Statement by the Canada Border Services Agency on Refusal of Meals by Immigration Detainees at the Central East Correctional Centre

October 22, 2016              Ottawa, Ontario      Canada Border Services Agency

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is aware that some immigration detainees at the Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay, Ontario have been refusing meals. We will continue to monitor the detainees’ physical and mental health and well-being in accordance with our high standards for detention. The CBSA is currently reviewing alternatives to detention by engaging with partners and stakeholders in meaningful consultations to review options balanced with maintaining national safety and security. The CBSA also continues to meet with detainees to maintain open lines of communication. 

The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, the Honourable Ralph Goodale, recently announced new initiatives for a better, fairer immigration system, including up to $138 million to transform the detention system in Canada and the launch of consultations to inform the development of a National Immigration Detention Framework. 

CBSA officers do not take the decision lightly to detain foreign nationals and permanent residents. Detention is a last resort and other options are always considered; officers make this decision when there are reasonable grounds to believe the person is inadmissible to Canada and is:

• a danger to the public;
• unlikely to appear for immigration purposes; or
• unable to confirm their identity (foreign nationals only).

A CBSA officer’s decision to detain a person under Immigration and Refugee Protection Act is subject to an independent review by a member of the Immigration Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB). Detainees must appear before the IRB, a quasi-judicial tribunal, within the first 48 hours of being detained. At a detention review, the IRB may release the person or identify conditions for release or determine that detention should continue.  If the IRB determines that detention should be continued, the individual must also appear in the next seven days and every 30 days thereafter.

Links:

News Release: Minister Goodale announces stakeholder roundtables on Canada's new National Immigration Detention Framework
Background on Federal Arrangements with Partners and Stakeholders for Immigration Detention

Contacts

Canada Border Services Agency
Media Line
613-957-6500

Follow us on Twitter (@CanBorder), join us on Facebook or visit our YouTube channel.