News Release

National 2006

Kingston Immigration Holding Centre Opens

Ottawa, Ontario, April 24, 2006 - The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced today that the four individuals subject to security certificates under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act held in Ontario correctional facilities have been transferred to the new Kingston Immigration Holding Centre (KIHC). The centre is located on the premises of Millhaven Penitentiary in Bath, near Kingston, Ontario.

The KIHC reflects the government's commitment to move these individuals from Ontario correctional facilities to a new federal immigration facility.

Security certificates are used in rare cases where an individual wishing to remain in Canada is deemed ineligible to do so by both the Minister of Public Safety and the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration for reasons of national security. This can include, but is not limited to, engaging in terrorist activities, espionage, violating human rights and serious criminal activity. The security certificate allows the government to place limits on the individuals who are subject to them, up to and including detaining them, while the immigration system process determines whether these individuals may be removed from Canada. The Federal Court determines whether a security certificate should be confirmed and, ultimately, whether a named individual may be removed from Canada.

Only non-Canadian citizens can be subject to security certificates. These individuals are free to leave Canada any time they wish, and return to their country of origin or to another country, provided that these countries are willing to accept them.

Individuals named in a security certificate have been determined to pose a risk to Canada's national security. The security certificate process is one of the measures used to remove non-Canadians from this country when they pose a serious security threat to Canadians.

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