OTTAWA—The Conservative government says it will use its new muscle in Parliament to pass a controversial bill to end “human smuggling.”It revived a package to toughen sanctions against the ship owners and organizers of large-scale smuggling operations along with strict measures to deter or discourage their would-be “customers” — those seeking refuge in Canada.
The bill met widespread condemnation last fall from the opposition, faith groups, refugee advocates, and the Canadian Bar Association. Critics say they support increased penalties against smugglers, but argue the principal targets of the bill, as the bar association outlined, “are the refugee claimants themselves, whether genuine or not.”
The Canadian Council for Refugees said Thursday it will have “little or no deterrent effect.” Convicted large-scale smugglers already face penalties of up to life in prison and a $1 million fine. Rather, said spokesperson Janet Dench, it will punish the people fleeing persecution, including children. “It’s extraordinary.”
New Democrat public safety critic Don Davies said the bill breaches Charter and international legal protections against arbitrary detention, and guarantees of prompt review of detention. The NDP will propose amendments, but with the Conservative majority now, the government has enough votes to pass it in the Commons and Senate.
The Conservatives say the measures will pass constitutional muster, but Dench says no outside legal opinions support that claim, and notes the Supreme Court of Canada has already denounced long-term detention without review even for national security threats.
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Source: Toronto Star
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