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The recent case of Ibrahim Toure should signal to the government ( @BillBlair) that CBSA oversight legislation is more necessary than ever.
THREAD
THREAD
At Mr. Toure's hearing, CBSA produced a travel document for the purpose of deportation. The officer's testimony revealed that he used egregious methods to obtain the document, working in the shadows, including using his own person email. 2/9 https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/11/16/border-agent-showed-willingness-to-go-rogue-says-lawyer-for-longtime-immigration-detainee.html
The CBSA oversight bill, which has failed to get through Parliament twice, would provide an independent mechanism for the public to complain about officers' misconduct. Such a mechanism is necessary to ensure accountability and public trust in CBSA. 3/9
Let's not forget who CBSA deals with: some of the most vulnerable members of our society who, due to their precarious immigration status, are less likely than others to complain or assert their rights. 4/9
Mr. Toure spent more than 6 years in immigration detention, most of which was in a maximum-security jail. He has not been convicted of a crime in Canada, he was only detained for immigration purposes. 5/9
On a recent Migration Conversations podcast with Prof. Jamie Liew ( @thechaiyun), Mr. Toure said: "CBSA told me, that's what we do in Canada, if we don't know who you are, we put you in prison forever." 6/9
Despite not being jailed for any crime, he was subject to lockdowns of sometimes 3 weeks at a time. During these lockdowns he could not leave his cell, e.g. to shower or to make phone calls. This experience took a toll on his mental health. 7/9
As of 2019, at least 15 immigration detainees have died in CBSAâs custody. CBSA is responsible for deciding where immigration detainees will be held and for putting forward arguments at detention review hearings regarding the reasons detainees should remain in detention. 8/9
CBSA must continue to be held accountable despite many immigration detainees having been released as a result of the pandemic. Parliament must act now to institute independent, civilian review of CBSA. 9/9
