Refugee Claimants: Immigration Minister Jason Kenney

Legitimate Refugees Dept: The Harper government's intent to keep bogus refugee claimants out of Canada has stumbled badly in its plans to curb health-care benefits for legitimate, federally sponsored refugees. It is financial folly and potentially dangerous to deny a near-destitute refugee medication for chronic disease, according to Winnipeg Free Press. But legitimate refugees will feel the pain of reduced benefits, too. Federally sponsored refugees are financially supported in their first year in Canada, and receive supplemental health benefits -- drug, vision and dental care -- similar to those provided to Canadians receiving provincial welfare. Mr. Kenney says refugees shouldn't get more health coverage than other Canadians, but this is comparing the destitute and traumatized with Canadians who are financially secure and dALE CUMMINGS/ As part of its budget-cutting efforts, the federal government is changing the health benefits refugees now get under a short-term federal program. Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has repeatedly stressed the changes are intended to dissuade bogus refugee claimants from designated democratic countries from attempting to short-circuit the immigration process. Health benefits for refugee claimants from this designated list will be strictly curtailed. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.