Citizenship and Immigration committee  Give it some time.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I certainly think “multi-day” at a minimum should be two days, with the first day discussing theory—with, as was suggested by Sharalyn, case studies. We have found this to be very effective in the work we do in the Caribbean, for example. On the second day we must have, in addit

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I have spoken with IRB members, and they've described the training. I have not seen the material. I was advised that it is a three-hour session and that they're given some material and are given a lecture. My challenge is that I police LGBT sensitivity training in the Caribbean

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Yes, we do. We have follow-up training. We've done this in seven countries so far and, funding permitting, we're hoping to do it in more.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I am a new immigrant to Canada and I lead the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network's LGBTQI initiative. I'm privileged when compared to many other LGBT migrants and refugees to this country. Coincidentally, tomorrow I sit my Canadian citizenship test here in Ottawa. I am a gay Jamaica

Citizenship and Immigration committee  LGBT claimants report that IRB still requires excessive evidence of self-identification. For example, in one case, the IRB spontaneously asked to examine a claimant's cellphone for proof of communication on a gay relationship mobile app. In another case, social media pictures wit

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Paragraph 38(1)(c) is what we wish to see repealed. Excessive—

Citizenship and Immigration committee  If I may, Chair, I would also like to say on the record that Canada is behind nearly a dozen countries that have no excessive demand provision. These are countries that, as was repeatedly said, we are competing with for talent. Most of Scandinavia, our friends to the south, the U

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Quite simply, we have to repeal this section. It is in complete violation of our international obligations, and any reasonable assessment would prove that. It is a violation. What is ironic is that we ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Good evening, committee. I'm a Jamaican lawyer working with the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network where I collaborate with local groups to challenge HIV in the Caribbean. As a Caribbean immigrant to Canada, I'm aware of our shared history of discriminatory colonial-era laws. Canad

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Everybody has good points and bad points. We are certainly very pleased with the constitutional framework that South Africa has, for example, but the challenge has been operationalizing that. There's a need for more domesticated sensitivity training. Canada has a very good progr

Citizenship and Immigration committee  That's a very good question. The person who arrives as an HIV refugee is put into the system and is supported once they are granted refugee status. I would say that the current model works well. I am not aware of it being a particularly onerous process once the person has been g

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I would say yes. The fact is, if advocates are able to address the human rights challenges in their home countries, this will stymie a lot of the ripple effect that we are in fact trying to cauterize. For example, if advocates in a country are able to campaign for equality, we wo

Citizenship and Immigration committee  There has been a lot of tracking done of the amounts of money that go from the global north, particularly religious groups, to support anti-gay efforts back home. The figure is staggering, and it's not surprising, because they have a captive audience every weekend. Every Saturday

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I certainly would agree with that recommendation, yes.