Canada rules U.S. Safe Third Country agreement unconstitutional
Source: UPI
JULY 23, 2020 / 12:36 AM
By Darryl Coote
A Canadian court has ruled its government's agreement with the United States concerning asylum seekers unconstitutional, stating it could not turn a blind eye to the detention of refugees by its southern neighbor. Handout photo/Office Congresswoman of Doris Matsui/UPI | License Photo
July 22 (UPI) -- A Canadian court on Wednesday ruled a U.S.-Canada agreement to deny entry to certain asylum seekers invalid, stating sending refugee claimants back to the United States where they risk imprisonment is unconstitutional.
Under the Safe Third Country Agreement, which was signed in December of 2002 and implemented in 2004, refugees seeking asylum at a Canadian land port are ineligible to make a claim if they had first traveled through a designated safe country, such as the United States.
In her ruling Wednesday, Justice Ann McDonald said the agreement was unconstitutional as sending refugee applicants to possible detention in the United States denied them their rights to life, liberty and security as guaranteed under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
"For the reasons outlined below, I have concluded that the actions of Canadian authorities in enforcing the STCA result in ineligible STCA claimants being imprisoned by U.S. authorities. I have concluded that imprisonment and the attendant consequences are inconsistent with the spirit and objective of the STCA and are a violation of the rights guaranteed by section 7 of the Charter," she said.
Read more: https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2020/07/23/Canada-rules-US-Safe-Third-Country-agreement-unconstitutional/6831595473097/?ur3=1
= new reply since forum marked as read
