Canada to accept boat people
Bending immigration rules allows group of stateless Vietnamese to leave Philippines
By CAMPBELL CLARK
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Updated at 9:37 AM EST
OTTAWA -- Canada will bend its immigration rules to take in about 200 Vietnamese
boat people who have remained stateless in the Philippines, decades after
fleeing their native country.
No longer considered refugees under United Nations rules because they are not in
danger in the Philippines, about 2,000 people remain without official status as
a lingering reminder of the massive exodus from Vietnam.
They arrived after a 1989 deadline for an international resettlement agreement
-- having fled persecution by the Communist authorities in Vietnam -- and have
lived in the Philippines without residency status or the legal right to work.
They often earn money as unlicensed street vendors and are in constant flight
from police.
Now, those who have close relatives in Canada -- parents, grandparents, siblings
or children -- and who pass security checks, will be able to come here under a
special measure, Immigration Minister Joe Volpe said last night. About 200
people are expected to accept the offer.
"It might be a bit more, it might be a little bit less," Mr. Volpe said. "We
will fast-track them so that we can accommodate them within the year."
Canada probably will create a special category of family-class immigrants, since
they will not be categorized as refugees, Mr. Volpe said.
He said that accepting the group will not place an undue burden on the
immigration system and would allow speedy reunification of families, as well as
alleviate a long-standing concern.
"It gives us an opportunity to do something really good and close the page on
what was a very sorry and sad tale in that part of the world."
Canada's move is part of a growing international effort to resolve the issue of
the displaced Vietnamese.
Australia and Norway agreed to resettle some of the people -- Norway's
Parliament passed legislation in December to accept 98.
The United States agreed to work toward the resettlement of others.
Vietnamese Canadian groups recently pressed Ottawa to take about 500 people, and
made their case at hearings before a Commons committee last week.
New Democrat MP Bill Siksay raised the issue in the Commons on Friday.
"The number that we have asked for is approximately 500," said Tu-Anh Takacs of
the group Save our Stateless Viet Phi.
"The United States will take the majority, so we anticipate approximately 500
will be left behind.
"They are stateless. They have no rights to work and to integrate into the
[Philippine] society," Ms. Takacs said.
"Most of them rely on selling in the black market or door to door. If they can
bribe the police into allowing them to sell in the market, then they're lucky.
If they can't, every time they see an officer they have to run."