Speakers Corner: Refugee crisis brings legal community together; reminds us of what’s possible

On a Wednesday evening in late September, I found myself among a motley crew of Ottawa lawyers. From seasoned big-firm litigators to sole practitioners fresh out of law school, the room at City Hall was packed. We had gathered for a training session on the basics of preparing refugee resettlement applications.

Most of those present were not refugee lawyers, but they were willing to learn in the wake of Alan Kurdi’s death and media focus on the plight of Syrian refugees. The objective was to prepare us to run a pro bono legal clinic and information sessions for community members the following evening. The leaders of the initiative admitted that they had no idea how many people would show up, but they thanked us all for coming out regardless of what happened. 

People did show up to our event. So many people showed up, in fact, that the overflow room was overflowing. For hours, a steady stream waited patiently for their 15 minutes with a lawyer. There were many recent immigrants with family members stuck in Syria and surrounding countries, but many others who had no personal connection to the crisis. The common denominator was that everyone wanted to help, and everyone was hungry for information on the where, when, and how of doing so.

That evening was the highlight of my legal career so far. It represented all that is good about our profession. At one point, I looked up to take a breather between consultations and scanned a room buzzing with energy. The legal community had banded together in a time of crisis to act as a source of information, expertise, and resources. At a time when many felt helpless and when the government was not presenting answers, lawyers had stepped in to offer a starting point for action.

The Refugee Sponsorship Support Program quickly morphed from idea to national initiative. The Ottawa clinic was only the first step of an ongoing marathon, but the accomplishments so far have been impressive.

The program has now been rolled out across Canada, with hundreds of lawyers trained and assigned to represent sponsorship groups on a pro bono basis. In collaboration with the Canadian Bar Association Immigration Law Section, a list of participating lawyers across the country was developed and made public.

The RSSP web site has become a rich source of information, and a comprehensive network of organizations supporting refugees is being formed. Jennifer Bond, who helped spearhead the initiative, has been named special advisor to Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.

There have been challenges, and there will be more. Beyond the standard logistical challenges, the politicization of the refugee crisis can make it a fraught area for those seeking to help.

Public perceptions can change from one day to the next, and those perceptions carry tangible repercussions for policy directives and support for refugee-focused initiatives.

As an immigration and refugee lawyer, I have heard a full spectrum of opinions about refugees from friends, clients, colleagues, and acquaintances. Many express concern about the potential security threats, particularly in the wake of the Paris attacks. Others worry that we do not have the resources to accommodate those we have committed to resettling. Others would prefer to see Canada re-direct its focus to economic immigration.

When these conversations arise, I do my best to address misconceptions (for example, there is no evidence that refugees pose any heightened security risk as Canada engages in extensive security screening of all refugees resettled in Canada), but I am often left with the apprehension that perhaps the momentum of a few months ago was a passing moment in a rarely opportune political climate in Canada.
Momentum can fade. Our hard work to enact change can fizzle out.

In such moments, I have been returning to that evening last fall. I recall the energy, the motivation, and the collective will that made the event happen on such short notice. I remember that, regardless of the difficulties involved, our community is full of good people committed to helping those in need. I remember that working through complex problems is what we lawyers are trained to do. And I remember that our legal community can be the force gently reminding our community of what’s possible.

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Jacqueline Bonisteel is an associate at Corporate Immigration Law Firm in Toronto. She is an executive member of the Canadian Bar Association’s Immigration Law Section. The views expressed here are her own and do not reflect the positions of any organization with which she is affiliated.