My name is Max Vo.
Good afternoon, Mr. Chair and esteemed members of the committee.
I want to thank you once again for allowing us to appear for a second time in front of the committee.
I'm going to be representing SOS Viet Phi Canada. Appearing as my expert witnesses today are Hoi Trinh, a Vietnamese Australian lawyer who heads the legal aid office in the Philippines; Mai Nguyen, a Vietnamese Canadian who has volunteered at that same legal aid office in the Philippines; and attorney Richard Mahoney, who is our legal counsel.
When we were here in February of last year, there were still some 2,000 stateless Vietnamese boat people living in the Philippines, people who had fallen through the cracks, who were living in limbo and without hope. The international community, including Canada, has heard their voices. Currently, as we speak, only 188 boat people remain in the Philippines without a durable solution. We are here again today to ask the committee and our government to please close the book on this ongoing tragedy that has lasted much too long.
Since we were here last February, a motion recommending that the Canadian government accept approximately 500 stateless Vietnamese as refugees has been passed by this very committee. Subsequently, in March 2005 the immigration minister at the time, the Honourable Joe Volpe, announced a new public policy allowing up to 200 stateless Vietnamese to be reunited with their close family members in Canada. Thanks to this policy, two individuals are here today in person to thank Canada. There is Mr. Lang Nguyen and Mr. Lam Nguyen. Because of your graciousness, they were reunited with their families earlier this month in Vancouver, after being separated for more than 14 years.
Of the 200 stateless Vietnamese who were qualified to come to Canada, only 27 applied. The resettlement programs of other countries were less restrictive and had recognized them as refugees. The other countries could not take them all, and still 188 remain. They include the father of young Phuong Nguyen and Patrick Nguyen, who are present today with us from Toronto. Note that they have not seen their father for 14 years.
At this point in time I'd like to pass it over to Mr. Hoi Trinh, who will speak more about the current situation in the Philippines.