Innovative pilot program to assist
refugees
OTTAWA,
November 13, 2002 – The Honorable Denis Coderre, Canada’s
minister of Citizenship and Immigration, the Honorable Becky Barrett,
Manitoba’s Minister of Labour and Immigration, and his Worship Glen
Murray, Mayor of Winnipeg, today signed a Memorandum of understanding (MOU)
on the Winnipeg Private Refugee Sponsorship Assistance Program.
“This program represents a unique example of an innovative
partnership between all three levels of government and the community to
help refugees settle in a local area,” said Minister Coderre. “It’s
a program that has the potential to contribute to Winnipeg’s growth
while assisting people in need of Canada’s protection,” he added.
“We are pleased to support this ground-breaking initiative that
builds on Manitoba’s humanitarian tradition,” said Minister Barrett.
“Manitoba is eager to work with the City of Winnipeg, our federal
partners and sponsoring communities to receive refugees in need of
protection and assistance.”
“This is the first time a City government has been recognized as
a partner in immigration and population growth strategy. Our objective is
to increase the number of immigrants coming to Winnipeg. The MOU and the
Winnipeg Private Refugee Sponsorship Program demonstrate a unique
co-operation between the three orders of government and the refugee
sponsorship community to help meet this objective,” said Mayor Murray.
Under the pilot program, the City of Winnipeg has set aside
$250,000 of municipal funds which can be accessed to cover refugee support
in circumstances including those when a private sponsor is no longer able
to meet its commitment.
The refugee cases sponsored by Winnipeg organizations under this
program would be a combination of named and unnamed refugees. A named
refugee us a person identified and referred by non-governmental
organizations for sponsorship on behalf of the person’s relatives in
Canada. An unnamed refugee is a person identified and referred by
Citizenship and Immigration Canada to non-governmental organizations as a
refugee who may have no relatives in Canada but needs to be sponsored. The
three levels of government hope to initially admit 250 refugees under the
pilot program.
Operational details of the pilot program will be outlined in an
annex to the Memorandum of Understanding. This annex is currently being
negotiated.
For more information contact: Office of the Minister of Citizenship
and Immigration Canada: Sarah Bain, Press Secretary, (613) 954-1064 or
Media Relations: Rene Mercier, Spokesperson: (613) 941-7042.