Ottawa, April 22, 2012 – The Government of Canada has stayed the removal of the Mansaré family, pending a second Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA).
The PRRA process will investigate whether the family would face risk if it is removed to Guinea. Generally speaking, after an initial PRRA has been rejected, there is no stay of removal if an applicant files a second PRRA.
In this case, the family will now have the benefit of another assessment without the possibility of removal until after it is completed.
The family has already had: an asylum claim rejected (in 2009) by the Immigration and Refugee Board on the ground that Ms. Kankou Keita Mansaré, the primary claimant, lacked credibility and that her testimony was unreliable; an application for leave and judicial review dismissed by the Federal Court (also in 2009); and a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment refused (in 2011). On March 11, 2012, the Mansaré family failed to show up for their scheduled removal. On March 29, 2012, the federal court denied a motion for a stay of removal.
At no point during any of these proceedings before the IRB, the Federal Court and during their PRRA did anyone in the Mansaré family offer evidence of potential gender-based violence, such as female genital mutilation or forced marriage, if they are returned. They and their representatives have now voiced this concern to the media — never to the government— for the first time as they face imminent removal. Out of an abundance of caution, the family will be provided a second Pre-Removal Risk Assessment.
Canada’s immigration and refugee protection system is one of the most generous in the world and decisions to remove are not taken lightly. The stay of removal that has been granted will allow the decision-maker to consider any new evidence of potential risks upon removal.
The Government of Canada will not pre-judge the outcome of the new PRRA application.
For further information (media only), please contact:
Ana Curic
Minister’s Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-954-1064
Media Relations
Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-1650
CIC-Media-Relations@cic.gc.ca
Building a stronger Canada: Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) strengthens Canada’s economic, social and cultural prosperity, helping ensure Canadian safety and security while managing one of the largest and most generous immigration programs in the world.
