According to the UN, Tamils are no longer a “protected” or “endangered” species. Hundreds of them are currently trying to be recognized as refugees in Canada after illegally landing on the shores of British Columbia, adding to an already-oversized diaspora in Canada, particularly in Toronto, that is known to be causing trouble in Canada by importing their conflict from their home country.
The problem is that they had plenty of chances to file claims elsewhere. In fact, under international law, people must seek refuge in the nearest safe country, instead of going “asylum shopping”.
Immigration minister Jason Kenney is – finally – recognizing that key point of international law:
“[…] I would underscore that people who transit through multiple countries have had other opportunities to seek protection. Some [of those bogus Tamil refugees] passed through two or three countries, and one principle of asylum law is that you seek protection at the first available opportunity. You don’t asylum shop.”
Exactly. It’s about time that Canada upheld that rule of international law, which means, in effect, that virtually all refugee claims filed in Canada would have to be rejected, as most of those people not only pass through, but also have lived for several years in, safe countries before arriving in Canada. This is asylum shopping of the worst order, and Canada bears the bulk of it because of its lax enforcement of proper domestic and international laws.
Under this rule, in fact, Canada, thanks to its geographic location, could only be forced to entertain claims brought by Americans, and they don’t qualify anyway.