John McCallum, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, is expected to announce this afternoon the details of the new Liberal government’s plan to welcome 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada. The following experts from York University are available for comment on the refugee story:
Christina Clark-Kazak – Acting Director of York’s Centre for Refugee Studies, and Associate Professor, Department of International Studies, Glendon College, can comment on: the federal plan to welcome Syrian refugees; discrimination based on gender and family status; Canada's position within global refugee policy; Canadian funding to humanitarian issues, including refugees. (Interviews available in English and French)
Sean Rehaag – Associate Professor, Osgoode Hall Law School, can comment on:
the refugee determination system and laws; discrimination against unaccompanied men based on family status; prohibition of discrimination in international refugee law, international human rights law and Canadian constitutional law.
Susan McGrath – Professor in the School of Social Work, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, and a resident scholar and former director of York’s Centre for Refugee Studies, can comment on: the federal plan to welcome 25,000 refugees; and what we have learned from the past about how to settle refugees, whether government-sponsored or privately-sponsored.
*For more York University experts on topics in the news, please consult our new Experts Guide.
York University is known for championing new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our 52,000 students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-discipline programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. York students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. York U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 24 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide.
Media Contact:
Janice Walls, Media Relations, York University, 416 736 2100 x22101 / wallsj@yorku.ca
