Australian Immigration: Refugee Organizations

Andrew Metcalfe Dept: The coalition of Australia s leading refugee organizations hope Canada will learn from their experience and reconsider Bill C-4, which is based on the Australian model and currently before Parliament, according to The Star. The advocates concerns echoed earlier comments made by Australian Immigration and Citizenship Secretary Andrew Metcalfe in Canberra and mandatory detention and delayed family reunification won t deter refugees from arriving en masse at borders, say Australian advocacy groups opposed to Ottawa s anti-human smuggling bill. A policy of mandatory detention will be a financial and humanitarian disaster for Canada, the coalition said in a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.