Better Together: Resistance, Solidarity & Refugee Rights in Canada

On April 4, 1985 the Supreme Court of Canada Singh decision (Singh v. Minister of Employment and Immigration) established that the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects the fundamental rights of refugees, guaranteeing them the right to an oral hearing. It ruled that everyone physically present in Canada is entitled to fundamental justice under Section 7. To honour the 1985 Singh Decision and reflect upon the state of refugee rights in Canada in a time of rising anti-immigrant sentiment and divisive rhetoric among some leaders, we borrow the title of the Canadian Council for Refugees-led “Better Together” campaign to frame our discussion on the state of refugee rights in Canada in 2026. Cuts to refugee health care and new legislation tabled in Bills C-12 and C-2 threaten to roll back refugee protections and supports – including the right to a refugee hearing for many potential claimants – and run counter to Canada’s stated commitments to be an open and welcoming country. Our event, including the voices of refugees and prominent activists in the fight for refugee rights will reflect upon and encourage our audience to continue the struggle for the rights of refugee rights in Canada.

Please arrive to grab your lunch at noon! Please indicate any dietary restrictions in your RSVP (Registration is required for this event).

This event is organized by the Department of Criminology & Criminology Course Union (CCU), Toronto Metropolitian University and the Toronto Planning Committee for Refugee Rights Day.

Speakers:

• Professor Sharry Aiken, Queen’s University Law School, Former President and Current Co-Chair of the Legal Affairs Committee, Canadian Council for Refugees
• Lisa Duplessis, Director, Programs & Community Services, the 519
• Vanessa Redditt, Physician, Crossroads Clinic, Women’s College Hospital

Event Chair: Debbie Douglas, Executive Director, Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants

Please note: In the same space with separate registrations, this event will be followed by a community gathering/networking period from 3:00 to 5pm and a party celebrating refugee rights and solidarity at 5pm. Registration details and links for those will be posted to our larger Refugee Rights Day page ( https://ocasi.org/refugee-rights-day-2026 ) as soon as they are finalized.

In addition to the member organizations of the Toronto Planning Committee for Refugee Rights Day, we gratefully acknowledge the funding and in-kind support of the following organizations and departments for this specific event:

Department of Criminology & Graduate Program in Criminology and Social Justice, Toronto Metropolitan University

Students of CRM 303: Immigration & Refugee Protection & the Criminology Course Union (CCU), Toronto Metropolitan University

Global Migration Institute, Toronto Metropolitan University

The 519

Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) in Gender and Migration, Toronto Metropolitan University

Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI)

Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture (CCVT)

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Host or Publisher The African Canadian Solidarity Network (ACSN)