HONG KONG (CP) - Saying more concrete action is needed to
stem illegal migration into Canada, Immigration Minister
Elinor Caplan said China and Canada will form a task force to
speed the repatriation of detained illegal Chinese migrants.
"We've had difficulties getting China documents to remove
people quickly enough" because the two countries have no
formal repatriation agreement for illegal migrants, Caplan
said in Hong Kong, the last stop of her trip to China where
she had gone to raise concerns about the smuggling and
trafficking of people from China.
"We certainly need to see action," Caplan said. "Without
action all of the
goodwill could unravel a very difficult situation."
Officials would have to release the arrested immigrants in
Canada if China fails to take them back in a timely way, and
that would give human smugglers a legal loophole, Caplan said.
To escape poverty, many mainland Chinese risk their lives
trying to sneak into Canada and the United States.
Human traffickers, called snakeheads, charge huge fees and
usually stuff the migrants into cargo containers. Often
snakeheads are part of a bigger organized crime syndicate.
Many of the migrants do not survive the gruelling journey,
sometimes lasting weeks. Those who do survive often end up
victims of gang extortion; intimidated into making pitifully
low wages in forced labour or prostitution to repay their
passage to Canada.
Caplan said Chinese officials agreed to work with Canada to
speed repatriation, but she did not know when the task force
would be set up.
Caplan did say that a mainland Chinese police officer to be
stationed in Ottawa and the number of Canadian information
control officers stationed in China increased.
"We're doing everything we can. That Canada will do its
part and we're
expecting China to do their part. Because only if we work
together will we solve this. If we don't, it will unravel and
the snakeheads will win and that is unacceptable," she said.
Caplan met mainland officials in Beijing, Shanghai and
southeastern coastal Fujian province, home of many illegal
migrants and home ground for trafficking rings.
Four ships carrying 599 Chinese appeared off the coast of
Canada's British Columbia province last year, and Australia
found 86 such boats holding 3,600 people. The United States
has intercepted 20 ships carrying 1,200 people in two years.
Of the 599 illegal Chinese immigrants caught last year
attempting to enter Canada on boats, 11 have been granted
refugee status, 356 remain in detention centres and about 100
cases still have to be finalized.
Caplan said "it's taking too long" for China to issue the
papers, but refused to say how long it usually takes.
"We have to find ways to speed that up. It is cumbersome,
it is bureaucratic," she said.
So far, 23 have already been removed from Canada and sent
back to China.
During her stay in Hong Kong, Caplan visited the container
terminal port to get a first-hand look at the scale and scope
of the problem. She also met with local officials, including
Hong Kong's chief executive Tung Chee-hwa.
Impressed by the scale of the terminal which moves some
16 million containers a year, Caplan heaped praise on the
actions so far
taken to solve the problem.
"I'm very impressed with the (Hong Kong government's)
determination to end trafficking in humans," she said.
---
The arrival of four Chinese migrant ships off the coast of
British Columbia last summer began a debate in Canada over the
way to handle such illegal migrants. Some significant dates:
July 20, 1999: A ship arrives off coast of British Columbia
carrying 123 people, all seeking refugee status.
Aug. 9: Ship arrives in Gilbert Bay near the Queen
Charlotte Islands, with 140 on board. Most claim refugee
status.
Aug. 30: Ship arrives in Esperanza Inlet, off northwestern
coast of Vancouver Island, with 190 on board. Most claim
refugee status but 33 are issued exclusion orders, the first
step to deportation.
Sept. 2: Ten Chinese teenagers are found on a truck
crossing the Quebec border into Vermont. Their applications
for refugee status are later rejected.
Sept. 9: Fourth ship arrives off coast of British Columbia
with 146 people on board. Most claim refugee status.
Jan. 3, 2000: 25 Chinese migrants are found hidden on a
freighter that tried to land in Seattle but was sent to dock
in Vancouver. Thirty-nine people are found on two other ships
docked in Seattle; most are returned to Hong Kong.
April 6: Immigration Minister Elinor Caplan announces
changes to the Immigration Act that would crack down on human
smuggling, including penalties of up to $1 million for those
convicted of smuggling illegal immigrants into Canada.
April 20: Caplan travels to China for a 10-day visit to
discourage illegal migration to Canada.
April 26: Caplan meets officials in China's southeastern
Fujian province, and urges more be done by both sides to speed
up return of illegal immigrants to their homeland.
April 28: Caplan meets officials in Hong Kong and announces
Canada and China will set up task force to speed up
repatriation of Chinese migrants who come to Canada illegally.
---
Here are some facts about the status of Chinese migrants
who arrived by boat off the British Columbia coast last
summer:
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Number of boats: Four
---
Number of people aboard: 599, including nine crew.
---
Exclusion orders (first step to deportation): 41
---
Refugee claims made: 549
---
Claims finalized: 453
---
Claims approved (as of April 26): 11.
---
Claims denied: 360
---
Claims withdrawn or abandoned: 82
---
Remaining in detention: 356
---
Wanted on warrants for failing to comply with conditions of
release: 79, including eight minors.
---
Removed from Canada: 23
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Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada
© The Canadian Press, 2000
