Tue Sep 24 03:20:45 UTC 2024: ## Canada’s Gaza TRV Program Fails Palestinians, Accused of Systemic Racism

**OTTAWA, CANADA** – A new report by Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) accuses the Canadian government of systemic anti-Palestinian racism in its design and execution of the Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) program for Gazans. The report, titled “Intended to Fail,” claims that the TRV program was intentionally designed to limit the number of Palestinians seeking safety in Canada, based on racist assumptions about their potential as security threats.

The TRV program, launched in early 2024 by Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), aimed to reunite Canadians with their Palestinian family members trapped in Gaza. However, the program has yet to facilitate the departure of a single Palestinian. CJPME highlights the stark contrast with the program offered to Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion in 2022, which included no similar restrictions.

“Losing your loved ones is the worst life-changing event, but imagine witnessing them die slowly from starvation stuck inside besieged Gaza because Canada won’t force Israel to let them out,” said Israa Alsaafin, of the Gazan Canadian Family Reunification League. “Canada is showing no urgency in this emergency to save my family. Ukrainians were welcomed with open arms, but I feel like my family and I are second-class citizens.”

CJPME argues that the TRV program and public discourse were dominated by the racist trope of Palestinians as security threats. The organization suggests that systemic racism influenced the design and execution of the program, ultimately hindering its humanitarian potential.

“Minister Miller has overseen an epic failure,” said Alex Paterson, Senior Director of Parliamentary Affairs for CJPME. “If my goal was to save Palestinians from genocide and reunite them with their families in Canada, I could not have designed and implemented a worse program if I tried.”

The report offers significant recommendations to the Ministers of Immigration, Foreign Affairs, and Heritage to ensure Canadian policy better aligns with the needs of Palestinians fleeing genocide. CJPME calls for a complete overhaul of the TRV program, including the removal of discriminatory restrictions and a commitment to expedite the reunification process.

“This is a stain on our reputation,” Paterson added. “We need to act now to ensure that Canada is a true haven for all those seeking refuge, regardless of their origin or background.”

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