Letter dated June 5, 2006 to the Editor of the Ottawa Citizen
re:
Editorial on June 2, 2006
As Chairperson of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB),
I object to the passing reference to 'arbitrary' refugee hearings in
your editorial of June 2nd,
2006.
Refugee determination decisions are taken
by professional and highly qualified independent decision makers and
are subject to judicial review by the Federal
Court of Canada.
Far from being arbitrary, the IRB's refugee determination process is respected
internationally and has been held up as a model by the United Nations.
I invite editorial staff of the Ottawa Citizen to visit the Board to observe
a refugee determination hearing and to receive a briefing on the reality
of operations at the IRB.
Jean-Guy Fleury,
Chairperson
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
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