No refuge

The Globe and Mail reports on a new set of controversies surrounding the Immigration and Refugee Board:

The Immigration and Refugee Board will be reopening about two dozen refugee cases following complaints of sexual misconduct against a Toronto board member who is no longer hearing cases or permitted access to its offices...

The investigation of Mr. Fournier — as well as the misconduct of two other board members — has brought more public criticism of the tribunal, which is labouring under a shortage of members and trying to overcome its reputation for patronage appointments and unqualified adjudicators.

Steve Ellis, 47, a Toronto IRB member, was suspended last month after allegations that he offered to assist a South Korean woman in her refugee claim in return for sexual favours. He has since been charged by the RCMP, and the board has ordered an internal investigation into the incident and the possible reopening of cases he heard.

Yves Bourbonnais, who was with the IRB's appellate division, was sentenced to six years in prison in June for involvement in influence-peddling rings that demanded bribes as much as $15,000 from new immigrants and asylum seekers to guarantee their stay in Canada. He pleaded guilty to 30 charges of conspiracy and obstructing justice...

The federal government has been criticized over the years for failing to implement a merit-based process to select board members. Under the Liberals, many defeated political candidates and party workers were appointed to the $100,000-a-year positions, although in 2004 a merit-based selection process was introduced.

The Conservative government has made few appointments, a cause of concern to Jean-Guy Fleury, the IRB's chairman, who recently told the standing committee on citizenship and immigration that it was unusual to have two members under suspension...

Bill Siksay, NDP MP for the British Columbia riding of Burnaby-Douglas and the party's immigration critic, said the Fournier case highlights the need for a transparent process to deal with complaints against IRB members. “It's life and death for refugees who come before the IRB and we need to ensure this process is beyond reproach. We need codes of conduct that are clear.”

It's certainly a plus that some action has been taken in response to the past cases. But it's still far from certain that the process for refugee claimants is either properly resourced, or free of patronage and corruption. And it'll only be to Canada's detriment in the long run if the effect is both to exclude deserving refugees, and to cast doubt on those who are admitted.