The following submission was co-authored by NLS lawyer Jennifer Stone. The introduction to the document is produced below. The entire submission is available in .pdf format.

Family Day was celebrated earlier this week in Ontario, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, and last week in British Columbia. On the occasion of celebrating time spent with family, we urge you to keep in mind our friends and neighbours who long to be reunited with theirs.

Last year, the Federal Government cut the Interim Federal Health Program to deny basic health care to refugee claimants in Canada. The move was strongly criticized by most stake-holders across the country, including immigration and refugee advocates, human rights activists, and doctors. Many believed that cuts to the Interim Federal Health Program were designed by the government to appeal to its core supporters but would not save the government any money. In fact, the cuts raised concerns about more expensive emergency treatment, and the spectre of a public health crisis if refugees were refused any preventative care or treatment.