Evidence of meeting #82 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 42nd Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was resettlement.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
How many similar investigations have been raised for Yazidis?
Representative in Canada, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
To come back to my earlier response, we don't disaggregate population to UNHCR by their ethnic origin.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Has there been any effort by the UN, or any special measures to reduce discrimination against either Yazidis or other persecuted minorities heading to UNHCR camps in instances such as this?
Representative in Canada, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
I don't think there is any discrimination against Yazidis or other minorities by UNHCR or partner staff, and where there are allegations, those allegations are taken seriously and are investigated.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Thank you for your presentation.
I am wondering. You mentioned that you have limited resources at the UNHCR to do your work, which I don't doubt. With respect to Canada's contribution to your resources, could you advise the committee how much Canada provides to the UNHCR to assist us with the refugee initiatives?
Representative in Canada, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Specifically on this initiative, most of our funding from Canada is thankfully unearmarked, so we receive core funding for our operation, which allows us the flexibility to allocate the funding where the needs are for our operation, so it would not be in protection work, support through psychosocial or medical. Most of the money will come from this unearmarked funding, and Canada this year has provided to the UNHCR globally, $108 million Canadian.
We ask Canada not to earmark the funding to specific programs.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
It's $108 million for all the work you do for Canada related to any of the refugee—
Representative in Canada, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
For 66 million displaced people....
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Correct, but particularly with respect to this initiative, were no additional dollars provided to you?
Representative in Canada, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
On this initiative, no, it came as the money that is unearmarked, or earmarked just at the country level, but that will be for any of the interventions we are doing throughout Iraq, not specifically in Kurdistan.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
In terms of the GAC allocation, the $108 million, how much, if any, is being provided to the individuals on the ground for the supports they need at the camps?
Representative in Canada, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Do you have five hours? It's very complicated because we have different programs, so let's say that we have a program of cash, then 97% of the money will go straight into the hands of the refugees or the displaced, but if we look, for example, at relocation, we need to do the registration of the—
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Sorry, we have limited time. I apologize for interrupting, but I wonder whether or not you can submit to the committee a breakdown of the $108 million Canadian on the allocation and where it goes: to administration, direct aid to x camp, which camp, etc., just so we have a sense because I certainly don't know—
Representative in Canada, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
The administrative costs are between 13% and 17%, depending on which operation.
Representative in Canada, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
It's 13% to 17%, and the rest is going entirely to interventions to support protection and assistance for the refugees and the displaced.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Is there a breakdown for which camps those dollars are allocated to? Could we get that detailed information as well?
Representative in Canada, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
There is a detailed—not by camp but by country.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Okay, even by country would be useful for us so we get a sense of it.
Moving forward, in the 2018 service levels plan that we have—because at this point we're at 7,500 GARs for Canada—will you be getting additional dollars from the 2018 budget from the government to assist with this work, or is that $108 million covering future years as well?
Representative in Canada, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
This year the IRCC gave us specifically $4 million to go to resettlement programs throughout the world, not specifically out of Iraq or for survivors of Daesh. We are in negotiation with the IRCC to see whether they can extend this financial support next year.
Representative in Canada, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
The $4 million is different from the $108 million that we received from Global Affairs.
