MPs in the House of Commons are set to vote Tuesday on a Conservative motion that asks the Liberal government to evaluate the health care benefits available to asylum seekers and restrict those benefits for individuals whose claims have been denied.
Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner’s motion for Opposition day also encourages the Liberal government to “pass policies to immediately expel foreign nationals convicted of serious crime in Canada.”
Rempel Garner stated she wants health care for failed claimants to be limited to “emergency, life-saving health care only,” reflecting a similar action taken by the Harper government back in 2012.
Refugees in Canada receive their health care through the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP), which covers most medical services that Canadians access under their provincial or territorial health plans.
The basic services provided by the IFHP include hospital access, doctor visits, ambulance services, and lab diagnostic procedures like blood tests and ultrasounds.
Additional coverage offers access to counseling, occupational therapy, prosthetics and mobility aids, urgent dental care, and limited vision care among others.
Rempel Garner argues that this extra coverage goes too far because it funds services not available for Canadians within the public health system.
“Failed asylum claimants, people who made refugee claims but had their claims invalidated through Canadian due process, are given access to better health care than Canadians,” Rempel Garner said.
She also highlighted the rising annual costs of the IFHP, which is projected by the government to reach almost $900 million annually by 2025-26.
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After crossing over from Conservative ranks into liberal territory last week , MP Matt Jeneroux intends on joining Prime Minister Mark Carney’s trade excursions headed towards India , Australia , and Japan. “Here’s someone who claimed he didn’t have enough time dedicated toward serving taxpayers-but now he finds himself free enough schedule-wise?” questioned Conservative MP Andrew Scheer.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre directly asked Prime Minister Mark Carney whether he would endorse this Conservative proposal during question period held inside House Commons.
“The prime minister insists everything regarding [immigration & asylum] remains under control-but it appears merely an illusion; he’s yet another Liberal,” Poilievre commented. “We’ve experienced an astonishing three thousand percent leap concerning refugee requests throughout his mismanaged system. Will he rein it back , support our motion , putting Canadians ahead first ?”
Carney countered stating since taking office nearly one year ago-claims seeking refuge have declined thirty-three percent whilst student visas dropped sixty percent along temporary foreign worker numbers halved.
“We possess command over immigration processes delivering essential medical attention required here,”he declared.
An Echo From Harper’s Cuts Back In ’12
NDP Member Jenny Kwan expressed during Tuesday debates within House Commons regarding motions introduced-the soaring expenditures linked with IFHP correlate back towards existing case logjam-and refugees shouldn’t shoulder burdens stemming from those delays.
“That represents more so an administrative issue rather than concern around immigrant healthcare,”she asserted. “The solution seems straightforward: hasten [a] fair timely evaluation procedure.”
Under prior prime minister Stephen Harper , his conservative administration eliminated almost every supplemental benefit allocated via IFHP – limiting offered treatment strictly considered urgent essential needs centered around specific groups originating wherein deemed secure while excluding rejected applicants entirely;
The alterations resulted into cutting down vital resources regarding specific nationalities seen safe alongside denying coverage across certain areas such as prescriptions dentist visits eyesight assistance mobility devices etcetera..
The Federal Court annulled modifications citing government’s actions rendered refugees experiences cruel unusual sanctions! Despite promising appeals following ruling dated back four years earlier when new liberal regime emerged & subsequently reinstated accessed benefits!
“What this motion presents proves alarming-it mirrors past attempts striving strip away necessary healthcare meant specifically aiding these vulnerable populations much like what former CPC attempted previously”. Said Gauri Sreenivasan co-executive director at Canadian Council For Refugees.*
“Such policy revisions courts classified unjustifiable likewise faced rejections amongst Canadian physicians citizens alike!” she concluded*.
Increasing Costs of Refugee Health Care
A recent report from the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) revealed that between 2020-21 and 2024-25, program costs escalated from $211 million to $896 million “as both the number of beneficiaries and cost per beneficiary increased significantly.” This report anticipates that program costs will rise further to $1.5 billion annually by 2029-30. The PBO noted that while overall costs for IFHP will keep climbing between 2025-26 and 2029-30, growth during those years is expected at just over 11 percent-compared with an average annual increase nearing 34 percent over the previous five years. “This slower growth reflects both a moderated increase in number of beneficiaries and a more gradual rise in average annual costs,” said the report. That is an administrative problem, not a refugee health problem – NDP MP Jenny Kwan The report did not account for potential cost-saving measures coming this spring. A copayment system will start on May 1 requiring individuals receiving IFHP-covered care to pay $4 for each eligible prescription as well as cover 30 percent of all other supplemental health service costs. Coverage can be lost if individuals withdraw or abandon their claim or if their claim is deemed ineligible without qualifying for an appeal process. The IFHP also provides healthcare support for refugee claimants outside Canada who have been approved but need vaccinations or medical assistance before traveling. Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Lena Metlege Diab says provisions in Bill C-12 will aid federal efforts in swiftly disallowing fraudulent asylum claims. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press) A major factor behind skyrocketing IFHP costs is the surge in asylum claims recently. In 2020 there were about 19,000 claims submitted in Canada; however that figure soared past 190,000 by 2024. Last year saw a significant drop with approximately only 83,000 claims filed from January through September. A backlog totaling nearly 300,000 claims still exists though meaning expenses related to IFHP continue rising. Rempel Garner states that’s because many pending claims may take years before they’re processed while Canadians foot the bill for healthcare provided to people who could ultimately be deported due to filing invalid applications. Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab remarked that several initiatives included within Bill C-12-which has cleared House approval and awaits Senate consideration-will equip authorities with tools aimed at rejecting unqualified applications faster.
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After crossing over from Conservative ranks into liberal territory last week , MP Matt Jeneroux intends on joining Prime Minister Mark Carney’s trade excursions headed towards India , Australia , and Japan. “Here’s someone who claimed he didn’t have enough time dedicated toward serving taxpayers-but now he finds himself free enough schedule-wise?” questioned Conservative MP Andrew Scheer.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre directly asked Prime Minister Mark Carney whether he would endorse this Conservative proposal during question period held inside House Commons.
“The prime minister insists everything regarding [immigration & asylum] remains under control-but it appears merely an illusion; he’s yet another Liberal,” Poilievre commented. “We’ve experienced an astonishing three thousand percent leap concerning refugee requests throughout his mismanaged system. Will he rein it back , support our motion , putting Canadians ahead first ?”
Carney countered stating since taking office nearly one year ago-claims seeking refuge have declined thirty-three percent whilst student visas dropped sixty percent along temporary foreign worker numbers halved.
“We possess command over immigration processes delivering essential medical attention required here,”he declared.
