"Hungarian Roma hope for sanctuary in Canada" (CBC) and "Seeking Safety", by Nahlah ayed and photojournalist Ed Ouh, aired on December 12, 2012.
"Why the Roma are fleeing Hungary..."(Metronews) (October 2012)
Excerpt from Metronews, October 2012:
Would-be refugees from those countries would have only 15 days to file a personal information form outlining their claim instead of the current 30 days. And they would have to prepare for a hearing in 30 days, instead of the several months they now have.
“It’s setting people up for failure right from the get-go,” says Gina Csanyi-Robah, head of the Roma Community Centre in Toronto.
“There’s just no way. . . you can get supporting documentation like medical and police reports in that time. You have to order these from these countries. Try to get it from the U.S. and it’ll take you more than six weeks. Now you want it in less than 15 days from Hungary? Come on. Do you think these people are going to get any co-operation from Hungary, where people say Roma are giving their country a bad name?”
The Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) in Canada requires that "Personal Information Form"s (PIF) be filed in either English or French. Identity and travel documentation must be submitted as well as copies of any other relevant documents that support the claim. If the documents are not in English or French, certified translations must be submitted.
What is a "Convention Refugee"?
"Convention refugee" is defined in section 96 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act: 96. A Convention refugee is a person who, by reason of a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion,(a) is outside each of their countries of nationality and is unable or, by reason of that fear, unwilling to avail themself of the protection of each of those countries; or(b) not having a country of nationality, is outside the country of their former habitual residence and is unable or, by reason of that fear, unwilling to return to that country.
