Dear friends of Journey Home Community,
We are writing you today to share our deep concern about Bill C-2: The Stronger Border Act. This is a newly proposed border bill proposed by the Canadian government, and if passed, will deny protection to those at risk of persecution or torture.
Seeking asylum is a human right. Bill C-2 is a direct attack on this right.
Although Bill C-2 claims to make Canada safer, it seriously undermines refugee rights and conflicts with Canada’s obligations under the Charter of Rights and international law. Supporters of the bill claim that it will strengthen our borders and protect Canada from fentanyl and illegal weapons. Please review the following commentary on this issue: https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/02/11/fentanyl-smuggling-is-not-a-major-crisis-at-canada-us-border-despite-trump-s-claims_6738032_4.html#
We support Canada’s efforts to prevent the illegal flow of drugs and weapons, and to keep our country safe. However, as we work to keep criminals out, we are also preventing many innocent people fleeing for their lives from entering the country.
The Bill positions migrants and those seeking refugee protection in the same category. With conviction, we believe people who are fleeing persecution, trauma, and violence should not be grouped with narcotics and weapons as threats to Canadians.
Our organizational values and convictions are based on teachings found in the Bible. When a migrant, immigrant, or refugee lives in our land, we are taught three responses:
- Do not mistreat them – this is the starting point. We will not harm newcomers.
- Treat them as native-born – this is a higher calling. We treat newcomers like all Canadians.
- Love them as yourself – this is the highest calling and one we aspire toward. Treat them with love, and we believe with the same love we offer to our brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers. Love them as if they are family.
Reference: Leviticus 19:33-34
At our recent fundraising event, the Welcome Table, we heard stories from Christopher, Laura, and Viviana. Each of these inspiring community members, along with their families, are enriching Canada. We are better because they are one of us. At the event, we celebrated a community and a country that welcomes, treats people with dignity, and offers love, hope and mutual relationship.
This new border bill threatens all of these things. It proposes significant changes to existing rules around border security and avenues to seek asylum.
It worries us for a variety of reasons.
First, it would make it virtually impossible for many refugee claimants entering Canada from the US to make a claim at all. This is a violation of our obligations under international refugee protection law.
Further, Bill C-2 ignores the complex reasons people seek refuge and fails to consider the unpredictability of global conflict. It would tear apart families and communities… a devastating and cruel reality we have already been witnessing elsewhere in North America.
Bill C-2 undermines Canadian values. Canadians believe that everyone deserves a chance to live in safety and dignity. We believe that none of us will be safer if we remove protections from those who need them most.
Furthermore, Bill C-2 is contrary to the values of welcome, care, love, and hope that are rooted in Journey Home Community’s response to welcome those who are forcibly displaced.
Will you join us in taking a stand for those who have no voice?
Here is our call to action:
- Contact your MP: Tell them to reject Bill C-2 and protect refugee rights - Find your MP HERE – use this email template to send to your MP’s office.
- Share this message: Forward this email or share our Instagram/Facebook posts to spread the word.
- Join us in praying: One of our core values is prayer. If you are a praying person, commit to praying for this issue. Subscribe to our monthly Praise & Prayer Report. To join our list, email prayer@journeyhomecommunity.ca
- Become informed: Read for yourself about the concerns we have with Bill C-2 (see below for more information) and read the statement on Bill C-2 shared by the Canadian Council for Refugees (https://ccrweb.ca/en/statement-bill-c-2).
- Support refugee claimants now: Support Journey Home Community as we seek to create caring communities (https://journeyhomecommunity.ca/donate).
| |
| |
|
