Library and Information Science. It is defined as “a set of socially and culturally established ways to identify, seek, use, and
share the information available in various sources
such as television, newspapers, and the Internet”
(Savolainen 2008). In other words, individuals seek
and use information in complex ways and from a
variety of sources in order to manage their lives.
It is a combination of personal attributes as well
as societal structures that shape the way we seek
information.
Information Needs
At its most basic, an information need is the desire
to obtain information on a particular subject. Based
on a review of the literature, the information needs
of newly arrived immigrants include:
• Language information (including information
about training, translation, and interpretation
services);
• Pre-migration information;
• Employment information (including job searching skills and special services to foreign-trained
professionals);
• Housing information;
• Information about making connections in the
community (including connections to profesReview of Immigrant Information
Practices, continued on page 3
Ph.D. Candidate, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto, <[email protected]>.
Associate Professor, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto, <[email protected]>.
1
The original reviews are Caidi et al. 2010 and Caidi et al. 2008. For full details, including methodology and
complete reference list, please refer to the original studies.
*
**
Inside this Issue
• A Review of Immigrant
Information Practices.......1
• From the Editor ................2
• The Canadian Orientation
Abroad Project: Preparing
Migrants for a New
Beginning in Canada........6
• Public Libraries in Diverse
Communities: Library
Settlement Partnerships as
a Piece of the Puzzle .........9
• Settlement Information
Renewal at Citizenship
and Immigration Canada
(CIC).................................12
• The Resettlement of
Refugees Selected
Abroad in Quebec –
A Well-Kept Secret!.........16
• Canadian Council for
Refugees, Fall 2010
- Temporary Migrant
Workers: Dialogue
with Prairie Provincial
Governments................19
- Temporary Migrant
Workers: Developing a
National Campaign.....21
• Canadian Council for
Refugees, Spring 2010
- Mental Health of
Refugees.......................24
- What Does Youth
Engagement
Look Like? ..................26
• ResCanNet Bulletin.........29
From the Editor
A
rriving under different classes and with
different expectations, newcomers display
variation in settlement experience as well. Do
prospective newcomers make informed decisions
about immigration to Canada? Do they receive upto-date information on the Canadian labour market
and develop realistic expectations concerning their
employment chances? Are there any gaps in orientation, referral, and other information services in
the post-arrival stage? These are the kind of ques-
INSCAN
International Settlement Canada
Published quarterly by
Centre for International Migration and Settlement Studies
(formerly Research Resource Division for Refugees)
Room 2106 DT, Carleton University,
1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6
Telephone: 613-520-2717; Fax: 613-520-3676
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.carleton.ca/cimss/INSCAN.html
tions which draw attention to an important aspect
of newcomer settlement experience.
This issue of the magazine focuses on the information needs of, and services for, newcomers and prospective newcomers to Canada. We have assembled
four key pieces on this theme. Danielle Allard and
Nadia Caidi of the Faculty of Information, University of Toronto, set the stage for the discussion by
reviewing the information practices, particularly
help-seeking behaviour, of immigrants as well as
the barriers they face in the process. The next two
pieces are from the field of information service to
newcomers. Tracy Vunderink of the International
Organization for Migration profiles Canadian
Orientation Abroad, a Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) project delivering orientation
sessions overseas for (im)migrants and refugees
destined for Canada. Laura Heller approaches
the topic from the settlement angle by showcasing Ontario’s Library Settlement Partnerships (of
which she is the provincial coordinator). Funded
by CIC, this program involves public libraries and
settlement service agencies in serving the information needs of newcomers in selected communities.
David Tavares and Cédric de Chardon of CIC round
up the discussion by introducing their Department’s
Settlement Information Renewal Exercise.
We are also pleased to publish an overview of
Quebec’s refugee resettlement program as written
by Sylvie Guyon of the Table de concertation des
organismes au service des personnes immigrantes
et réfugiées.
Editor: Adnan Türegün
Editorial Assistant: Suha Diab
Administrator: Nermin Ibrahim
Translation: Sinclair Robinson, Nandini Sarma
Layout and Printing: Carleton University Graphic Services
Editorial Advisory Board:
Kevin J. Arsenault, Harald Bauder, Chedly Belkhodja, Tara Blanchard, Sarah
Bukhari, Sherman S. M. Chan, Victoria M. Esses, Joseph Garcea, Jean McRae
The publication of this issue is made possible through financial assistance
provided by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
Additional copies are available for $7.50 (+.98 HST).
Back issues of INSCAN are available for $5.50 (+.72 HST, single issues).
Subscriptions are $25.00 (+$3.25 HST).
Please enclose payment with orders and make cheques payable to: Carleton
University (CIMSS).
The views expressed in this publication are solely those of the contributors and do
not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Centre for International Migration and
Settlement Studies.
H.S.T. #118838937 2
ISSN #0845-2466
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
Review of Immigrant Information Practices, continued from page 1
sional associations, volunteer opportunities,
mentoring, and community organizations); and
• Information about the new culture and orientation to “Canadian life.”
Information needs for longer established immigrants include:
•
•
•
•
Health information;
Employment information;
Educational information;
Political information and current events (especially news about the country of origin);
• Language learning information (including information about ESL programs and materials);
• Information about transportation;
• Information about identity construction (including how to position themselves vis-à-vis
Canadian society); and
• Information about cultural or religious events.
There is a significant amount of overlap between
the information needs of new and longer established immigrants. However, information needs
upon arrival tend to include more time sensitive
and critical information while the needs of longer
established immigrants are more expansive such as
access to leisure material. The fact that language
information needs are number one for newcomers
reiterates what is already a clear priority area for
information services providers.
It should also be noted that information needs range
from instrumental to expressive. In other words, a
number of needs such as finding employment and
education information focus on addressing taskbased or instrumental activities. Conversely, we
also see evidence of need for information about
identity, and both local and source country culture
– so-called expressive needs. Although they are
less time-sensitive, expressive needs should not be
undervalued because they contribute to a sense of
overall well-being and belonging for immigrants.
And this is imperative for immigrants’ inclusion
in Canada.
Information Sources
Information sources are the resources individuals
consult as they search for information. Common
information sources used by immigrants include:
• Social networks (family and friends);
• Media sources (internet and TV); and
• Organizations (community centres and settlement agencies).
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
Social Networks
In almost every case, family and friends were
identified as the most popular information source
consulted by immigrants. Although newcomers
may not have large social networks upon arrival
in Canada, it is well known that immigrants often
make use of each other for access to resources and
information. Studies illustrate how strong local ties
(close relationships such as family) in immigrant
communities contribute to social capital in the form
of aide, social support, reciprocity, and information sharing. Immigrants are also known to retain
social networks with individuals from their source
country and make use of their transnational social
networks to find local settlement information such
as finding employment using international contacts.
Using network ties to find information does not
always yield the best results, particularly, if the
members of your network lack access to information resources. For example, Courtwright’s study
(2005) of the social networking practices of Latino
newcomers in the United States seeking health information points to the use of both strong and weak
social ties. Her research indicates that immigrant
newcomers will initially rely on family, friends,
and co-workers (their strong ties) for health information. The information that comes from these
strong ties is often inadequate. However, family
and friends are often able to put newcomers in
contact with weak ties (or acquaintances) such as
health care or settlement workers (within the family
or friend’s network); these weak ties are often able
to provide newcomers with adequate information.
Gatekeepers have also been identified as an important source of information in ethnically diverse
communities. Metoyer-Duran (1993) explores the
role that information gatekeepers play in various
ethno-linguistic communities in California. Gatekeepers often speak both the first language of the
group and the official language of the host country,
and hold prestigious occupations within the community. Chu (1999) highlights how immigrant
children often become information mediators for
their parents. Indeed, children are likely to develop
English language skills more quickly than their
parents. When children become responsible for
identifying information for family use, this may
result in poor information choices because children
tend to have less sophisticated information seeking
techniques than do adults (Chu 1999).
The fact that language
information needs
are number one for
newcomers reiterates what
is already a clear priority
area for information
services providers.
Studies illustrate how
strong local ties (close
relationships such as
family) in immigrant
communities contribute
to social capital in the
form of aide, social
support, reciprocity, and
information sharing.
“Ethnic” Media
Academic research supports what service providers
already know, that is, ethnic media is an important
3
source of information for newcomers. Studies
highlight the use of non- English language print
and broadcast media of both local and international origin such as satellite TV, local language
newspapers, and international websites. Research
examines how “ethnic” local newspapers are used
to keep track of events in both the source country
and the local neighbourhood. Rigoni (2005, p.
577) argues that online Muslim minority media in
Britain and France contribute to social inclusion
within the new country because “group identity
politics are revitalized from within and the politics
of multiculturalism are advanced.”
Information provision
in the first language of
immigrants was frequently
reiterated, especially,
at the beginning of the
settlement process.
Organizations and Institutions
There are a number of organizations that have been
identified as information sources for immigrants.
These include: community organizations, social
service agencies, employment centres, settlement agencies, public libraries, language training
centres, immigrant organizations, professional
associations, and schools. Information also tends
to travel informally in spaces where people meet
(referred to as information grounds). In their study
of Hispanic migrant workers, Fisher et al. (2004)
identify church, school, and the workplace as information grounds.
Information Barriers
Information barriers are the obstacles that prevent
information needs from being realized. Barriers
to accessing information for both newcomers and
longer established immigrants include:
• Language (including fear of speaking in English);
• Cultural differences;
• Suspicion or mistrust of authority (including
government and other institutions);
• Isolation and the sense of being an outsider;
• Small social networks;
• Not using local news sources;
• Using children to find information;
• Lack of familiarity with many Canadian information sources; and
• Not knowing how to ask for services.
Many of these barriers point to the vulnerability of
newcomers. They also have significant implications
for service delivery models. Information provision
in the first language of immigrants was frequently
reiterated, especially, at the beginning of the settlement process. Fisher et al.’s study (2004) reveals
that respondents prefer to use trusted Spanish-
4
speaking sources for their information needs. Assisting newcomers to develop broad social networks
can also be considered a long-term strategy to their
information access.
Refugee claimants, undocumented immigrants,
and temporary foreign workers may have limited
or no access to settlement and government services.
This can significantly hinder information seeking.
Precarious immigration status may also prevent
individuals from seeking information that might
reveal details perceived to threaten their immigration. For example, Crooks et al. (2009) report that
many refugee women refrain from seeking health
information out of fear that such information might
jeopardize their immigration proceedings if it were
recorded on their file.
Conclusion
It is hoped this review will generate ideas and
discussion about how service providers can best
design and deliver information services to their
constituents. To this end, and in lieu of a conclusion, we suggest considering the following:
• Expanding our notions of “information needs”
to include vital settlement information as well
as leisure material, media consumption, and
the maintenance and development of social
networks;
• Capitalizing on “built-in” modes of information distribution by targeting immigrant social
networks and information gatekeepers (and
also recognizing their limitations such as when
children are used to disseminate information);
• Expanding notions of service delivery to account for barriers to finding information such as
language and trust (for example, by delivering
information through word of mouth networks);
• Increasing collaboration and communication
between various actors around best practices
and strategies for information provision and
access; and
• Ensuring that the voices of immigrants are
heard by including them as active participants
rather than mere recipients in the design of
information strategies and tools.
In order to attract and successfully “include” new
immigrants, Canada must continue to develop a
strong settlement and immigration information
infrastructure. It is increasingly clear from the literature that the provision of timely and meaningful
settlement information is a crucial building block
of newcomer social inclusion.
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
References
Caidi, N.; Allard, D.; and Quirke, L. 2010. “Information Practices of Immigrants.” Annual Review
of Information Science and Technology 44 (3):
493-531.
Caidi, N.; Allard, D.; and Dechief, D. 2008. “Information Practices of Immigrants to Canada: A
Review of the Literature.” Unpublished report to
Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
Caidi, N.; and Allard, D. 2005. “Social Inclusion
of Newcomers to Canada: An Information Problem?” Library and Information Science Research
27 (3): 302-324.
Chu, C. M. 1999. “Immigrant Children Mediators
(ICM): Bridging the Literacy Gap in Immigrant
Communities.” New Review of Children’s Literature and Librarianship 5: 85-94.
Cortinois, A. 2008. “Supporting Recent Immigrants in Their Effort to Access Information on
Health and Health-Related Services: The Case of
211 Toronto.” Doctoral dissertation, University of
Toronto.
Courtright, C. 2005. “Health Information-Seeking
among Latino Newcomers: An Exploratory Study”.
Information Research 10 (2).
Crooks, V. A.; Hynie, M.; Killian, K.; Giesbrecht,
M.; and Castleden, H. 2009. “Female Newcomers’
Adjustment to Life in Toronto: Sources of Mental
Stress and Their Implications for Delivering Primary Mental Health Care.” Geojournal, 1-11.
Fisher, K.; Marcoux, E.; Miller, L. S.; Sanchez, A.;
and Ramirez, E. 2004. “Information Behaviour of
Migrant Farm Workers and Their Families in the
Pacific Northwest.” Information Research 10 (1).
Mehra, B.; and Papajohn, D. 2007. “ ‘Glocal’ Patterns of Communication-Information Convergences in Internet Use: Cross Cultural Behaviour of
International Teaching Assistants in a Culturally
Alien Information Environment.” International
Information and Library Review 39 (1): 12-30.
Metoyer-Duran, C. 1993. “Information Gatekeepers.” Annual Review of Information Science and
Technology 28: 111-150.
Rigoni, I. 2005. “Challenging Notions and Practices: The Muslim Media in Britain and France.”
Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 31 (3):
563-580.
Savolainen, R. 2008. Everyday Information Practices: A Social Phenomenological Perspective.
Toronto: Scarecrow Press.
From 26 to 28 May 2011, refugee and immigrant rights advocates from across Canada
will be gathering in Hamilton for the Canadian Council for Refugees 2011 (CCR)
Spring Consultation on the theme Honouring Refugee Rights: 60 th Anniversary of
the Refugee Convention.
Discussions will address issues that challenge refugees, immigrants, advocates, and
community workers.
The consultation is an excellent opportunity to:
• Meet service providers, immigrants, refugees, private sponsors, youth, academics,
policy makers, and activists from across Canada.
• Gain professional training and new ideas to strategize, plan, and carry out actions
on a wide range of issues affecting refugees and immigrants.
• Exchange ideas to improve opportunities for refugees and immigrants.
• Discuss community engagement to support the full participation of newcomers in
Canadian society.
Everyone is welcome to participate. Information about the Consultation and online
registration forms are available at: <http://ccrweb.ca/en/meetings>.
Register before 6 May for reduced fees!
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
5
Tracy Vunderink*
COA is a pre-departure
orientation project
that is funded by the
Department of Citizenship
and Immigration
Canada (CIC) that is
implemented, in a set
number of countries,
by the International
Organization by Migration
(IOM).
The Canadian Orientation Abroad Project: Preparing
Migrants for a New Beginning in Canada
“Will I live in a refugee camp in Canada?” “Do
Canadian children and immigrant children study
separately or together in school?” “Can I practise
my religion in Canada in the same way I do here?”
“Will Canadians discriminate against me or treat
me differently because of my background?” “What
if I cannot find a job, how will I support myself and
family?” “How can I bring the rest of my family
to live in Canada?”
These are just a few of the varied and often pressing questions that are posed by immigrants and
refugees while they participate in Canadian Orientation Abroad (COA) session overseas. COA is
a pre-departure orientation project that is funded
by the Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Canada (CIC) that is implemented, in a set number
of countries, by the International Organization by
Migration (IOM).
The IOM is an intergovernmental organization that
works with governments and migrants to provide
humane responses to migration challenges. While
the organization has many functions and diverse
projects, one function is to provide training and
information to various sets of clients as part of its
focus on facilitating migration. At the request of the
Government of Canada, the IOM provides COA to
individuals for whom permanent residence status
is intended. These sessions are offered in order
of priority to Refugees, Skilled Workers, Family Class immigrants, Provincial Nominees, and
Live-in Caregivers (exclusively in the Philippines).
COA is premised on the
idea that an individual
who migrates to another
country has a better
chance of successfully
adapting to his or her
new life when accurate
information about the
new culture and society is
received before arrival.
Rationale regarding the Provision of
Overseas Services
Newcomers to Canada may have unrealistic expectations and a limited understanding of Canadian
culture and society. In some cases, future immigrants and refugees may have no information or
could have been misinformed. Many may not have
considered the rights and responsibilities that are
essential for life in Canada. These possible factors
can make adjustment more difficult for newcomers
and hamper their successful settlement in Canada.
COA is premised on the idea that an individual who
migrates to another country has a better chance of
successfully adapting to his or her new life when
accurate information about the new culture and
society is received before arrival. In COA sessions,
participants are encouraged to ask questions and
raise concerns about their upcoming departure
and settlement. This reduces their level of anxiety,
gives participants a sense of control and confidence
over their lives, and allows them to recognize their
individual strengths. Overall, it makes participants
aware of what to expect in their first six months
in Canada, and also discusses ways to deal with
various difficult situations.
COA Locations and Structure
In the last fiscal year (2009-2010), 13,800 individuals received COA training worldwide: Forty
percent were Refugees (Government-Assisted and
Privately Sponsored), 37 percent were Skilled
Workers, 15 percent were Family Class immigrants, and eight percent were Live-in Caregivers
to Canada. Currently, there are 13 permanent coordinating sites located in the following countries:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Colombia (Immigrants and Refugees)
Egypt (Refugees)
Ethiopia (Refugees)
Ghana (Refugees)
Jordan (Refugees)
Kenya (Refugees)
Lebanon (Immigrants and Refugees)
Nepal (Refugees)
Pakistan (Immigrants and Refugees)
Philippines (Immigrants and Live-in Caregiver
Migrants)
• Russia (Refugees)
• Sri Lanka (Immigrants)
• Syria (Refugees)
When required, in consultation with CIC National
Headquarters, COA trainers are able to provide
mobile orientation sessions for resettled refugees.
In these situations, facilitators will travel to a
designated country where a number of refugees
are departing for Canada and provide them with
an orientation. These could be infrequent occurrences or could occur with more frequency from
particular COA locations.
The length of COA sessions are generally as follows: One day for Immigrant category and Live-in
Caregivers (approximately eight hours), three days
for urban refugees (15 hours) and five days (25
hours) for camp-based refugees. In countries where
training is provided to more than one participant
Project Liaison and Resource Developer, Canadian Orientation Abroad, International Organization for Migration,
Ottawa, <[email protected]>.
*
6
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
group in the same location (i.e., refugees and immigrants), each group receives a separate session and
they are not mixed together. The physical location
of COA training can vary from country to country.
There may be specific training rooms available in
IOM offices or at Refugee Transit Centres. COA
sessions for refugees are often delivered in refugee
camps. COA sessions for immigrants are delivered
either in IOM premises, in nearby hotels, or at a
partner organization’s premises. IOM must remain
flexible to adapt to conditions present in the countries in which COA operates.
COA Global Management is done overseas and by
Canadians. Currently, global management is based
in Jordan where there is also a refugee training
site for Canada-bound Iraqis. The current project
manager has been coordinating sites and managing
the overall operation since its inception in 1998.
She was joined in 2009 by a liaison officer based
in IOM Ottawa and, more recently, by a project
officer based also in Amman, Jordan.
COA Content and Methodology
COA curriculum was developed by IOM in consultation with CIC and is constantly updated to
meet the demands and information needs of COA
participants. All orientation curricula share general
topics: pre-embarkation/travel/transit; practical information about Canada; transportation; cost of living/banking/budgeting; health care; culture shock
and adaptation; education; laws, freedoms, rights,
obligations, and responsibilities; employment;
settlement and post-arrival community services;
etc. The depths of each topic will vary according
to the needs and abilities of the targeted audience.
Normally, Immigrant category participants, particularly Skilled Workers, receive training in English/French whereas refugees ideally receive the
orientation in their first or functional language. In
locations where there is a mixed caseload of refugees, with various languages spoken, an interpreter
will be provided for simultaneous interpretation.
COA facilitators are all locally hired staff. When
recruiting for these positions, preference is given to
culturally sensitive, capable, people-orientated individuals who are bicultural (immigrants/refugees
who became Canadian citizens and have returned
to their country of birth), or individuals who have
lived or studied in Canada. Ideally, COA facilitators would have a Bachelor’s degree in education
or a related field such as sociology, psychology,
and social work.
One of the key objectives of COA sessions is to
encourage involvement of their participants. It is
essential for them to feel that they are in an inclusive and safe learning environment where they can
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
express themselves while also respecting other
participants. COA facilitators must be sensitive
to the needs of participants and should facilitate
learning as opposed to “teaching.” Facilitators
incorporate interactive methods of training (handson activities, scenarios, case studies, and a variety
of visual aids), and participants are able to draw
on their own experiences and make connections
for themselves. Training methods and materials
accommodate non- or less-literate participants;
persons with visual or hearing impairments, medical conditions, possible histories of persecution or
current circumstances in the country of asylum;
and women, elderly, or youth audiences.
Gender equality is promoted in the sessions and
COA trainers also encourage all family members to
be in attendance. To facilitate this, child minding,
as well as reimbursement of transportation costs to
and from a session, may be provided. Participants
may have limited information on Canadian laws
related to gender, so trainers adeptly bridge sensitive topics with care to answer all participants’
questions. Topics such as female circumcision, violence against women, and polygamy are discussed
and participants gain an understanding of the legal
consequences of these practices in Canada.
COA has developed a handbook titled Glimpses
of Canada: A Pre-Departure Guide for Migrants
to Canada, which is given to each participating
family. This handbook is a reference guide that
has been translated into 11 languages and contains
essential information about their new country. COA
also makes available various resources such as
DVDs, pamphlets, and informational bulletins produced from other sources (CIC, provincial governments, service providers, the private sponsorship
community, etc.). IOM welcomes individuals or
Jason Kenney, Minister of
Citizenship, Immigration
and Multiculturalism, in
a COA Live-in Caregiver
session, Manila,
September 2010
Normally, Immigrant
category participants,
particularly Skilled
Workers, receive training
in English/French
whereas refugees ideally
receive the orientation in
their first or functional
language.
7
Bhutanese refugees
participating in a COA
session, Nepal, 2010
organizations who have resources to share overseas
to contact the COA Project Liaison in Ottawa.
Various COA- and CIC-developed surveys are
used upon completion of the session to evaluate
participants’ impressions and for them to provide
valuable feedback to CIC. After attending a session, persons who may have had previous knowledge about Canada often positively remark that the
session was informative, useful, and important.
Many participants continue to remain in contact
with their COA facilitator or the Project Manager
after they have arrived in Canada.
The Realities of Operating a Multi-Site
International Project
COA management and facilitators deal with a variety of issues that arise daily and affect the provision
of the project. These could be flooding that washes
out roads, security concerns, or cessation of operations due to civil or political strife, excessive heat,
or irregular access to electricity. Participants may
be called away from the session to complete medical exams, to obtain food rations, or to care for a
sick relative or child; there may be any number of
individual circumstances that can arise. Considering these factors, as well as an individual’s ability to
retain the material presented, an important aspect
of training is not simply providing information but
focusing on developing skills and attitudes.
Ideally, COA is provided about a month prior to
departure. However, participants may receive COA
many months in advance as it is part of a long
chain in the resettlement process. Receiving an
8
orientation session so far in advance can at times
create expectations that participants will soon
depart. Understandably for refugees, this is a top
concern and the facilitators are frequently asked,
“When will I be departing?” followed by (if they
are Government-Assisted Refugees) “Where will
I be resettled in Canada?” Whenever possible, the
IOM will provide this information to participants;
however, it may be that this information rests with
the Canadian visa post and facilitators are thus unable to satisfy participants’ requests. As the IOM is
often responsible for making travel arrangements
for refugees bound to Canada, IOM Operations
staff provides COA facilitators with the contact
information of refugees who are in the process
of departure. COA staff, in turn, makes contact
with these individuals and personally extends an
invitation to attend a session. For other categories
of immigrants, COA registration flyers are available at the Canadian visa post and it is up to the
individuals to approach COA facilitators to register
in a session. In all circumstances, COA remains
voluntary.
COA, as a project, has grown over the years
in terms of the number of locations as well as
the yearly total of individuals trained. From its
inception in November 1998 up to March 2009,
124,146 participants have attended a pre-departure
orientation session. In the last several years, CIC
has kindly provided COA with additional funding to conduct several first-time activities. These
include funding for the Global Manager to travel
to COA sites to monitor orientation sessions, as
well as the provision of training for facilitators in
Canada. COA was also very pleased to organize
three parallel Observation Visits to three COA
sites: Kenya, Nepal, and Syria for 15 resettlement
service delivery staff in March 2010. These staff
participated in COA sessions, learned about the
IOM’s role in resettlement, and met with various
partners in the field. The IOM was appreciative of
the feedback and comments from these individuals
and values the professional relationships that were
established during the visits. All of these contribute
to COA facilitators’ ability to address the many
questions and concerns that are raised overseas
by participants.
COA looks forward to building on these significant
activities in order to continue providing accurate
and timely information as well as orientation
services to Canada-bound participants in order to
ensure that they are empowered and ready to begin
their new lives in Canada.
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
Public Libraries in Diverse Communities: Library
Settlement Partnerships as a Piece of the Puzzle
I
am writing this article in my capacity as Provincial Coordinator of the Library Settlement
Partnerships (LSP), a relatively new and, from
what I can see, unique initiative in extending public
library service to immigrants. The purpose of the
article is to:
• Provide an overview of the program;
• Propose a framework for addressing newcomer
needs in public libraries; and
• Discuss strategies to identify and assess progress made in meeting diverse community needs
both within LSP and for libraries and settlement
agencies not involved in the program.
While the explicit focus of LSP is on immediate
information and settlement needs of newcomers, we also want to develop a model for a full
continuum from welcoming the recently arrived,
through inclusion of more settled immigrants, to
full engagement or full participation of the non
Canadian-born.
I want to position this discussion in terms of three
contextual frameworks:
• Immigration trends;
• Settlement theory and practice;
• Public library history and capacity to respond
to changing socioeconomic realities.
The immigration context for Canada and the
Province of Ontario in particular is the first and
foremost driver of LSP. Ontario is one of the major
immigrant receiving communities in the world
with a complex demographic makeup of languages,
ethnicities, and immigration statuses. Immigrants
make up over 28 percent of the province’s population and over 45 percent of Toronto’s population. In
one LSP partner city, Markham, immigrants make
up over 56 percent of the population.
Sixty percent of immigrants enter as economic (or
independent class) immigrants who come with high
levels of human capital (language skills and education). Thirty percent enter under the Family Class
category and 10 percent as refugees. There are also
many, many others who are not part of the official
immigrant count but are in need of support and
services – refugee claimants, the undocumented,
international students, etc. This creates a very
complex service delivery environment and LSP has
been a successful element in leveraging resources
and expertise to this end.
Laura Heller*
Settlement theory and practice are developing
in response to changing global realities, primarily in response to growing number of migrants
and increasingly complex needs, by leveraging
resources through partnerships and other forms
of cooperation.
In her report titled “The Role of Public Libraries
in Multicultural Relationships,” Helen Carpenter
asserts that all of these developments on the part
of the settlement sector, government, and public
libraries are coming within a strategic context of
incredibly higher levels of international migration
and developing concepts of public value, social
capital, civic participation, and social cohesion
which go well beyond the traditional multicultural
policy and theory.1
Another field has also influenced the program
development of LSP. This is often referred to as
participatory democracy or public engagement.
In the report mentioned above, Carpenter summarizes the situation this way: “The challenges
posed by these concepts and by rapid change mean
there is an urgent need for local councils and other
organizations to think, plan and deliver more collaboratively, and to share good practice more effectively – and they need support to do so” (p. 2).
Serving immigrants and other marginalized
groups is certainly not new for public libraries.
LSP is based on a long tradition of expertise and
different approaches developed over 100 years of
immigrant services on the part of North American
public libraries. This tradition includes settlement
information, multilingual collections, and adult
education such as literacy, ESL, and citizenship
education. What is unique about LSP is the intensity of the partnership and the formality of program
development in concert with the settlement sector
(rather than as a library-specific response).
LSP is based on a long
tradition of expertise
and different approaches
developed over 100 years
of immigrant services
on the part of North
American public libraries.
Within this context, I now turn to LSP, a recent,
government-supported program funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), which is
a partnership between the immigrant settlement
service-providing sector and public libraries in the
province. As such, it provides a wealth of experience in how partnerships can improve services to
new immigrants.
Provincial Coordinator, Library Settlement Partnerships, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Toronto, <[email protected]>,
<http://www.lsp-peb.ca/>.
1
<http://www.welcometoyourlibrary.org.uk/content_files/files/TheRoleofPublicLibrariesinMulticulturalRelationships.pdf>.
*
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
9
The LSP program is now in its third year and functions in 49 branches of the 11 participating library
systems throughout southern Ontario. There are
over 60 settlement workers, hired by settlement
agencies, who have permanent work stations in the
public library. Their responsibilities are threefold:
one-on-one service to clients; group programs and
information sessions; and outreach.
The partnership has provided substantial culturally
and linguistically appropriate resources to public
libraries in communities with large immigrant
populations. It has helped break down barriers
between libraries and newcomers. It has also
played a significant role in extending the reach of
both partners.
Eligibility requirements
are waived in LSP as
libraries are considered
joint funders through their
in-kind contributions;
hours of service are much
more extensive; and
branch level operations
extend traditional agency
service delivery points
many times over.
LSP began over three years ago as a pilot project
in three communities. The participating libraries
were Toronto, Ottawa, and Hamilton. This pilot
was so successful that eight additional communities were recruited to participate and all have
been up and running for two years. The number of
communities increased almost four times from the
pilot to expanded program (from three to 11) and
the number of participating branches went from 15
to 49. The number of agencies delivering service
now stands at 22. As such, the program has gone
through an intense period of growth and program
development. It is part of a much bigger environment of services funded and delivered nationally
(by CIC and other departments), provincially,
municipally, and locally by government and the
NGO communities.
The program fits within CIC ‒ Ontario Region’s
Immigrant Settlement and Adaptation Program
(ISAP) and it is only one of many program streams
within ISAP which includes Settlement Workers
in Schools (SWIS), Job Search Workshops (JSW),
Welcoming Communities, and a variety of English
as a Second Language programs.
Overall, the partnership offers many advantages.
It both extends the reach of libraries and settlement agencies and breaks down barriers on either
side. Eligibility requirements are waived in LSP
as libraries are considered joint funders through
their in-kind contributions; hours of service are
much more extensive; and branch level operations
extend traditional agency service delivery points
many times over.
In more specific terms, the partnership allows
settlement workers to serve a much broader range
of clients, who are not traditionally eligible for
settlement services in settlement agencies. LSP
workers can also serve:
• Refugee claimants;
• People on other types of work visas;
10
• Students;
• Visitors; and
• Anyone else who has a newcomer question.
In terms of extending reach and reducing settlement barriers, LSP has extended eligibility, hours
of operation, additional programming resources to
deal with overload in other service providers, thus
reducing waiting lists. It is also neighbourhoodbased, thus affording geographic specificity.
The program introduces new languages as well as
changing clients’ perceptions, welcoming clients,
and providing additional resources for libraries
(including language and cultural competencies, and
information about community needs and realities).
It reduces overall barriers by working with librarians to adapt existing traditional programs to be
inclusive of LSP clients.
LSP supports and enriches the newcomer service
by presenting an opportunity to connect clients to
additional settlement and library resources.
The other outcome of the partnership has to do
with improvements on both sides to professional
practice. The joint programming, outreach, and
referrals of clients to each others’ direct services
mean that both partners are learning of and referring to each other for their areas of expertise.
Clients benefit from all of the above. It is also of
benefit in that, as libraries become more involved
in newcomer issues and services, they can act
as advocates for newcomer communities as they
are often involved in municipal initiatives where
newcomer voices might not necessarily be heard.
In order to better aid in our strategic planning,
we have developed a framework for public library
services in diverse communities. This model builds
on engagement models of participatory democracy
theory. It is also meant to follow the three stages
of adaptation which include immediate settlement
needs, long-term needs, and adapted immigrants
who are prepared to become involved as community leaders, mentors, etc.
We started with the traditional organizational
change categories of:
• Governance;
• Human resources;
• Policies; and
• Service delivery.
These were then applied to a four-point continuum
of status quo, welcoming, engaging, and fully
participatory. LSP has already made significant advances, particularly in the area of service delivery,
and is beginning to show progress in some of the
others with the exception of governance.
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
Diversity in Services was further broken down into
the following main categories:
• Collections;
• Information services;
• Technology;
• Facilities; and
• Community needs programming.
Practical examples of how the program has impacted these service delivery categories include:
1. A major infusion of funds from CIC improved
the collections of participating branches and
the ongoing input of settlement workers helps
libraries ensure that their collections are relevant to newcomer communities.
2. Information services have been improved by
more frequent and appropriate referrals from
and to LSP. There is also some support for
interpretation when needed.
3. Community needs are well addressed by the
local steering committee, which is the place
where the partnership is actualized.
4. Technology has been used more effectively on
behalf of newcomers through LSP participation
in computer workshops, etc.
5. Library facilities such as meeting rooms and
auditoriums are regularly used for group programs.
Community needs programming is probably the
area of most impact. Outreach is a key component
of LSP workers’ job and they are explicitly charged
with promoting the benefits of libraries for their
clients through such activities as screening the
Your Library video; encouraging and supporting
library tours; and accompanying library staff on
community outreach activities in local schools,
events, shopping malls, etc.
Community programming synergies are quite common and we have classified them as three types:
general information sessions (where LSP workers facilitate usually with an external speaker);
newcomer-specific programs where LSP workers
would tend to lead; and library-led activities where
the LSP worker plays more of a support role, such
as ethnic celebrations, story telling, and other
children’s programming.
Diversity Framework: Policy
An example of how LSP has contributed at this
level is the case of Ottawa Public Library bringing the relevant pieces of its strategic plan to the
steering committee for input.
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
Diversity Framework: Human Resources
This includes the area of staffing and volunteers,
which is of course very complex to change especially in the short-term. Most libraries are
unionized and also have very rigid professional
standards. LSP certainly, by its very nature, extends
the expertise and resources available to respond to
library patrons’ needs, so it has had a significant
impact on this area. Staff development and training
are starting to include newcomer issues and service
delivery approaches. We are now starting to see
some internationally trained librarians working as
LSP workers as a way of connecting with their professions in Canada. Finally, two LSP communities
have made progress on looking at how volunteers
might be involved in LSP, an initiative which would
build Canadian experience, networks, and overall
confidence of newcomers.
Diversity Framework: Governance
The program has not yet really engaged with any
library system on the issue of governance although
the issue will likely come as settlement agencies
become more aware of the community involvement
opportunities that libraries offer.
We are now starting to
see some internationally
trained librarians working
as LSP workers as a way
of connecting with their
professions in Canada.
LSP has proved itself to be incredibly creative
and of significant value as Ontario looks to effective ways of serving newcomers and making
sure that they lead to fully inclusive participation
in civil society. We are looking forward to new
communities joining LSP in Ontario and across
the country; developments in the current model,
particularly in new group programs, that maximize
the partnership; and then to the new opportunities
that CIC’s modernized approach will offer in the
areas of more activities in support of welcoming
communities, skills development, and information
and referral.
11
David Tavares* and
Cédric de Chardon** 1
In early 2010, CIC began
a project to renew the
settlement information it
provides to newcomers.
Settlement Information Renewal at Citizenship and
Immigration Canada (CIC)
Background
As part of its broader mandate, Citizenship and
Immigration Canada (CIC) provides newcomers
with practical information to help them settle in
Canada. This settlement information covers a range
of topics (such as housing, education, finances,
health, language, etc.)2 and takes into account both
the settlement needs expressed by newcomers and
messaging deemed important by the Government
of Canada. In terms of target audience, the settlement information provided by CIC is intended to be
applicable and useful to anyone who plans to settle
in Canada. More regionally and locally specific
information is provided by provincial and municipal governments as well as immigrant-serving
organizations. In addition, settlement information
from non-government sources is available from a
range of publications and websites produced by
private authors and publishers.
In early 2010, CIC began a project to renew the
settlement information it provides to newcomers.
The impetus for this project, entitled the Settlement
Information Renewal Exercise (SIRE), was an
internal diagnostic that revealed room for improvement with respect to the selection, organization,
and coverage of key topics, as well as the consistency with which information is provided across
different delivery channels (web, print, etc.). It
was also deemed that the existing information was
coming to the end of its natural life cycle and that a
more routine update would not suffice. Therefore,
the goal has been to generate a dynamic repository of new settlement information for use in CIC
information products and orientation services, as
well as sharing with partners for use in their own
products and services for newcomers. From the
outset, every effort has been made to optimize the
information in terms of its clarity and relevance to
newcomers, as well as its alignment with information for newcomers offered by other departments
of the federal government.
The article begins by outlining the approach, including the key steps undertaken and accompanying rationale. Following this, it discusses some of
the conceptual challenges that were encountered
along the way before concluding with an identification of future directions.
Approach
Prior to the Settlement Information Renewal Exercise, CIC’s settlement information was updated and
new material was composed when the need arose.
There was, by and large, no formal procedure
for updating and developing content, nor was the
overall body of information regularly re-assessed
as a whole. Therefore, it was necessary to develop
a robust approach and process to information
renewal before actually embarking on the task at
hand. It was determined from the outset that this
approach would be evidence-based and include
meaningful consultations with stakeholders.
The first step consisted of a brainstorming session
involving representatives from various branches
within CIC that are responsible for policies and
programs that support the settlement and integration of new immigrants. The goal of the session
was to draw on internal expertise to identify general considerations, themes, and needs relative to
information provision to newcomers. In addition
to highlighting a range of relevant items, the brainstorming session resulted in a useful starting point
in the form of a preliminary list of settlement topics
on which information was considered essential to
provide by the Government of Canada.
The next step was to build an evidence base to
underscore the Exercise. To this end, a range of
sources were sought out and reviewed. These fell
into several categories:
1. Recent surveys – most of which were conducted by provincial governments – aimed at
determining the settlement information needs
of newcomers to Canada;
2. Academic research related directly to the topic
of settlement information provision to newcomers;
3. Academic research, think-tank reports, and
surveys that reveal common difficulties and
barriers faced by newcomers that could be
Policy Analyst, Information, Language and Community Program Policy, CIC, Ottawa, <[email protected]>.
Manager, Information, Language and Community Program Policy, CIC, Ottawa, <[email protected]>.
1
The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and are not necessarily endorsed by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
2
Settlement information is distinguished from immigration information, which refers to information on the requirements, regulations, and procedures
associated with immigrating to Canada.
*
**
12
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
mitigated in part through information provision; and
4. Settlement information products for newcomers (i.e., websites and publications) produced
by provincial and international governments,
private sector firms, and independent authors.
An analysis of these sources formed the basis for
developing a draft information architecture – a
template of thematically and hierarchically organized topics and subtopics – that would structure
the repository of new content. With the draft
information architecture in place, two parallel
consultation processes were set in motion.
First, a meeting was convened of experts external
to government on newcomer settlement and information provision. This meeting, which involved
immigration researchers, representatives from
immigrant-serving organizations, and the author
of a settlement guide for newcomers, generated
valuable discussion on the information needs and
practices of newcomers as well as stakeholder engagement issues. Concretely, the meeting provided
input that was used both to improve the existing
draft information architecture and address some of
the challenges discussed in the following section
of this article.
Second, consultations were held with various CIC
policy units and other federal government departments with expertise on particular topics, as well
as with the Council of Ministers of Education,
Canada, for input on the actual content that should
be included under the various topic headings in the
information architecture. In some cases, departments provided existing settlement information
they had created for newcomers along with permission for CIC to adapt it for the purposes of the new
repository being developed. In other cases, departments provided sources and recommendations to
inform the creation of content on particular topics.
These consultations helped to ensure the accuracy
of the settlement information developed on a wide
range of topics, from housing to education, banking
to government benefits, and so forth.
The various steps described above all fed into
the process of writing a complete draft of all new
information on 16 main topics (see Box 1) identified for inclusion in the repository. The writing
process, which was the longest and most labour
intensive stage, was co-led by the authors of this
article with substantive contributions from other
CIC staff acknowledged below. The draft produced
in-house at CIC was then edited to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 by a team of editors at
the Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks
(CCLB), which also recommended the appropriate
benchmark. This plain language editing was done
to ensure that the information would be accessible
to a broad range of newcomers who do not speak
English or French as a first language.
Box 1: Main topic headings of CIC’s new repository of settlement information for newcomers
Important Things to do Before and After You Arrive in
Canada
Canada: A Brief Overview
Sources of Information
Your Rights and Freedoms in Canada
Canadian Law and Justice
Important Documents
Improving your English or French
Employment and Income
Consulting with Newcomers Themselves
In order to transform the draft into a more final
document, it was essential to ask newcomers
themselves whether the new information met their
needs. Consequently, CIC hired Dr. Victoria Esses,
co-chair of the Welcoming Communities Initiative
and Professor at the University of Western Ontario,
to obtain feedback from newcomers on the draft
information. During early Fall, 2010, Dr. Esses and
her team held sessions to obtain feedback from a
total of 76 newcomers in five major cities across
Canada. Three of the sessions were in English and
With the draft information
architecture in place,
two parallel consultation
processes were set in
motion.
Education
Housing
Health Care in Canada
Money and Finances
Transportation
Communications and Media
Community Connections
Becoming a Canadian Citizen
two were in French. The sample of newcomers
consulted was intentionally diverse in terms of
country of birth, native language, age, sex, immigrant class, and other elements given that the
target audience of the information is itself diverse
in these respects.3 To further match the sample
with the target audience of the information, the
consultations were conducted with newcomers
who had been in Canada for less than one year.
Feedback was solicited via written questionnaires
and group discussions on various aspects of the
draft information, including: clarity, relevance,
It is important to clarify that the sample was not statistically representative of the newcomer population and that the
results are therefore not statistically significant.
3
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
13
selection of topics, organization of material, level
of detail, reading level, and usefulness of referrals.
The results of the
newcomer consultations
were valuable since they
would determine the
degree to which the draft
settlement information
would have to be adjusted
– or even reworked
fundamentally – based on
the feedback received.
The third option was
chosen because it was
considered that a clear,
well-organized topical
organization affords
newcomers the agency to
choose what information
is most important to
them at each point along
their personal settlement
continuum.
14
The results of the newcomer consultations were
valuable since they would determine the degree to
which the draft settlement information would have
to be adjusted – or even reworked fundamentally –
based on the feedback received. In addition, they
would provide an indication as to how successful
the entire approach to information renewal had
been to date. When the results arrived, they revealed that, on average, the newcomers consulted
found the draft information to be well-organized,
clear and accessible, relevant, and accompanied
by appropriate referrals to sources of further information and services. Across the five sessions,
a common refrain was that the draft information
provided a comprehensive, practical introduction
to settling in Canada that should be made available
to newcomers as soon as possible. Having said this,
the newcomers consulted also provided valuable
feedback and suggestions on how to improve the
draft from their perspective. Specifically, they
highlighted issues with the clarity of certain headings, missing information that would be beneficial
to add, content that should be further emphasized,
and other elements. To the greatest extent practicable, the feedback received from newcomers was
incorporated into the final draft of the repository.
Challenges
During the information renewal process, a number
of challenges of a conceptual nature were encountered. An early challenge faced was the need to
reconcile between the desire to ground the exercise
in a solid evidence base of research on newcomer
information needs and the relative specificity of
the research available on this topic. That is to say,
most studies and surveys available are restricted in
terms of sample size and composition, geographical location, objectives, and so forth. This poses
an obvious challenge when it comes to mobilizing their findings for the purpose of developing
information that is intended to have broad-based
relevance. This challenge was overcome, to the
greatest degree possible, by searching for crosscutting themes in the literature that would suggest
common information needs on particular topics
or subject areas. The process was facilitated tremendously by the thorough and insightful review
of existing research on the information practices
of immigrants recently published by Caidi et al.
(2010). It also helped to refer to ancillary studies and surveys that reveal settlement barriers
experienced by newcomers who may benefit from
information in these areas. Having said this, further
empirical research on newcomer information needs
would certainly be welcomed.
Another early challenge was determining the
most appropriate organizing principle for the
new settlement information. Three main options
were considered, the third of which was eventually chosen following considerable deliberation
and the recommendations of the Expert Meeting
discussed above:
1. Organization according to the needs of different segments of the newcomer population (i.e.,
immigrant class, region or language of origin,
gender, etc.);
2. Organization according to information needed
at different settlement stages; and
3. Organization by information topic.
The first option was decided against due to the lack
of clear evidence that the newcomer population
can be segmented according to their settlement
information needs. While it is intuitive and entirely
reasonable to assume that different newcomers will
have different needs based on a number of factors,
it is more problematic to rigidly categorize the basis
for these differences and provide information accordingly. In the absence of solid evidence, there is
a risk of making over-generalized and perhaps even
inappropriate decisions about what information
is most important (and what is not) for particular
sub-sets of the newcomer population.
The second option was discarded given the absence
of persuasive evidence to suggest that newcomers
progress through clear settlement stages characterized, among other things, by distinct information
needs. This is not, of course, to say that stages
cannot be discerned but, rather, that different individuals and groups in different places and circumstances will likely go through different stages
(characterized by their own priorities) at different
speeds. Moreover, individuals in the same family
unit may also experience settlement stages differently. Given these variables, the organization
of information according to pre-defined stages
becomes very challenging indeed.
The third option was chosen because it was considered that a clear, well-organized topical organization affords newcomers the agency to choose
what information is most important to them at each
point along their personal settlement continuum.
Overall, this option, which was recommended by
the expert meeting, is less prescriptive than the
others and, in theory, more responsive to a diverse
range of information needs. The topical organization was complemented with three checklists that
are intended to draw the attention of newcomers to
particular items that may be particularly important
for them to know about during different periods
along the settlement continuum – i.e., before they
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
travel to Canada, within the first few weeks after
arrival, or during the first several months.
A final challenge worth highlighting is one that
came to the fore during the actual writing of the
information. This challenge concerned the level of
detail (i.e., amount of text) that should be provided
on each topic. On one hand, too much information
on any given topic runs the risk of overwhelming
people. On the other hand, too little information
means that people must make extensive (and
time-consuming) use of the referrals to sources of
further information provided. Ultimately, the decision was made to provide what can be described as
a concise yet complete introduction to the majority
of topics – enough information to enable decisions
and inform necessary action items. After completing the initial draft, there was still genuine concern
that the information produced was too detailed and
may overwhelm some newcomers. This concern
remains although it has been eased to a considerable extent by the feedback from newcomers, who
appeared to appreciate the comprehensiveness of
the draft information presented to them during
the consultation sessions (and in some cases even
asked for more detail).
Future Directions
The new repository of settlement information
will be used selectively to inform the content of
settlement information products and orientation
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
services. Whenever it is used, the information will
be adapted or complemented in light of the aims
of the product or service in question. In order to
further respond to different needs and priorities
in information provision, the intention is to work
to continually improve and update the repository.
This would involve expanding the evidence base
from which settlement information is developed at
CIC through further analysis of current and emerging research about newcomer information needs
and practices. It would also involve re-engaging
different partners and stakeholders for input on
how to improve or add to the information already
developed. Ultimately, the aim is to maintain a dynamic repository of relevant information that will
contribute to enhancing the settlement experience
of newcomers.
Reference
Caidi, N.; Allard, D.; and Quirke, L. 2010. “Information Practices of Immigrants.” Annual Review
of Information Science and Technology 44 (3):
493-531.
Acknowledgements
Marie Eve Roy Marcoux, Mia Gauthier, Kyle Lambier, Paul Weber, Yves Saint-Germain (Director of
Information, Language and Community Program
Policy, CIC).
15
The Resettlement of Refugees Selected Abroad in
Quebec – A Well-Kept Secret!
Sylvie Guyon*
T
he UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) now estimates that over 30 million persons are in need of protection, numbers that
simply cannot be accommodated by resettlement
(Metropolis Project 2008, p. 2). What is Quebec’s
contribution to the efforts of various rich countries
to provide a safe haven for refugees where they
can restart their lives? What are the means and
approaches chosen by the Quebec government to
receive the 1,900 public refugees whom it takes in
each year? What challenges are faced by the refugee families arriving in Quebec and by the localities which welcome them? How can these players
be best supported? Those are the main questions
that we will attempt to answer in this article.
The Quebec strategy
consists in reducing
the resettlement of
government-assisted
refugees (GARs) in
Montreal, where
immigrants are
concentrated, and
resettling them directly in
localities situated within
a radius of 250 kilometres
of Montreal.
Does Quebec take in too many refugees?
In a context of government action to restrict the
right of asylum and increasing anti-immigrant
discourse under the guise of national security or
the protection of the social rights of citizens, it is
important to recall the origins of humanitarian immigration. During the Second World War, several
countries refused asylum to Jewish refugees, thus
contributing to the number of victims of genocide.
To avoid repeating these errors, in 1951 the international community developed legal instruments,
particularly the Geneva Convention, which defines
the principles and basic conditions for refugee
protection. A refugee is defined in the Convention
as “A person who owing to a well-founded fear of
being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group
or political opinion, is outside the country of his
nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is
unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that
country; or who, not having a nationality and being
outside the country of his former habitual residence
as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such
fear, is unwilling to return to it.” Canada became
one of the signatories in 1969.
According to the Canada-Quebec Accord of
1991, delegating the control of immigration to the
Quebec government, including the program for
refugees selected abroad, Quebec is required to
take in a proportion of humanitarian immigration
equivalent to its demographic weight in Canada,
that is, around 22 percent of humanitarian immigration taken in by the whole of Canada. In return,
the federal government grants to the Quebec government an annual contribution calculated according to the formula established in the Accord. The
contribution covers integration and francization
services, including the resettlement of the refugees
for whom Quebec is responsible (TCRI 2007, p.
4). The amount of the contribution which will be
paid to Quebec for 2011-2012 is anticipated to be
at least $258.4 million, an amount which is much
greater than what is actually spent on the reception
of newcomers.
The Quebec Approach to the Reception
and Integration of Refugees Selected
Abroad: Regionalization and Autonomy
Supported by Local Communities
Quebec has opted for an approach based on the
regionalization of immigration and the rapid development of refugees’ autonomy.
When it was still in charge of immigration in the
province, the federal government was already sending a good number of refugees to Gatineau, Quebec
City, Sherbrooke, and Trois-Rivières. However,
following the signing of the 1991 Canada-Quebec
Accord, the Quebec government accentuated this
trend towards the regionalization of humanitarian immigration. The Quebec strategy consists in
reducing the resettlement of government-assisted
refugees (GARs) in Montreal, where immigrants
are concentrated, and resettling them directly in localities situated within a radius of 250 kilometres of
Montreal. Thus, Quebec receives annually around
1,900 refugees selected abroad who are resettled
in 13 localities: Quebec City (480), Sherbrooke
(295), Gatineau (225), Montreal (130), Laval (95),
Brossard (95), Trois-Rivières (90), Drummondville
(90), Saint-Hyacinthe (90), Granby (90), Victoriaville (85), Joliette (70), and Saint-Jérôme (65)
(MICC 2010).
From 2005 to 2009, just over 9,000 persons found
a place of refuge in Quebec thanks to the program
for refugees selected abroad. And it is through
this humanitarian immigration that the reception
structures for the settlement of immigrants in the
regions have been strengthened. Each of the 13 localities can rely on an agency for immigrants which
ensures, under an agreement with the Ministère
Coordinator, Youth Division, Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes immigrantes et réfugiées
(TCRI), Montreal, <[email protected]>.
*
16
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
de l’Immigration et des Communautés culturelles
(MICC), the reception and settlement of refugee
families. Beyond this specific resource, the local
communities have mobilized and have initiated,
at various rates and in various ways, a process of
adaptation of their practices in order to support
these families confronted with often complex and
multiple challenges in their efforts to integrate in
Quebec.
The approach preferred by Quebec is that of the
rapid development of autonomy. Refugees are
welcomed at the airport by an agency (YMCA)
and transported to the host locality designated for
them. At their destination, the refugee families are
received by representatives of the local community
agency for immigrants. It is these people who over
the first year of settlement will ensure the outreach
support for the families (finding housing, numerous steps towards settlement and integration in the
areas of education, health…). The families will be
put up in a hotel for two to four days before they
are in their own accommodation. This very rapid
autonomy is in itself a great challenge for persons
who have often not had their own dwelling place
for many years. It is crucial then for the community
workers to be readily available over the first few
weeks of settlement. For the next five years, the
refugees will be able to rely on the support of the
community agencies for integration, in particular
professional integration, the support provided to
all newcomers with permanent resident status in
Quebec.
The Integration of Refugees – Ever
Greater Challenges
The evolution of the profile of refugees has followed ethnic, religious, and international conflicts.
While the 1980s were marked by the arrival of
the first refugees from Indochina, Quebec has
over recent years taken in numerous nationals of
Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Iraq, Afghanistan, Burundi, or Rwanda.
The waiting period for refugees who hope to get
the opportunity to resettle in a safe country is
getting longer. According to a UNHCR report of
2004, the average duration of protracted situations1
increased from nine to 17 years between 1993 and
2003 (Metropolis Project 2008, p. 16). On the recommendation of the UNHCR, several countries,
including Canada, have committed to taking in
these refugees. Quebec is thus receiving more
refugees who have spent many years in camps.
This is particularly the case with persons from
South Asia (Bhutanese, Karen, and Rohingya).
Persons who have lived in extreme insecurity for
a good deal of their lives will have to make greater
efforts to adapt.
The traumatizing situations that the refugees
have lived through in their countries of origin,
during flight and also in the refugee camps, have
an important impact on their health, both mental
(psychological distress, post-traumatic shock, etc.)
and physical (infectious diseases, illnesses aggravated due to lack of adequate medical care in the
camps). It is important to recall also that the long
delays in family reunification (three to four years
on average) as well as the effects of these separations, which resurface at the time of reunification,
exert great pressure on refugees, on their finances,
their emotional balance, and their capacity to plan
for the future.
Finally, in June 2002, the excessive demand clause,
which prevented persons having severe health
problems from applying for resettlement in a third
country, was abolished in the wake of the adoption
of the new Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
(IRPA). This relaxation of the law allowed persons
who are very vulnerable physically and mentally to
find a refuge in Quebec and, in this sense, it was a
remarkable advance. The corollary of this advance
is a very clear increase in the need for health and
social services (examinations and medical care…).
In this context, intercultural community workers
in health and social services from community host
agencies are solicited by families and by health care
institutions to serve as interpreters and/or mediators. In view of the fact that four out of five selected
refugees are allophones (81.5%), that learning the
language takes time, and that this learning is not
materially possible for all members of the family
at the same rate, access to experienced interpreters is a crucial concern in all the regions. Without
an interpreter, the social rights of the refugees are
inevitably flouted (work, education, social protection, health). Furthermore, in all the host regions,
workers are currently denouncing an overwhelming workload and their inability to adequately meet
the needs of the refugees.
It is important to recall
also that the long delays
in family reunification
(three to four years
on average) as well
as the effects of these
separations, which
resurface at the time of
reunification, exert great
pressure on refugees,
on their finances, their
emotional balance, and
their capacity to plan for
the future.
Since the GARs are young, 44.5 percent being
under 17 years of age, educational integration is
a major challenge for these families, which are
often poorly equipped to support their children at
an academic level (81.5% are allophones, and 70%
have a secondary-school education or less). The
difficulties of adapting to a new host society with its
values, its rules, and its behavioural norms, which
are experienced by all newcomers, are increased
for these young people who have lived in strategies of survival and of flight, and who sometimes
distrust adults who in the past were persecutors
“Protracted refugee situations” characterized by lengthy periods of exile involve approximately 2/3 of world refugees.
1
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
17
rather than protectors. The physical and mental
health problems linked to the precarious living
conditions which marked their migration add
to the complexity of the situations of the young
people. The disruptions of schooling, related to
the successive moves of fleeing families and the
lack of a school in certain camps, mean that many
young refugees arrive in Quebec with a level of
education which is lower than what is expected for
their age. Finally, the inadequacy of the evaluation
tools and of the educational structures in the face
of the reality of the refugees has as a consequence
that certain young people who have potential do
not perform well.
Despite the mobilization
of the communities and
the promising adaptations
of practices in the host
localities for the refugees
in the regions, it must be
acknowledged that the
degree of preparation
within the various sectors
of the communities, which
is indispensable for the
smooth integration of the
refugee families, remains
very inadequate.
18
The Educational Integration of Young
Refugees – Lessons from the Host Communities
In the context of research carried out by the TCRI
on the integration of young refugees, 80 workers
from community and institutional settings (immigration, health and social services, education, youth
protection, etc.) discussed the challenges and the
favourable conditions relating to the educational
integration of the young refugees. The following
factors emerged as crucial to facilitate the pathways
of these young people:
• Any approach must be made in conjunction
with the family. The fact that many parents are
allophones and have little education should not
cause us to forget that the parents have their
own strategies to encourage and support their
children in their efforts at school and that they
are the principal actors in the education of their
children.
• A promising feature is the presence of intercultural community workers from the host agencies who have the confidence of the families
and can facilitate the links between family,
school, the youth, and the other resources of
the host society. In the same way, experienced
francization instructors, who are committed
and have confidence in the capacities of the
young refugees, make a great difference in the
success of the youth.
• All the actors involved in the integration of
youth should feel concerned and should become
engaged in the search for and the implementation of solutions.
• It is better that the workers from the agencies (host agencies, schools, health and social
services, youth protection) work together, in a
complementary way, with a multidisciplinary
approach.
• To attain this quality of work in teams and in
networks, it would appear essential to multiply
the spaces for exchange of ideas such as training
sessions, multidisciplinary working meetings to
find solutions in particularly complex situations.
Conclusion
By providing refugees with the chance to restart
their lives in a safe country, the Quebec government is taking essential action for international
solidarity. We have seen that the experiences and
living conditions of the refugees make them more
and more vulnerable, and that this makes the task
for the local communities which receive them more
and more complex.
Despite the mobilization of the communities and
the promising adaptations of practices in the host
localities for the refugees in the regions, it must be
acknowledged that the degree of preparation within
the various sectors of the communities, which is
indispensable for the smooth integration of the
refugee families, remains very inadequate. It is the
responsibility of the Quebec government to better
assist the local communities in establishing optimal
conditions for the reception and support of these
families in their process of social, economic, and
cultural adaptation and integration. Quebec can
count on the commitment of the local communities
and the creativity that they are demonstrating to
make the resettlement of refugee families a success. All that is needed is to give them adequate
support.
Bibliography
Government of Canada and Government of Quebec. 1991. Canada-Quebec Accord relating to
Immigration and Temporary Admission of Aliens.
33 pp.
Ministère de l’Immigration et des Communautés
culturelles (MICC). 2010. La sélection, l’accueil et
l’intégration des réfugiés pris en charge par l’État
et parrainés au Québec. Background paper. 24 pp.
Metropolis Project. 2008. “Migration and International Protection.” Metropolis World Bulletin,
volume 8, 39 pp.
Table de concertation des organismes au service
des personnes immigrantes et réfugiées (TCRI).
2007. L’immigration et l’intégration au Québec :
Trop peu et bien tard, il faut agir! Brief on the
planning of immigration 2008-2010 in Quebec
presented to the commission on culture of the
National Assembly of Quebec. Montreal. 26 pp.
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
Canadian Council for Refugees, Fall 2010 Consultation
on the theme of: Fairness,
November 24-26, Calgary, Part II
Temporary Migrant Workers:
Dialogue with Prairie Provincial Governments
T
his workshop discussed the current priority
actions taken by the provincial governments
of Saskatchewan and Manitoba in response
to the challenge of newcomer integration. The
workshop also focused on issues related to temporary foreign workers, specifically, within the
parameters of the Temporary Foreign Worker
Program (TFWP).
Since the representative of the Alberta government could not be present, the moderator opened
the discussion with a statement on Alberta: There
are approximately 65,000 foreign workers who are
being supported by immigrant service agencies
funded by the provincial government. A review to
evaluate the impact of these services on temporary
foreign worker communities has already been initiated by the Alberta government.
Eric Johansen, Director of Policy and Program
Support for the Saskatchewan Ministry of Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration, discussed what Saskatchewan is doing on
the newcomer front. Most provinces in Canada
have had very little involvement in immigration
up until 10 years ago. In 2001, the Government of
Saskatchewan created an immigration branch with
responsibility to manage the provincial nominee
program, aiming to improve the province’s participation in immigration matters and to help improve
the provincial economy by meeting looming labour
force needs, while fostering diverse, dynamic, and
cosmopolitan communities across the province.
The provincially administered Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) is addressing
provincial labour force needs by attracting immigrants through specialized categories that include:
skilled workers, entrepreneurs, family members,
farm owners/operators, health care professionals,
long haul truck drivers and students.
The Ministry of Advanced Education, Employment
and Immigration (AEEI) delivers the SINP on
behalf of the Government of Saskatchewan. AEEI
also plays a critical role in attraction and retention
of newcomers, immigration policy and program-
Marija Gojmerac and
Maria E. GonzalezSpielauer*
ming, community partnerships and settlement,
program integrity, and international education.
In 2001/2002, the SINP nominated 26 people but,
by 2009, 73 percent of the skilled workers in the
province were nominated through the provincial
category. In 2010, the SINP nominated more than
3,400 newcomers.
To address the dramatic increase in landings, the
Province of Saskatchewan has continued to increase funding for settlement services. In 2010-11,
the province has committed six million dollars to
settlement and integration.
There are immigrants from more than 150 source
countries living in 190 communities throughout
Saskatchewan, reflecting deliberate efforts to attract newcomers to all regions of the province.
In 2001, three out of five applicants immigrated
through a federal nomination class. Currently only
about one in four applicants immigrates through a
federal class while the rest are nominated through
the SINP.
As part of its service model, the Government of
Saskatchewan operates the website <www.saskimmigrationcanada.ca> – an online resource serving
prospective immigrants and newcomers and their
families, by centralizing application information,
recruitment material, and settlement resources.
Another critical element of the model is the regional gateway program. There are 11 regional gateway
centres across the province that serve as the first
point of contact for all immigrants when arriving
in the province. The centres provide services, such
as language assessment and service referrals, and
work with other service providers and non-governmental agencies to provide a network of support.
These services are offered immediately upon arrival and continue to be available to newcomers
on an ongoing basis. Each regional gateway liaises
with newcomers to customize programming and
support relevant to individual needs. The gateways
serve communities located within 150 kilometres
of the centre to help newcomers connect with the
Resource Persons:
Eric Johansen,
Ministry of Advanced
Education, Employment
and Immigration,
Saskatchewan, <eric.
[email protected]>
Markus Chambers,
Manitoba Labour and
Immigration, <markus.
[email protected]>
Moderator:
Dale Taylor, Alberta
Association of
Immigrant Serving
Agencies, <d.taylor@
centrefornewcomers.ca>
There are immigrants
from more than 150
source countries living
in 190 communities
throughout Saskatchewan,
reflecting deliberate
efforts to attract
newcomers to all regions
of the province.
*Associate Writers, CIMSS.
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
19
information, people, resources, and services they
need to succeed in Saskatchewan.
The province has also created extensive language
programming, not only basic language skills but
also customized training for business/employment.
The PIU is a response
team capable of assessing
conditions of foreign
workers, and of using
available resources to
assure integrity, safety,
and support in the
workplace.
The province also continues to address the challenge of foreign credential/experience assessment
by working with regulatory bodies to facilitate
better processes to recognize international training,
education, and work experience.
The Saskatchewan settlement approach aims to
build agencies specializing in a welcoming environment for immigrants as well as encouraging
education, health, and social service systems to
adapt to meet the differences between newcomer
and mainstream population needs.
The provincial immigration priority is focused on
addressing emerging labour market needs in Saskatchewan – by working to attract economic immigrants and skilled workers from across Canada
and around the world while continuing to invest in
post-secondary and skills training programs, especially for First Nations and Métis learners within
the province; and encouraging former residents to
return. Over the next five years, the Government
of Saskatchewan expects the province will need
approximately 77,000 workers to meet labour
market shortages.
In 2009, Manitoba
introduced the
Worker Recruitment
and Protection Act
(WRAPA) to replace the
Employment Service
Act in order to deal
more effectively with the
unscrupulous employers
and recruiters.
The Government of Saskatchewan seeks fairness
in all workplaces, and to specifically deal with
concerns of immigrant workers. Thus, AEEI established a Program Integrity Unit (PIU). The PIU
is a response team capable of assessing conditions
of foreign workers, and of using available resources
to assure integrity, safety, and support in the
workplace. AEEI has also undertaken to provide
information resources in 10 languages that include
information on labour standards, workplace health
and safety, and the rights of temporary foreign
workers.
The PIU fields concerns and inquiries from temporary workers, as well as conducting on-site visits to
employers of foreign workers to assess workplace
practices and to ensure that newcomers are afforded
the same rights and privileges as all workers.
Markus Chambers of Manitoba Labour and Immigration talked about the model his province
developed. Everything began in 1998 when the
federal government started a dialogue with the
provinces on how to develop immigration programs. In 2001, the Canada-Manitoba Immigration
Agreement gave birth to the provincial nominee
program, under which 50 families (200 people
altogether) came that year. By 2008, there were
20
11,000 people coming to the province, out of whom
around 8,000 were nominees. Some examples of
economic success were the people coming from
the Philippines, who relied on family connections
and support networks.
In 2009, there were already 3,600 temporary
foreign workers spread out across the province,
thus diversifying the demography of the regions.
The main immigration destinations, however, are
Winnipeg and other urban centres such as Brandon
and Steinbach.
In regards to permanent residency, a temporary
foreign worker can become permanent in Manitoba
after working for six months in a job that is later to
become permanent. Some cases are illustrated by
temporary workers in the entertainment industry
(actors and singers) who come from Europe and the
United Kingdom, as well as truck workers thanks
to whom Manitoba is now the centre of Canada’s
robust transport industry. This said, some of the
challenges that have been identified under the
TFWP include unscrupulous agents and employers,
workers’ lack of access to information, breaches of
employment standards acts by employers, and the
victimization of live-in caregivers.
Recruiters charge high recruiting fees to potential
workers, which is in violation of existing labour
agreements. Employers breach the agreements and
exploit employees, making them work longer hours
unpaid or with no vacation. In this context, there
is a serious infraction of labour acts. Temporary
workers are not aware of their rights and responsibilities. For example, live-in caregivers are much
victimized. Regulations are necessary to protect
workers, particularly, young girls and child actors,
from exploitation and human trafficking.
In 2009, Manitoba introduced the Worker Recruitment and Protection Act (WRAPA) to replace the
Employment Service Act in order to deal more
effectively with the unscrupulous employers and
recruiters. WRAPA was proclaimed as a serious
piece of legislation. The act addresses exploitation
and recruiters’ abuse, including illegal fees and
unscrupulous actions. Under WRAPA, employers
must apply for a labour market agreement with a
Manitoba Labour and Immigration office prior to
obtaining a labour market opinion from Service
Canada. In summary, Manitoba’s business registration process is linked to its Immigration Division.
After Manitoba employers identified a need to
recruit internationally, an online application option was developed. First, provincial government
officials make sure that applicants (employers) have
not had any problems, such as not paying adequate
wages, in the past. Once this stage is completed
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
by a certificate of approval, it is possible for the
employer to apply to Service Canada for a labour
market opinion.
to $50,000 and may not be able to register again
for bringing people illegally, which is considered
human trafficking.
There is a flow of communication back and forth
following a discussion on the employer’s scenarios,
situations, and work process. This is designed to
ensure that labour market agreements are respected
and to prevent employee exploitation.
A long-term strategy of the province consists in
educating employers with their rights and responsibilities. This way, if something unwanted happens, employees do not necessarily have to leave
the country or find another job for the fear of an
abusive employer.
When the workers arrive, there is a team to follow
up with them and ensure that they were not charged
a fee to come to Manitoba. The team also provides
information on the next steps to be followed. If the
workers like Manitoba and want to stay, there is a
pathway to do so after six months of employment.
With its provincial nominee program, Manitoba
can activate an alternative mechanism to a market
opinion when a temporary worker status runs out.
The program can provide a support letter and thus
help extend the work permit. Another feature of
the provincial system is an employer registration
process to make sure that the recruitment fee is
paid by the employer and not the employee. Immigration has a high impact and there is always
someone wanting to profit from it. Employers
using unlicensed recruiters may be charged up
The Manitoba government has created a centralized location for all government services to assist
newcomers with integration into the communities.
The settlement process for temporary workers
is client-focused and responds to their diversity.
It also has a holistic approach for counselling,
gathering information on the workers’ mid- to
long-term plans, working towards improving their
language skills, and improving their integration
into the community. Encouraging network building has been a particularly successful part of the
approach. The province has engaged in a dialogue
with several stakeholders, including provinces such
as Alberta and Saskatchewan, on its approach to
immigrant attraction and retention.
Temporary Migrant Workers:
Developing a National Campaign
T
his workshop looked at the three axes of
the new CCR campaign to raise awareness
about migrant workers in Canada: access to
services, rights, and access to permanent residency.
For the purposes of this workshop, temporary
foreign workers include seasonal workers, live-in
caregivers, and unskilled labourers requiring little
training.
Fariborz Birjandian and Jessica Juen began the
discussion with a description of their agency’s work
with temporary migrant workers. The Calgary
Catholic Immigration Society (CCIS) utilized a
dual strategy to deal with temporary foreign workers: a) talking to politicians about immigration and
b) allocating necessary resources to newcomers.
The reasoning behind the strategy is that, if so
many workers come to contribute to this country,
it will only be fair to provide them with support,
settlement services, and resources. The CCIS also
held a private meeting with temporary migrant
workers to find out more about their situation. And
what it found were several sad stories.
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
With its provincial
nominee program,
Manitoba can activate an
alternative mechanism to
a market opinion when a
temporary worker status
runs out.
Birjandian stated that the Temporary Foreign
Worker Program (TFWP) is not to be mistaken
with the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program.
The former applies to all temporary workers such
as caregivers, low-skilled workers, and seasonal
agricultural workers themselves.
Then, the workshop turned to the CCR campaign
to raise awareness about temporary foreign workers in Canada.
Juen said that the Labour Market Opinion is
not only a requirement to obtain a work permit
but also a federal assessment to protect jobs for
Canadians. There are quite a few employers who
would like to promote temporary foreign workers
but the Canadian government insists that citizens
be promoted first. Juen mentioned that when a foreign worker wants to come to Canada, s/he has to
target a specific employer, location, and profession.
Nearly two percent (1.77%) of Alberta’s population
are currently temporary foreign workers and the
province will see a shortage of about 77,000 workers in the next 10 years.
Marija Gojmerac and
Maria E. GonzalezSpielauer
Nearly two percent
(1.77%) of Alberta’s
population are currently
temporary foreign workers
and the province will see a
shortage of about 77,000
workers in the next 10
years.
21
Resource Persons:
Jessica Juen and
Fariborz Birjandian,
Calgary Catholic
Immigration
Society, <[email protected]> and
<[email protected]>
Angela ContrerasChavez, MOSAIC,
Vancouver, <amcontre@
verapax.org>
Yessy Byl, Alberta
Federation of Labour,
Edmonton, <yessyb@
telusplanet.net>
Moderators:
Loly Rico, FCJ Refugee
Centre, Toronto,
<[email protected]>
Roberto Jovel, La
Passerelle, Toronto,
<roberto@passerelle-ide.
com>
The CCIS conducted a needs assessment and
found that temporary foreign workers need many
more services than they actually receive. As they
perceive, they need assistance with settlement and
finding places of worship among other things.
The needs identified by the assessment include
overcoming language barriers, obtaining access
to health care, knowledge of employment rights,
and settlement needs such as income support and
career mobility.
There are good employers wanting to retain and
promote foreign workers. They go through a
lengthy process to fill a position first from among
Canadian workers and then, when that fails, by
using the temporary foreign work channel. There
are also unethical employers who would hire a
foreign worker without a contract and would even
take away his or her passport. These employers
even promise a permanent residency status in
exchange for favours.
Temporary foreign workers are vulnerable to human trafficking and this poses some challenges to
the immigration sector. Canada lacks the necessary
mandate and regulations to deal effectively with
this growing problem. Some employment agencies have manipulated the terms of the TFWP.
Yet nothing has been done at the national level in
response to this abuse.
There is still a big gap in regulations and fair
business practices which are needed to validate
the legitimacy of hiring agencies and prevent
abuse. Some of these agencies were found to have
used manipulation, misrepresentation, and fraud.
Unfortunately, very little or nothing has been done
against them.
Alberta is addressing this issue by offering open
work permits to dependent children of skilled
foreign workers and to spouses of long-haul truck
drivers.
However, several steps still needed to be taken.
Therefore, in 2007, the Alberta government funded
several immigrant service agencies to protect and
support foreign workers. What drove these workers
to seek temporary jobs in Canada was a desire to
improve their quality of life, access better education, and, overall, flee poverty. The settlement and
integration service that the CCIS offers is based on
the needs identified in this context.
One of the main challenges that temporary workers
face is their limited language skills that eventually
make them more vulnerable to mistreatment. For
example, several workers have signed one contract
in their mother tongues and another one in English,
which resulted in serious problems. These workers
do not have access to English language training.
One idea put forward in
this context is to train
volunteer public legal
educators on the legal
rights and responsibilities
of temporary workers.
Another big challenge is that, immediately after
their contracts expire, temporary foreign workers
lose access to the health care system and employment insurance. For instance, a pregnant woman
would have access to maternity care only during
her contract. If a worker gets injured, the Alberta
government will consider an economic compensation. However, if the worker is not physically apt
to perform the same job, his or her services will
very likely not be needed any more.
Furthermore, these employees’ lack of information
on their rights and responsibilities as temporary
foreign workers is a hindrance to filing complaints
when necessary. They feel that any complaint
would put them at risk of being sent home.
22
Juen concluded by suggesting that each province
should push their own changes to the regulation
of temporary foreign work within the TFWP
framework.
Angela Contreras-Chavez discussed her experience
with providing legal education and outreach services to temporary low-skilled migrant workers at
MOSAIC in Vancouver. She noted that settlement
service providers are not permitted to serve temporary foreign workers under the terms of the federal
funding they receive. So where does a migrant
worker go to ask for help? In Contreras-Chavez’s
opinion, there should be another settlement approach to supporting these workers with at least
legal aid and other basic services. There is also a
role in for religious centres, support centres, and
associations. In order to circumvent the restriction
on the provision of services to temporary foreign
workers, MOSAIC has provided training to other
organizations (such as churches) and has helped the
workers themselves to become their own advocates.
One idea put forward in this context is to train
volunteer public legal educators on the legal rights
and responsibilities of temporary workers. Another
suggestion is to focus on empowering the workers
for self-advocacy. A third idea is to organize service providers to deliver legal education workshops
for the workers.
Yet the main drawback to these ideas is the lack of
trainers and public legal aid experts in the sector.
Labour and volunteer lawyers could be a possible
source of help here but they are not in a position
to advise. There are also financial constraints.
Furthermore, many temporary workers do not want
to be identified because they work without a legal
status and will not thus provide reliable personal
information. Also they do not have the time and
resources to attend such workshops. Sometimes,
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
immigration officials participate in such events
and the audience is mixed and difficult to identify.
Therefore, it will be difficult to gauge attendance.
Another issue is that public legal aid services have
been cut back, which makes it difficult for legal
educators to develop new programs. Very few
settlement workers can afford time and costs of
learning about temporary workers. An alternative
to this are the “Skype” conferences and chat sessions with immigration officers in different places
to find ways to bridge distances and learn.
There is no sustainable funding for projects and
programs. Therefore, educating temporary workers
and frontline workers on legal rights is quite challenging. An idea to meet this challenge is to call for
a unified front with people with legal knowledge
of all temporary worker categories. In summary,
settlement agencies in British Columbia need more
resources to meet the growing service demand for
this population.
Yessy Byl of the Alberta Federation of Labour
discussed the pathways to permanent residency
for temporary foreign workers. She stated that
the entire immigration system is set up for skilled
workers. In order to successfully immigrate to
Canada, applicants need to have received a job offer
or have experience in one of the few skilled jobs on
the federal government list. This makes it difficult
for people with a degree but no experience to be
hired. This was a reference to the ability of skilled
workers who worked for one year in a low-skilled
job in Canada to apply for permanent residency.
That avenue is no longer available. Another possibility is to complete a degree in Canada and work
for one year. This scenario is for those who can
afford to pursue higher education and can then find
a job in Canada. A third mechanism, the Canadian
Experience Class, was put into place in 2008 but
this only applies to skilled workers.
Nevertheless, the Live-In Caregiver Program allows workers to apply for permanent residency after
two years of employment. Great strides have been
made in this area. Assistance is now provided to
live-in caregivers to help them achieve permanent
residency, which will hopefully improve upon the
50 percent success rate of a couple of years ago.
Why not offer the same to everyone, regardless of
skill level? In 2008, the federal government put into
place a similar measure – after working for two
years in a skilled job, a foreign worker can apply for
permanent residency. If low-skilled workers work
for the same period of time, they will not be eligible
to apply. Regardless of skill level, foreign workers
are not eligible for settlement programs funded by
CIC and by provinces and are also not eligible for
many programs such as child care funding. A big
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
problem is the labour market opinion, which is the
permission given to an employer to hire foreign
workers. It has become virtually impossible for
employers to get labour market opinions for people
who have been laid off or want to stay in a job in
Canada. And yet some employers are able to bring
more foreign workers into Canada from overseas.
A parliamentary report recommended making it
easier for employers to renew labour market opinions for foreign workers who were already in the
jobs. Yet no action has been taken on this front and,
instead, the government has completely eliminated
a “renewal process.”
Seasonal/cultural workers have absolutely no
avenue for permanent residency and this is a huge
injustice. People come every year for 10 consecutive years and more and they do not ever get
a choice to stay.
In general, there is no program in place to assist
even skilled foreign workers to complete the two
years necessary to become permanent residents of
Canada. They could be laid off at any time even if
they have worked for one year and 10 months. Such
an event would delay or eliminate their chances.
Nevertheless, the Live-In
Caregiver Program allows
workers to apply for
permanent residency after
two years of employment.
The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is a
federal-provincial collaborative program that
began in 1998. Provinces are able to nominate
foreign workers who can help them meet their
long-term labour needs. The one province that has
taken full advantage of this program is Manitoba,
which opened the program to both high- and lowskilled workers.
Other provinces made the PNP available for
only skilled workers. In 2005, Alberta opened its
nominee program to low-skilled workers in a very
limited number of sectors and in limited numbers.
The programs for low-skilled workers (and most
skilled workers) are employer-driven. This results
in employer over-empowerment because employers
know that foreign workers are desperate to achieve
permanent residency and losing their job would
mean the end of that opportunity.
There is a need for meaningful programs to make
permanent residency realistically accessible for
all temporary workers. The CCR calls for: a) the
opportunity for temporary workers to apply for
permanent residency and thus have a choice; and
b) open work permits because closed work permits
encourage human trafficking and abuse.
23
Canadian Council for Refugees, Spring 2010 Consultation,
Solidarity and Protection: Our Obligations at Home and Abroad,
June 3-5, Ottawa, Part II
Mental Health of Refugees
Marija Gojmerac
Resource Persons:
Jaime A. Carrasco,
Mount Carmel Clinic,
Winnipeg, <jcarrasco@
mountcarmel.ca>
Martha Ocampo,
Across Boundaries,
Toronto, <martha@
acrossboundaries.ca>
Hsiao d’Ailly, Renison
University College at
University of Waterloo,
<[email protected]>
Moderators:
Ihab El-Mlafi, Settlement
and Integration Services
Organization, Hamilton,
<[email protected]>
Monica Abdelkader,
London Cross Cultural
Learner Centre,
<[email protected]>
This workshop looked
at the mental health
of refugees through
new research and
presentations, as a way of
addressing the health and
stabilization of refugees.
24
R
efugees arrive in Canada with a diverse array
of backgrounds and experiences, looking for
a new start. It may be difficult to leave the
past behind as refugees sometimes face seemingly
insurmountable mental health obstacles that are
part and parcel of experiencing war and trauma.
The types and degrees of mental health experiences
are as diverse as the refugees’ own histories. This
workshop looked at the mental health of refugees
through new research and presentations, as a way of
addressing the health and stabilization of refugees.
Jaime A. Carrasco, Team Leader of the Multicultural Wellness Program at the Mount Carmel
Clinic in Winnipeg, set two goals for his presentation: a) to explain the purpose of the Mount Carmel
Clinic and its connection to the mental health
of refugees and immigrants; and b) to link the
research component of the clinic to best practices
and the need to adapt its programs to the newcomer
community.
The Mount Carmel Clinic was created in 1926 by
the Jewish community in response to its specific
health needs. It aims to provide a number of diagnostic and treatment services in primary health
care, where doctors, nurses, and social workers provide psychosocial support to its clients. Health care
specialties offered by the clinic include foot care
and prenatal classes. It houses an x-ray department,
a pharmacy, and a daycare which has 45 children
with different psycho-social and emotional needs.
In 1985, a group of people from Latin America
created the Cross Cultural Counselling Unit as
a result of the effects of the military coups and
civil wars that occurred in the 1970s, including
Pinochet’s military coup in Chile, where Carrasco
was tortured as a political prisoner. Since then,
the counselling unit has expanded as a centre that
provides psychosocial support to newcomers from
other parts of the world to help them adapt to their
new host country.
Last year, the “Strengthening Families in Canada
Program” (a sub-program within the Multicultural
Wellness Program) contracted with 24 communitybased educators, representing 24 different languages and 12 different countries. They delivered 47
community education sessions to 733 participants.
Over the past year, the clinic has formed a partnership with the University of Manitoba. Two
professors have been key to this partnership,
one specializing in domestic abuse and the other
specializing in the effects of torture on families
and communities. The Mount Carmel Clinic and
these two professors finished the first phase of a
pilot research study. The intent was to develop an
approach to the study of torture which could be
used in subsequent research to assess the negative
impact of the terrible international practice of torture on refugees and others who choose to make
Winnipeg their new home.
The literature review shows a strong connection
between:
• Torture and post-traumatic stress disorder;
• Trauma and family dysfunction;
• Trauma and psychosomatic problems;
• Trauma and depression; and
• Trauma and anxiety disorders.
To close out his presentation, Carrasco stated that
those who have been tortured should not be referred
to as victims, but as survivors. These survivors
come to Canada, adapt to their new host country,
and make important contributions to it.
According to Martha Ocampo, Across Boundaries is the only mental health centre in Canada that
takes a holistic approach to mental health care
and operates within an anti-racism framework.
Across Boundaries was created as a result of a
study done in Toronto with a view to improving
access to services by visible minorities. It began
with a $240,000 grant provided by the Ministry
of Health of Ontario and today has a budget of
about $3,000,000.
A study titled “Re-Conceptualizing ‘Trauma’: Examining the Mental Health Impact of Discrimination, Torture and Migration for Racialized Groups
in Toronto” and conducted by Across Boundaries
in 2008 focused on the experiences of four racialized groups:
1. Asylum seekers who have suffered atrocities in
their home countries and are seeking protection
in Canada
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
2. Refugees who were formerly asylum seekers
and have been granted refugee status in Canada
3. Recent and established immigrants
4. Canadian-born and racialized individuals.
It has been documented that refugees continue to
suffer trauma in Canada due to social exclusion, social inequality, and discrimination. Major barriers
to the elimination of such social problems include
the lack of support systems, the breakdown of the
family unit due to internal conflict within the family and to war and displaced family members in the
country of origin, and peer pressure experienced by
disenfranchised youth. The impact of discrimination includes depression, stress, isolation, underemployment, and unemployment. According to the
World Health Organization, more than 50 percent
of refugees have mental health issues.
The aim of this CURA project is to explore and
develop mental health services that are culturally
effective for a multicultural Canada. Culture and
diversity bring new realities and opportunities for
the mental health system and for the ethno-racial
communities.
Across Boundaries conducts its research from
an anti-racism and anti-oppression standpoint.
According to Ocampo, racism is an idea or belief
where one group is somehow superior to another.
This idea then becomes a social norm. The bias
extends to the media, the education system, the
health care and justice systems, etc. For example,
under the health care system, an immigrant is
given a health care card but s/he cannot access
health care for the first three months. Most people
cannot afford to pay for health care out of their
own pockets, should they need it within the initial
three-month period. This policy is considered to
be discriminatory.
Of the 12 pilot projects proposed, six have been
funded. The audience (and readers) are encouraged
to visit the CURA project website to view details
about these projects.1
A working framework for these problems involves
combating racist beliefs through education and
ongoing training, and engaging in communitybased research.
To conclude her talk, Ocampo summarized some
findings from the Across Boundaries research. The
research suggests that racism is at the front and
centre of mental health issues facing racialized
refugees. Racism does really have a severe impact
on people’s mental health and suicide is the number
one issue facing mental health practitioners today.
Hsiao d’Ailly, Chair of the Social Development
Studies program at Renison University College
(University of Waterloo), discussed a CommunityUniversity Research Alliances (CURA) project,
“Taking Culture Seriously in Community Mental
Health”, a joint five-year research project led by
the Centre for Community Based Research. Dr.
d’Ailly’s presentation focused on some of the major
findings of the project and included some recommendations for policy makers, service providers,
and cultural communities.
1
To close out his
presentation, Carrasco
stated that those who have
been tortured should not
be referred to as victims,
but as survivors.
Over the past five years, the project has engaged
with many partners and ethnic communities. Five
communities in particular were involved: Punjabi,
Somali, Polish, Spanish-speaking, and Mandarinspeaking communities. In fact, Dr. d’Ailly was
involved in the research and actively engaged with
the Mandarin-speaking community. Practitioners
have also been involved in the project. They include
such professionals as mental health service providers, members of the Mental Health Association,
and provincial umbrella organizations.
Specific recommendations for policy makers were
also presented:
• Facilitate changes at a structural level while
simultaneously working towards better processes;
• Challenge power inequality and racism within
the existing system;
• Acknowledge the consequences and effects of
racism and discrimination;
• Develop flexible funding structures to accommodate innovative and collaborative culturally
appropriate practices;
• Focus on improving accessibility across all
services; and
• Support collaborative, integrated policy development across sectors to challenge the basis of
discrimination.
During the presentation, Dr. d’Ailly stressed collaboration and community engagement. Concerning community engagement, she recommended
the following:
• Communities need to mobilize themselves to
ensure that they are heard;
• They need to increase dialogue;
• Mental health issues need to be destigmatized;
and
• Communities need to make use of their internal
resources. (A solution exists within the community).
Dr. d’Ailly concluded her presentation by stating
that we cannot just look at curing the mental health
Across Boundaries
conducts its research from
an anti-racism and antioppression standpoint.
Culture and diversity
bring new realities and
opportunities for the
mental health system
and for the ethno-racial
communities.
<http://www.communitybasedresearch.ca/takingcultureseriouslyCURA/>.
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
25
problem but need to look at prevention, conduct
early interventions, and engage in dialogue.
The workshop on the mental health of refugees
presented three approaches to the issue and the
work that has been done so far. The research and
the services provided have been designed in direct response to events that have precipitated the
problem. As Dr. d’Ailly put it, the mental health of
refugees is a pressing issue within Canada because
What Does Youth Engagement Look Like?
Examples from Newcomer Youth and Other
National Youth Networks
Berrak Kabasakal
*
Resource Persons:
Elena Wright, Rights
and Democracy Network,
Montreal, <[email protected]>
Faiza Hargaaya,
Immigrant and Refugee
Community Organization
of Manitoba (IRCOM)
Youth Ambassadors,
Winnipeg, <faiza_ jwh@
yahoo.ca>
Chloe Raxlen, World
University Service of
Canada (WUSC), Ottawa,
<[email protected]>
Moderator:
Mustafa Delsoz, Youth
Connexion, Immigrant
Services Society of BC,
Surrey, <mustafa.delsoz@
issbc.org>
a large number of groups do not have their mental
health needs met. The mental health system must
be open to change and the problem needs to be
addressed and clearly defined. Survivors of torture
and trauma face several psychosocial repercussions
which impact their daily lives, affect their families,
and permeate into Canadian society. Mental health
is everyone’s problem.
T
his workshop on youth engagement brought
youth leaders together to give them a chance
to share their experiences in working with
newcomer youth locally and nationally. The
insightful discussions inspired all participants
to come up with creative ways to promote youth
engagement around immigration and refugee
issues and to extend their networks with partner
organizations.
Elena Wright of the Rights and Democracy Network was the first youth leader to speak. She talked
about her organization and some of its activities.
Created by an Act of Parliament in 2003, the
“Network is an initiative through which Rights
and Democracy creates spaces in universities in
Canada to encourage students to come together,
propose and initiate activities and innovative
projects that promote human rights and democracy.” The organization works on issues of human
rights and democratic development in 12 different
developing countries with a focus on four specific
themes: women’s rights, indigenous people’s rights,
economic and social rights, and democratic development. By harnessing the energy of youth and
organizing youth in universities across the country,
the Network aims to fulfill its mandate to encourage and support research, education, dialogue and
collaboration among citizens and institutions in
Canada and around the world.
The Network is made up of delegations bringing
students together from the same university to
organize human rights promotion and awareness
activities on their campus and in their community.
They organize two national and two regional events
where students are trained about human rights issues, ways of applying human rights framework in
the workplace, and strategies for recruiting more
students and promoting activities on campuses.
The Network initiates and/or supports local or
national campaigns for human rights and democracy where students are called on board to conduct
diverse activities. To quote Wright: “These activities can be quite typical such as writing letters to
local MPs or they can be more innovative such as
the ‘Panties for Peace in Burma’ campaign under
which we sent women’s underwear to Burmese
military officials to challenge their patriarchal
power to exert pressure to end violence and human
rights abuses in the country.” Another activity by
the Network is organizing “human rights defender
speaker tour” where a member is selected from
one of the delegations to go into big or small communities and speak about human rights issues to
raise awareness. The organization also supports
local projects such as photo contests to promote
refugee rights and give them national recognition
by posting them on its website.
Wright also mentioned about some of the challenges they face in maintaining such a network
across the country. “In the Network, the advocacy
is not necessarily done by the people that face the
issues of abuses head on but by students who are
concerned about global issues and interested in
taking action. Partly because of this, it’s tough to
recruit and maintain memberships.” Therefore, the
organization tries to create a number of promotional tools to create an identity for the Network so
that people can have a sense of belonging.
The second panellist, Faiza Hargaaya, talked about
the motivations and activities of the group she
belongs to, Immigrant and Refugee Community
Organization of Manitoba (IRCOM) Youth Am-
Associate Writer, CIMSS.
*
26
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
bassadors. Hargaaya presented IRCOM Ambassadors as a group of diverse Winnipeggers who
strive to create spaces for meaningful dialogue
between established and newcomer Canadians.
With an overarching objective of creating a more
inclusive, engaged, and tolerant society, IRCOM
Ambassadors aim to:
•
Eliminate stereotypes through personal stories
that reveal our commonality with others;
• Raise awareness about newcomer issues;
• Provide a meaningful platform for newcomers
to share their experiences by supporting the
voice of newcomers and creating opportunities
for diverse audiences to connect;
• Identify positive role models for newcomer
youth, who can inspire the latter to actively
engage in their community; and
• Educate communities about cross-cultural
competencies and advocate for inclusive, safe
environments within schools, the workplace,
and communities.
“There was too much negative media coverage
about newcomers in relation to drugs, gangs,
and violence in Winnipeg. People who founded
IRCOM Ambassadors thought that the positive
stories about newcomers’ successes need to be
heard. And we were a bunch of university students
or graduates a lot of newcomer youth could look
up to. So we simply decided to tell our personal
stories of departure from our home countries and
arrival here in Canada to eliminate stereotypes …
Story telling in a simple but dramatic setting is
usually a huge success making a real impact on
people,” says Hargaaya.
Whenever there is a success story within the newcomer community, IRCOM Ambassadors call the
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
media to take action and to raise awareness. Therefore, building partnerships with local and national
media is an important part of their work. IRCOM
Ambassadors present public education seminars
to diverse audiences – from elderly to youth, from
people with a lot of experience with newcomers to
people with no experience with newcomers. This,
in fact, creates opportunities for diverse audiences
to connect, to start a dialogue with each other. The
changing character of the audience, however, is
also a challenge for them. “We have to adjust our
workshops, activities, and even our stories according to the feelings of the target crowd. This keeps
it interesting for us, too,” says Hargaaya.
Photo by CCR
This workshop on youth
engagement brought
youth leaders together
to give them a chance to
share their experiences in
working with newcomer
youth locally and
nationally.
One of IRCOM Ambassadors’ future projects is
to publish a book of newcomer stories of departure from home country and arrival in Canada,
including pictures. They hope to reach far more
communities with the help of such a book as it
is likely to give voice to a lot more newcomers.
Hargaaya identified commitment as the biggest
challenge. Recruiting more enthusiastic people
and keeping them in the long term are a matter of
concern for the group.
“With a committed core group of people, you have
to keep going at it strong,” she says. In concluding
her presentation, Hargaaya strongly encouraged
other organizations to have fun in what they are
doing. “If you are bored, then other people are
guaranteed to get bored. So just have fun.”
The third youth leader at the panel, Chloe Raxlen
of World University Service of Canada (WUSC),
presented the objectives and activities of her
organization with a focus on programs engaging
newcomer and refugee youth. WUSC is a network
of individuals and post-secondary institutions who
believe that all people are entitled to the knowledge
Whenever there is a
success story within the
newcomer community,
IRCOM Ambassadors call
the media to take action
and to raise awareness.
27
and skills necessary to contribute to a more equitable world. The
network’s mission is to foster human development and global
understanding through education and training. WUSC carries on
development projects in many countries overseas (such as Balkan
countries, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Haiti, Malawi, Peru,
Sri Lanka, and Vietnam) to deliver meaningful results in education
and health, sustainable livelihoods, and good governance.
WUSC is considered to be unique among development organizations in its ability to link Canada’s colleges and universities
with their overseas activities. It is present on campuses across
the country, connecting post-secondary students, faculty, and
leaders through:
•
More than 80 WUSC Local Committees - carrying on campaigns such as Fair Trade and Bike for Aids;
• Student Refugee Program - supporting students fleeing war or
persecution in developing countries to continue their studies
in Canada;
• Uniterra – mobilizing students to help achieve the Millennium
Development Goals through education, advocacy, and volunteering;
• Overseas learning opportunities, including an international
seminar and Students Without Borders, an innovative program
that enables students to apply their academic knowledge to a
work environment in the developing world while, in most cases,
earning credits; and
• Managing scholarships for students from the South, most of
whom are from Botswana enrolled at Canadian universities
and colleges.
Raxlen devoted important part of her presentation to the “Student
Refugee Program.” “It’s a unique program that does settlement and
education at the same time,” she says. Whether due to war or political repression, students are often persecuted, imprisoned, or forced
into exile, joining the ranks of the world’s estimated 16 million
refugees and asylum seekers. They have virtually no opportunity
for post-secondary education. However since 1978, WUSC’s Student Refugee Program has enabled
Each year, WUSC local more than 1,000 of these capable
committees on campuses young men and women to resettle
across the country sponsor in Canada as permanent residents
over 60 new student refu- and pursue their education in an engees through the program. vironment free of violence and fear.
From countries of origin as diverse
as Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Rwanda,
Burundi, Sudan, Burma, and Afghanistan, most have successfully
completed their studies and are now active Canadian citizens making valuable contributions to their communities.
28
Each year, WUSC local committees on campuses across the country sponsor over 60 new student refugees through the program.
Their sponsorship includes providing vital social and financial
support to the sponsored students for a minimum of 12 months
upon their arrival in Canada. WUSC and its overseas partners
are responsible for selecting refugee candidates, placing them
at a Canadian post-secondary institution, and providing training
and guidance to the sponsored students and Local Committees
throughout the sponsoring process. “It’s a lot of administrative
and bureaucratic procedures, a lot of paperwork especially in
preparation for sponsorship. But the moment you start sponsoring
a student, it goes fast. First time I sponsored had a great impact
on me and my positionality. It’s very direct, hands on. I know that
I am making a difference in this person and his/her family’s life,”
says Raxlen. WUSC is taking pride in the increasing number of
students it was able to sponsor each year. Thanks to the funding
the network was able to raise locally, it increased the number of
sponsored students from 50 to 68 in five years, which is regarded
as a big success.
Raxlen identified the lack of mechanisms to transfer knowledge
and to train new members as a challenge they face in her organization. “Running campus community partnerships or programs
requires some level of expertise, financially and administratively.
So local and national organizations operating under WUSC need
to provide volunteers and students with resources and training for
long-term sustainability,” she says.
Following the workshop,
As a lesson to share from her orparticipants were conganization, Raxlen suggested that
vinced that, no matter how
other organizations support local
big the challenges are, the
initiatives and add their individual
mounting interest by the
input to make them part of the
young population in imdecision-making processes. “That
migrant and refugee issues
way, they will see how much their
is most promising for the
input matters to the organization
future of youth networks.
and they will feel they are really
part of something bigger.”
One of the issues that came up during the discussion was the challenge of maintaining a youth network across Canada. The size of
the country together with the financial limitations of youth organizations makes it difficult to bring members together on a regular
basis to interact effectively and to build the much desired common
identity. All three panellists mentioned their way of tackling this
challenge by using webinars (seminars on the web), Skype, online
newsletters, and blogs to promote coordination and communication
within and between different youth organizations. Following the
workshop, participants were convinced that, no matter how big
the challenges are, the mounting interest by the young population
in immigrant and refugee issues is most promising for the future
of youth networks.
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
Canadian Network for the Health of Survivors of
Torture and Organized Violence (ResCanNet)
Winter 2011
Volume 13.4
The Bulletin
Connecting Health Professionals against Torture
The systematic abuses of human rights occurring as
a result of health professional complicity in torture
demonstrates a need for an unprecedented civil
society response. While health care professionals
are the repository for our cultural knowledge on
the practice of health, wellness, and emergency
care, the advent of government practices to engage
health care professionals in the practice of torture
poses a great threat to the very principles that are
the foundation of the health care field.
ResCanNet is a network of individuals and
groups across Canada that support survivors of
torture. The goals of ResCanNet are to facilitate
interaction between groups and individuals,
provide a stronger base of support to service
providers, and form a more coherent and powerful voice to advocate on behalf of survivors.
Participation or membership in the network is
open to groups working directly with survivors
of torture; organizations and individuals working
with refugees; health groups; cultural groups;
and other interested persons.
Cecilia Naomi Lipp*
In 2009, a group of clinicians rose in response to a
growing need for improved coordination among the
health professionals worldwide, standing and working against torture in their respective countries.
Through this effort, Health Professionals Against
Torture (HPAT) was created. The aim of HPAT is
to provide a platform for increased communication,
collaboration, and mutual support towards ending
health professional complicity in torture.
Columbia, Canada V8R 4P4; Fax: 250-370-8885;
E-mail: <[email protected]>. The opinions
expressed in the Bulletin are not necessarily
those of ResCanNet.
ResCanNet is a member of the International
Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims
(IRCT). IRCT is an independent, international
health professional organization which promotes
and supports the rehabilitation of torture victims
and the prevention of torture through nearly 200
rehabilitation centres and programs around the
world.
The aim of HPAT is to
provide a platform for
increased communication,
collaboration, and mutual
support towards ending
health professional
complicity in torture.
ResCanNet is currently coordinated by the IRCT Secretariat:
Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture (CCVT).
Contact Person:
Mulugeta Abai, Executive Director
Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture
194 Jarvis Street, 2nd Floor
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M5B 2B7
Telephone: 416-363-1066, ext. 225
Fax: 416-363-2122
E-mail: <[email protected]>
Website: <http://www.ccvt.org/>
One way ResCanNet communicates is through
the Bulletin published in INSCAN. We would like
to sincerely thank INSCAN for this opportunity.
The Bulletin is developed by Ken Agar-Newman
of the Victoria Coalition for Survivors of Torture
(VCST). Brief submissions to the Bulletin are
invited and can be sent to Ken Agar-Newman,
2901 Queenston Street, Victoria, British
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011
International Rehabilitation Council for Torture
Victims
P.O. Box 2107
DK-1014 Copenhagen O, Denmark
Telephone: +45 - 33 76 06 00
Fax: +45 - 33 76 05 00
E-mail: <[email protected]>
Website: <http://www.irct.org>
The ResCanNet representative on the IRCT
Board is John Docherty. John welcomes information from torture survivors as well as individuals
and centres that work with survivors of torture.
He can be reached by e-mail at: <johndoch@
gmail.com>.
The Website of ResCanNet can be visited at:
<http://www.rescannet.2itb.com>. If you wish to
subscribe to the list-serv “rescannetlist,” contact
ResCanNet at: <rescannetlist@coollist. com>.
Acting Executive Director,
Health Professionals Against
Torture, San Francisco,
California, <hpatinfo@
gmail.com>.
*
29
Murat Kurnaz, a former Kandahar detainee,
recounts his experience of torture wherein he witnessed the death of a man hanging in front of him in
“a place with no rules.” Stories such as Kurnaz’s are
documented by the Witness to Guantanamo project, run by Peter Jan Honigsberg, wherein former
detainees tell of repeated intervention by health
practitioners during detention, where doctors routinely checked on Kurnaz’s condition to ensure that
he was surviving the experience and determining
the level of torture he could then endure.
The current treatment (including torture) of detainees is regarded by many as a human rights travesty
but as one that continues to be purported by mainstream media to be a necessary part of intelligence
operations. As with other grave abuses of human
rights, dedicated strategists and activists, such as
Physicians for Human Rights, Amnesty International, and Psychologists for Social Responsibility,
continue to coordinate for high-level and grassroots
action in the anti-torture movement.
Joining with the long-standing and dedicated activists in the anti-torture movement, HPAT is working
to end the complicity and participation of health
professionals in torture, and to raise consciousness
about the ill effects and illegality of torture among
health professionals and their professional organizations. HPAT aims to initially fulfill its mission by
building communication platforms, involving print
and digital media, conferences, and public events.
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By encouraging the lateral transfer of knowledge
and systems of mutual support between individuals, HPAT aims to bridge organizations engaged in
like-minded efforts and to end health professional
complicity in torture around the world.
Over the past several months, HPAT has taken
shape through its growing membership, increased
organizational capacity, and growing community
support. HPAT coalition is continuing to be developed by our Coordinating Committee: Jess Ghannam, Alice Shaw, Gerald Gray, and Jancis Long.
Advisory Council members (Abdel Hamid Afana,
Jose Quiroga, and Stephen Soldz) will support us
to grow the coalition strategically and with an eye
to organizational sustainability.
HPAT has participated in several public events
thus far. On the International Day in Support of
Victims of Torture, Jess Ghannam presented at a
film screening and discussion co-sponsored with
Amnesty International USA, the Center for Justice
and Accountability, and Survivors International in
San Francisco, California. Jess also presented on a
panel discussion at the Psychologists for Social Responsibility conference in Boston, Massachusetts,
on New Directions for the Anti-Torture Movement.
For more information about Health Professionals
Against Torture (HPAT) or to join our coalition,
visit our website at: <http://www.hpatcoalition.
org> or contact us at: <[email protected]>.
INSCAN Vol 24 ( 3-4 ) 2011