Backlog Will Remain With New Refugee System

Embassy Magazine – July 13, 2011 Anca Gurzu By the time Canada’s reformed refugee legislation kicks in next year, tens of thousands of refugee claimants will still be waiting for a hearing—and the Immigration and Refugee Board says it won’t have the resources to deal with these leftover files. Experts say this development counters the purpose of streamlining the new system and may also undermine its effectiveness. They worry genuine refugees will be placed in an indefinite and unbearable wait, while unfounded claimants will continue to exploit their stay longer. The IRB’s report on plans and priorities for 2011-2012, released in June, highlights several transformative steps officials will take to accommodate the changes of the new reform legislation, which Parliament passed in June 2010 in an attempt to make Canada’s refugee system faster and more efficient. Among other things, the IRB will add another body to its structure, the Refugee…