Family Reunification

OCASI collaborated with Colour of Poverty Campaign/Colour of Change Network (COP-COC), Metro Toronto Chinese & South East Asian Legal Clinic (MTCSALC) and South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario (SALCO) on a Joint Submission to the Committee on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The submission was prepared with respect to the Committee's upcoming review of Canada at its 65th Session (24 Oct 2016 - 18 Nov 2016).

The Joint Submission highlighted the following concerns:

IRCC Questions:

Strengthening our Canadian fabric

• How many newcomers should we welcome to Canada in 2017 and beyond?
• How can we best support newcomers to ensure they become successful members of our communities?
• Do we have the balance right among the immigration programs or streams? If not, what priorities should form the foundation of Canada's immigration planning?

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Debbie Douglas, Executive Director was Co-Chair of the 18th National Metropolis Conference held in Toronto from March 3-5, 2016. (Click here for Debbie’s welcome remarks).

OCASI also had a strong presence throughout the conference at plenary sessions, and as presenter and organizer at the following concurrent breakout sessions:

October 28, 2015/Toronto - As the newly elected government of Canada is set to be sworn into office, OCASI is encouraged by the Prime Minister Designate's leadership in countering a growing divisiveness and xenophobia through an expression of unity and appreciation of diversity in Canada. We look forward to the full realization of that message through strong public policy measures, including public education initiatives that will build equitable opportunities for all Canadian residents.

(la version française se trouve en bas)

(scroll down to the end for Tagalog)

For Immediate Release

TORONTO / Feb 14, 2014 / - A coalition of community based organizations and academic institutes across Canada are calling on the Hon. Chris Alexander, the Federal Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, to mark Family Day 2014 by making a commitment to strengthen the family class immigration program.

January 20, 2014

The Honourable Chris Alexander
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

Dear Hon. Minister:

Re: Strengthening Family Class Reunification

On behalf of a coalition of community based organizations and academics across Canada, we are writing to seek your help to renew Canada's commitment to strengthening the family class immigration program.

There are so many fires to fight on the policy front that it's difficult to decide where one's energy should be focused. On the national scene we continue to witness the activism of a government determined to remake Canada's immigration, refugee determination and citizenship programs to suit its ideology.

OCASI – Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants as well as other sector umbrella organizations across Canada were given the opportunity to provide a written submission to CIC NHQ with further input and suggestions on Canada's settlement policy following the conclusion of the National Settlement Conference Vision 2020.

My Canada Includes All Families

A Campaign to Stop Further Restrictions on Family Class Immigrants

The Government of Canada has proposed changes to theImmigration and Refugee Protection Regulationsto further limit family class immigrants to Canada.Such as: