Senate must reject U.S.-style asylum rules and power grabs with Bill C-12 vote

If passed as is, Bill C-12 will impede the right of people fleeing persecution and torture to access asylum in Canada, undermining our government’s obligations under international law and risking our status as a global leader in the field of refugee protection.

As it weighs Bill C-12, the Senate can guide Canada toward the nearest offramp rather than inch us further along the U.S.’s path, write Ketty Nivyabandi and France-Isabelle Langlois. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Opinion

BY KETTY NIVYABANDI, FRANCE-ISABELLE LANGLOIS

March 9, 2026

United States President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada, his “51st state” taunts, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s lethal campaign against asylum seekers and migrants have horrified Canadians and prompted us to accept that our country’s relatio...

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