Avi Lewis pledges to reverse Carney's immigration cuts and overhaul deportation rules
Incoming federal NDP leader Avi Lewis is calling for a single-tier immigration system that grants permanent residency on arrival, arguing current policies leave newcomers vulnerable to exploitation and sudden loss of status.
Lewis says the government’s reduced immigration targets and stricter enforcement have increased deportations and deepened backlogs, and he promises to hire 3,000 additional caseworkers to tackle an estimated one million stalled applications.
He also backs ending provincial rules that tie migrant workers to one employer, expanding reception centres for refugees, fixing credential recognition, and cancelling the Canada–US Safe Third Country Agreement.
#canada_immigration, #ndp, #avi_lewis, #immigration_canada, #deportations, #immigrant_workers, #refugees, #safe_third_country_agreement, #work_permits, #processing_backlog
April 1, 2026
Effective April 1, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has introduced a new service guarantee to strengthen accountability for passport processing.
Under the “30 days or free” policy, applicants will automatically receive a full refund of their passport or travel document fee if processing takes longer than 30 business days.
The processing clock begins once a complete application is received and ends when the document is printed and verified, excluding mailing time.
Officials say the standard will apply consistently regardless of how Canadians apply, and will compensate applicants when service targets are not met.
#passport_processing, #ircc, #travel_documents, #canadian_passport
April 1, 2026
Starting April 1, 2026, the Government of Canada is officially raising the federal minimum wage to $18.15 per hour to protect workers and strengthen the standard for fair pay.
This adjustment, based on the 2.1% increase in the Consumer Price Index for 2025, represents a total cumulative increase of 21% since the standalone federal wage was introduced in 2021.
The measure is designed to provide greater financial security for thousands of workers in the federally regulated private sector, ensuring their earnings keep pace with inflation.
Minister Patty Hajdu emphasized that this annual update maintains a reliable baseline that protects those in the lowest-paid jobs and helps build a more resilient economy for all Canadians.
#federal_minimum_wage, #canada_economy, #workers_rights, #fair_pay, #inflation_adjustment
March 31, 2026
A new commentary from the Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association argues that international law has an important, but limited, role in Canadian immigration decisions.
The commentary says countries still control who may enter under domestic rules, while universal human rights standards set real boundaries, including non-discrimination, protection from inhuman treatment, and respect for family life.
In practice, tribunals interpret the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act using Canada’s modern approach to statutory interpretation, treating treaties and customary norms as part of the legal context rather than as a higher authority.
#canada_immigration, #immigration_and_refugee_protection_act, #international_law, #human_rights, #cila, #immigration_canada
March 30, 2026
