Statement From Michelle Rempel On Liberal Immigration Sponsorship Policy Gap

OTTAWA, ON – The Hon. Michelle Rempel, Shadow Minister for Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, issued the following statement regarding a government decision that is keeping vulnerable women who have sponsored their partners in situations of abuse:
“This Liberal government removed the conditional permanent residence requirement for sponsored spouses, a significant policy change that does not allow for a sponsor to end the three-year undertaking period. This means that the sponsor is held responsible for the expenses of their sponsored spouse for the entire waiting period, even if they have since been subjected to domestic abuse.“I have been contacted by a woman who is in an abusive situation and despite filing for divorce and pressing assault charges against her husband, she cannot end the sponsorship agreement that she signed to bring him to Canada. The Liberal government has enacted a policy that is having adverse consequences on vulnerable women.
“Despite seeking additional information on this disturbing situation, the Department of Immigration has refused to commit to fixing this issue. It is absolutely unconscionable that this government claims to be a feminist government and yet they allow this injustice to continue under their watch. I will continue to hold the Trudeau government to account and demand that they fix this policy gap which puts vulnerable women at risk.”