May 30, 2012 7:00 PM

A public education session on the provisions of Bill C-31, Protecting Canada’s Immigration System Act.

Lesley Stalker, senior solicitor/barrister and Former Associate Legal Officer, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (2007-2011), will provide an overview of the obligations Canada has regarding refugees under domestic and international law, with respect to the proposed amendments of Bill C-31.

This will be followed by a panel of people who work with the communities who are, and will continue to be, affected by the proposed changes especially: LGBTQ asylum seekers, torture survivors, Romani refugees, and the Latino (particularly Mexican) community. 

• Harsha Walia, co-founder of No One is Illegal, will discuss the impact on refugee communities in Vancouver, specifically the South Asian and Latino/a community
• Lobat Sadrehashemi, refugee and immigration lawyer, Elgin Cannon and Associates, will discuss gender based claims
• Elizabeth Csanyi, Legal Assistant, UBC First Nations Law Clinic, will discuss the impact on the Roma community
• Sharalyn Jordan, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education, SFU, Rainbow Refugee, will discuss LGBTQ claims

The event will be moderated by Emmy Award winning journalist Peter W. Klein, Director of the University of British Columbia Graduate School of Journalism.

Download the event poster here.

For more information on Bill C 31 please reference the legislative summary here, or the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers response to the proposed legislation here.

Co-hosted with the SFU Woodwards Cultural Unit/Vancity Office of Community Engagement and the Tyee.