July 20, 2026
The Right Honourable Mark Carney, P.C., M.P.
Prime Minister of Canada
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2
Subject: Open Letter Regarding Leadership of Canada’s Immigration System
Dear Prime Minister Carney,
On behalf of the undersigned organizations and individuals, we write to express our profound concern regarding the administration of Canada’s immigration system under the leadership of the Honourable Lena Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.
Canada’s immigration and refugee system has long been recognized as a reflection of our country’s commitment to fairness, procedural integrity, humanitarian protection, and equality before the law. These principles have earned Canada an international reputation as a destination that values justice, compassion, and the rule of law. Increasingly, however, decisions taken under the current administration have raised serious questions about whether these principles are being applied consistently and without discrimination. Collectively, these developments have weakened public confidence in the fairness, transparency, and integrity of Canada’s immigration system.
Canadians rightly expect that our immigration system be administered fairly, consistently, and in accordance with the principles established in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and Canada’s international legal obligations. In this context, we are compelled to raise concerns regarding a series of policy decisions and administrative practices that, taken together, suggest a troubling departure from these principles.
Our concerns can be summarized in five broad areas:
- Inconsistent and differential treatment of applicants from different countries and regions;
- A departure from Canada’s longstanding humanitarian tradition, particularly in the administration of emergency and humanitarian immigration measures;
- Barriers to academic, civil society, and public engagement resulting from visa refusals affecting invited international speakers;
- Growing concerns regarding systemic inequities in immigration decision-making; and
- The erosion of public confidence in the fairness, impartiality, and integrity of Canada’s immigration system.
These concerns are not based on isolated incidents. Rather, they reflect broader patterns documented through government data, parliamentary testimony, legal advocacy, academic research, media reporting, and the lived experiences of affected individuals and communities. A summary of this evidence is attached below under “Background and Supporting Evidence.”
We recognize that your government faces significant challenges in managing Canada’s immigration system at a time of increasing global displacement, humanitarian crises, and growing immigration demand. However, these challenges cannot justify outcomes that create either the appearance or the reality of unequal treatment. Administrative discretion must always be exercised transparently, consistently, and in accordance with the rule of law.
The cumulative concerns outlined in this letter demonstrate a sustained loss of confidence in Minister Diab’s leadership of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. We therefore respectfully call upon your government to appoint new leadership capable of restoring public confidence in the fairness, integrity, transparency, and impartial administration of Canada’s immigration system.
More broadly, we urge your government to undertake a comprehensive review of the policies and administrative practices that have contributed to these concerns, including disparities in visa approvals, humanitarian programs, family reunification, refugee protection, and visitor and study permit processing. Restoring confidence will require meaningful transparency, accountability, and engagement with affected communities, legal experts, and civil society organizations.
Prime Minister Carney, Canada’s immigration system is one of our country’s defining institutions. Its legitimacy depends not only on compliance with the law, but on the confidence of Canadians that decisions are made fairly, consistently, and without discrimination. This moment presents an important opportunity to reaffirm those principles and restore public trust through decisive leadership and meaningful reform.
We stand ready to engage constructively with your government in advancing a fair, transparent, and equitable immigration system that reflects Canada’s values and legal commitments.
Sincerely,
Organizations/Individuals
- Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council (CMPAC)
- Doctors for Humanity
- Jewish Faculty Network
- Righting Relations Canada
- Palestinian Students and Scholars at Risk (PSSAR)
- Canadian Muslim Healthcare Network
- Saskatchewan Physicians for Justice and Peace
- Ibrahim Jame Mosque
- Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) Toronto–York Region Chapter
- Hikma Public Affairs Council
- Victoria Healthworkers Against Genocide
- Islamic Social Services Association
- Canadian Palestinian Social Association
- Arab Canadian Vote
- Ottawa Healthcare Professionals for Palestine
- British Columbia Physicians Against Genocide
- Islamic Family & Social Services Association
- Think for Actions
- Jewish Faculty Network – BC (JFN-BC)
- Ontario Palestinian Rights Association
- Jamat-E-Islahu Musliemin (JEIM)
- Saskatoon Chapter of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East
- Siraj Institute
- Sabeel Holdings
- Canadians for Better Education
- The Faiza Alaraji Foundation
- Canadian Muslims for Palestine – Winnipeg
- Canadians Against Oppression and Persecution (CAOP)
- Rabbi David Mivasair
- Bruce Katz
- Cheryl Gaster, LL.B., C. Med., Human Rights Lawyer (Retired)
- Cynthia Khoo, Principal Lawyer, Tekhnos Law
- Pantea Jafari, Jafari Law
- Majed Jarrar, Professor, University of Ottawa
Background and Supporting Evidence
1. Immigration Policy Trends
Recent Government of Canada immigration data indicates a significant tightening of Canada’s immigration system under the current administration.
Among the notable trends:
- Deportations reached a ten-year high, rising to 23,160 removals in 2025, representing a 33% increase over previous years.
- Planned permanent resident admissions have been reduced from 483,655 in 2024 to a target of 380,000 in 2026.
- Study permit allocations were reduced by approximately 16%, from 485,000 in 2024 to roughly 408,000 for 2025–2026.
- Visitor visa refusal rates increased from 38% in 2023 to 54% in 2024 and remained elevated at approximately 49% in early 2025.
Collectively, these developments represent a significant shift in Canada’s immigration policy with important implications for access, family reunification, humanitarian protection, and international mobility.
2. Inconsistent and Differential Treatment
Parliamentarians, legal advocates, researchers, and affected communities have identified recurring concerns regarding inconsistent implementation of immigration policy.
These concerns include:
- Differential treatment of applicants from conflict-affected regions;
- Inconsistent application of humanitarian and temporary public policies;
- Unequal access to emergency immigration pathways;
- Prolonged processing delays affecting certain nationalities; and
- Significantly different approval rates across comparable immigration streams.
Particularly concerning is the reported 251% increase in visitor visa refusals based on findings of alleged misrepresentation under section 40 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Because such findings carry severe legal consequences, including inadmissibility and future application bans, this dramatic increase warrants careful scrutiny to ensure procedural fairness and consistency.
3. Departure from Canada’s Humanitarian Tradition
Canada’s refugee protection system is founded upon humanitarian obligations reflected in domestic legislation and international law, including the 1951 Refugee Convention.
Recent administrative trends have raised concerns regarding:
- Limited or delayed pathways for individuals fleeing armed conflict;
- Restrictive implementation of emergency public policies;
- Barriers affecting family reunification; and
- Administrative practices leaving vulnerable individuals without meaningful access to protection.
In April 2025, asylum claims submitted by visitor visa holders reportedly declined by 71%, from 10,095 claims in April 2024 to 2,893 claims. While multiple factors may contribute to this decline, the scale of the decrease raises important questions regarding whether recent administrative practices are restricting access to refugee protection.
Although governments retain broad discretion over immigration policy, humanitarian decision-making should remain consistent with the objectives established by Parliament through the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
4. Barriers to Academic and Civil Society Engagement
Canada has historically welcomed scholars, researchers, faith leaders, civil society representatives, and invited public speakers.
Recent visa refusals affecting invited speakers—including guests travelling from G7 partner countries to participate in the MAC National Convention—have generated concern regarding Canada’s ability to facilitate legitimate academic exchange, professional collaboration, and democratic dialogue.
Such decisions risk undermining Canada’s longstanding reputation as an open and welcoming destination for international engagement.
5. Erosion of Public Confidence
The legitimacy of Canada’s immigration system depends not only upon lawful decision-making, but also upon public confidence that decisions are administered fairly, consistently, transparently, and free from discrimination.
Recurring concerns across refugee protection, visitor visas, study permits, humanitarian pathways, and family reunification have contributed to declining confidence among affected communities and civil society organizations.
Restoring that confidence will require renewed leadership, greater transparency, meaningful accountability, and a demonstrated commitment to ensuring that Canada’s immigration system reflects the principles of fairness and equality upon which it has long been built.
