Carney government clarifies Canadian border bill’s asylum changes as critics call for complete withdrawal

Useful clarification on information sharing although it will not assuage all concerns:

…In a new notice posted on its website, Canada’s Immigration Department tried to offer some clarity to Bill C-2 to address critics’ concerns.

It said the proposed rules on asylum eligibility would only apply to refugee claims made on or after June 3, 2025, by anyone who first arrived in Canada after June 24, 2020, and wouldn’t be retroactive to those who already had a claim in the system before Bill C-2 was tabled.

Officials said the changes to immigration information sharing are limited to federal and provincial governments, and do not concern information-sharing activities with the U.S. It’s for the domestic purposes of confirming identities, detecting frauds, and carrying out law and border enforcement activities and investigations. The notice also listed public interest grounds that would potentially prompt immigration officials to cancel, suspend or change immigration documents.

“The government is committed to rebuilding Canadians’ trust in the immigration system,” the Immigration Department told the Star in an email.

“We’re improving security at the Canada-U.S. border and making our immigration and asylum systems more resilient and more responsive to new and developing pressures. To make things clear: The measures announced in Bill C-2 are about protecting the integrity of our system while building a safer and more equitable Canada.”

Source: Carney government clarifies Canadian border bill’s asylum changes as critics call for complete withdrawal