PREFACE

On 16 October 2017, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration (hereafter referred to as the “Committee”) adopted a motion to study resettlement issues related to Yazidi women and girls.[1] The Committee decided to hold four meetings on the topic.[2]

From 7 November to 5 December 2017, the Committee heard from 29 witnesses and received 13 written submissions.[3] The Committee wishes to thank all the witnesses who appeared or contributed to this study, in particular the individuals who shared their personal stories of struggle.

INTRODUCTION

The Yazidi (also spelled Yezidi) population is an ethnic and religious minority of around 700,000 individuals who speak Kurmanji, of whom 400,000 to 500,000 are concentrated in the Sinjar region of Northern Iraq.[4] This minority group was targeted and persecuted for its beliefs and practices by Daesh[5] in 2014. Following the August 2014 attack of Yazidis in the Sinjar region by Daesh, nearly 200,000 were displaced throughout Iraq or fled to Lebanon, Syria or Turkey.[6] From January 2014 to May 2015, the Government of Canada resettled only 3 Yazidi cases, according to an audit by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).[7] On 25 October 2016, the House of Commons passed the following motion:

That the House (a) recognize that ISIS is committing genocide against the Yazidi people; (b) acknowledge that many Yazidi women and girls are still being held captive by ISIS as sexual slaves; (c) support recommendations found in the June 15, 2016, report issued by the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Syria entitled, “They came to destroy: ISIS Crimes Against the Yazidis”; and (d) call on the government to (i) take immediate action upon all the recommendations found in sections 210, 212, and 213 of the said report, (ii) provide asylum to Yazidi women and girls within 120 days.[8]

On 21 February 2017, the Government of Canada announced its plan to resettle 1,200 survivors of Daesh, including Yazidi women and girls, by the end of 2017.[9] As of 29 October 2017, 807 survivors had arrived in Canada. Of these 807 individuals, 81% are Yazidi, 28% are women, 22% are men and 49% are children.[10]

This report focuses on the Yazidi resettlement experience in Canada. The persecution of Yazidis abroad and the actions Canada could take were discussed by the Committee during the summer and fall of 2016.[11] The first two sections of this report revisit the need for resettling persecuted Yazidis to Canada as well as Canada’s multifaceted response. The third section of the report discusses the resettlement issues encountered by the resettled Yazidi community. In particular, the Committee heard testimony regarding areas of relocation of resettled Yazidis, housing and financial needs, health care needs, interpretation services and language acquisition. The report concludes with a section on the need for further family reunification opportunities for these resettled Yazidi women and children in order for them to rebuild their lives in Canada.

RESETTLING PERSECUTED YAZIDIS TO CANADA

A. Persecution and Vulnerability

The Committee heard from numerous witnesses about the persecution experienced by the Yazidi people, particularly with respect to the crimes committed by Daesh in August 2014.[12] The report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, referred to in the 25 October 2016 House of Commons motion, thoroughly details the persecution of Yazidis in Northern Iraq and provides a legal basis for classifying the acts of Daesh as genocide. The Commission determined that Daesh was responsible for, among other prohibited acts, killing members of a protected group, imposing measures intended to prevent births within the Yazidi community, and forcibly transferring Yazidi children to another group. It further determined that there was intent to destroy, in whole or in part, the Yazidis of Sinjar and that, consequently, the crime of genocide had been committed.[13]

Among the Commission’s list of recommendations were those specific to displaced Yazidis, including the need to accelerate the processing of asylum applications and the need to ensure that “Yazidi victims of genocide, including but not limited to sexual violence, are identified and treated as a vulnerable group for the purposes of housing, psychosocial support, and with regard to the asylum process.”[14] Officials representing IRCC provided the Committee with details about how these recommendations were addressed by Canada.

Dawn Edlund, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister of Operations at IRCC, explained that Canada offers protection to displaced individuals on the basis of vulnerability, rather than particular religious or ethnic background. For this reason, the Government of Canada's response to the 25 October 2016 House of Commons motion focused on all survivors of Daesh for whom resettlement would be an appropriate solution.[15] Ms. Edlund stated that IRCC worked closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration, and other partners to meet its Yazidi resettlement commitment. She stated that the UNHCR has been a key partner for IRCC in selecting individuals to resettle under the Yazidi initiative and that the organization “stepped out of its normal role in relation to this operation to do referrals of internally displaced persons as opposed to resettling refugees itself.”[16] She explained that the UNHCR in Northern Iraq worked with “the local government, the regional health authority, NGOs [non‑governmental organizations], and Yazda [a multinational Yazidi organization], etc., to identify the individuals and refer them to us.”[17] Thus, Iraqi and Canadian NGOs submitted names of potential applicants to the UNHCR who then conducted an assessment based on criteria established by Canada. The said criteria specified a prioritization of cases based on the following:

• Women and girls at risk;
• Accompanied children and dependants;
• LGBTI individuals;
• Single women or single parents;
• Cases with family in Canada;
• Elderly persons; and
• Persons with disabilities or specific medical needs.[18]

In view of that partnership, IRCC earmarked for 2017 $4.5 million specifically for UNHCR’s operational activities in Iraq.[19]

Jean-Nicolas Beuze, Representative in Canada of the Office of the UNHCR, thanked the Government of Canada for the opportunity to relocate the most vulnerable survivors of Daesh. He explained that the organization’s process of selection focuses on individual vulnerability. Mr. Beuze indicated that the UNHCR’s consideration of an individual’s need for protection is not dependent on whether or not the individual was specifically persecuted as part of genocide, but related rather to the existence of such persecution and a corresponding need for protection of that individual.[20] Lobat Sadrehashemi, refugee lawyer, supported the UNHCR’s approach to protection by explaining that without an objective criteria, selection of protected persons risked becoming “arbitrary and fraught.”[21]

Certain witnesses critiqued the approach of not considering the qualification of genocide alone as determinative to the selection of Yazidis for resettlement to Canada. Gary Rose, Director of Communications for Project Abraham at the Mozuud Freedom Foundation, stated that “the UNHCR is ignoring its mandate as required by the 1948 Geneva Convention by having a stated policy that disregards and contradicts the policy of the Government of Canada on the genocide of the Yazidis.”[22] Among the recommendations made to the Committee by Project Abraham was that Canada should “prioritize genocide as a criterion for selecting refugees to resettle in Canada, and therefore work outside of the UNHCR, which has stated it does not use genocide as a criterion, directly contravening both the UN [United Nations] and the GOC [Government of Canada] mandate.”[23]

Another issue raised with respect to the UNHCR was the length of time it took to process applications. Dalal Abdallah, a Yazidi Human Rights activist at Yazda, stated that she believed “that Yazidis are lost in the UN at times” and that a program needed to be created “that is dedicated directly for Yazidis.”[24] As such, some witnesses agreed that an alternative process to partnering with the UNHCR for selecting Yazidis should be sought.[25]

The result of the focus of IRCC on survivors of Daesh and of its reliance on the UNHCR was that, as of 29 October 2017, 80% of resettled individuals to Canada under the Yazidi resettlement initiative identified themselves as Yazidi. Of the 80% that identified as Yazidi (650), 79% are women and children.[26] Ms. Edlund also informed the Committee that a total of 1,383 survivors of Daesh have been identified to IRCC and that 1,200 will be resettled in Canada by the end of 2017 with the remaining in early 2018.[27] Thus, while IRCC did not outright include the Yazidi genocide as a criterion, by focusing on survivors of Daesh, the department responded to the recommendations of the report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic pertaining to displaced Yazidis.

B. Canada’s Resettlement Initiative: One Year After

The issue of whether Canada should commit to resettling more survivors of Daesh, or, more specifically, Yazidi women and children, was raised by several witnesses. Opinions varied with respect to potential resettlement numbers and the manner in which Yazidis should be resettled.

Ms. Abdallah stressed that “[resettlement of Yazidis] is very urgent for Canada.”[28] She suggested to the Committee that the target number of 1,200 Yazidis should be doubled, stating that “thousands of girls, boys and men are being killed.”[29]

Omar Khoudeida, an activist in the Yazidi community in London, Ontario, expressed the opinion that a special measure for additional resettlement of Yazidi women and children to Canada was necessary given that some have been in refugee camps for three years and that Yazidis arriving in Canada have inquired as to whether more will be taken in, specifically more family members.[30] One Free World International recommended in a written submission that Canada resettle an additional 3,000 Yazidis in 2018, highlighting the fact that “[t]ens of thousands of Yazidis remain in refugee camps and more are displaced living in makeshift communities on the fringes of an already war-torn society.”[31] This recommendation was echoed by Natalie Boldt in her written submission.[32]

Nadia Murad Basee Taha, President of the Nadia Murad Initiative at Yazda, voiced her support for extending the Yazidi resettlement initiative to an additional 5,000 people as a special measure beyond the 7,500 overall allotted government assisted refugee numbers for 2018, highlighting that increasing the number would provide “tremendous support” to Yazidis.[33] Debbie Rose, Manager, Project Abraham at the Mozuud Freedom Foundation, stated that an additional 5,000 would be “a good start”[34] and that at least another 5,000 Yazidis should be brought to Canada under the Government-Assisted Refugees Program.[35] Several other witnesses agreed with the importance of resettling an additional 5,000 Yazidis.[36] Advocating for higher numbers, Mirza Ismail, Founder and President of the Canadian section of Yezidi Human Rights Organization-International, stated that the special case of genocide warranted Canada resettling an additional 20,000 Yazidis over the next three years.[37]

When discussing resettlement, some witnesses focused less on a specific number and more on the importance that any special resettlement measures be considered above the 7,500 overall allotted refugee numbers for 2018. Shauna Labman, Assistant Professor at the University of Manitoba explained that initiatives that target certain groups should be considered “above and beyond our current resettlement quotas or targets and ambitions.”[38] She further explained that resettlement of a particular group of individuals, outside of the government planned resettlement efforts, is based on public interest and particularized protection needs and “should be a differential category.”[39]

Ms. Sadrehashemi reminded the Committee of the current global refugee crisis and stated that, as a wealthy nation, Canada needs to respond by increasing its overall resettlement numbers.[40] She supported Prof. Labman’s view with respect to special initiatives, stating that such initiatives “should not be carved out of Canada's targets that have already been set by the government for resettlement.”[41]

Mr. Beuze stated that the situation of the Yazidis was constantly evolving and that it is difficult to determine at the present time whether a similar Yazidi resettlement initiative will be required.[42] Given the magnitude of the global refugee crisis, Mr. Beuze pointed out that he was unsure whether the prioritization of Yazidis will necessarily lead to “the relocation of an additional number of survivors of Daesh.”[43] He further explained that the UNHCR’s immediate concern is “the fact that we have 4.2 million displaced persons in Iraq, we have more than 250,000 Syrian refugees in Iraq as we speak, and we have only one-fifth of the money required to help them.”[44] Mr. Beuze noted that, for the UNHCR, rather than focusing on a particular country of origin or ethnic group, “the needs of those 1.2 million people already identified in our database and who need resettlement” should be prioritized and that space be kept for “all of the refugees whose need is a matter of survival.”[45]

The Canadian Council for Refugees expressed concern over what it termed the politicization of Canadian resettlement programs. The organization explained that a resettlement program that targets a specific group risks compromising equitable treatment and stressed that “we should not be using religion, ethnicity or membership in a social group to decide in favour of one [individual] over the other.”[46] The organization further noted that it regretted Canada “trying to force a bias in referrals from UNHCR” and that Canada should allow the UNHCR to take the lead in determining which vulnerable individuals should be resettled to Canada.[47]

The Committee acknowledges the existence of a global refugee crisis with 22 million[48] refugees, of which 1.2 million are identified by the UNHCR as needing urgent resettlement. Given the number of worldwide refugees and given the vulnerability of Yazidi women and children, the Committee recommends:

Increasing Refugee Resettlement Targets

Recommendation 1

That the Government of Canada increase its refugee resettlement targets.

C. Need for Private Sponsorship

Canada resettles refugees through the Government-Assisted Refugees (GAR) Program, the Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) Program, and the relatively-new Blended Visa‑Officer Referred (BVOR) Program.[49] The Committee heard from a number of witnesses advocating for resettling Yazidis to Canada by using the private sponsorship stream. Indeed, of the 650 Yazidis resettled through the federal government’s initiative, 91% were government-assisted refugees and 9% were privately sponsor refugees.[50] As opposed to GARs, PSRs are supported by individual Canadians for the length of their one-year sponsorship, which includes housing, social and financial support. PSRs can also be sponsored by

• Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAH): groups that have signed agreements with the Government of Canada;
• Constituent Groups (CGs): A SAH can authorize CGs to sponsor under its agreement and provide support to the refugees;
• Groups of Five (G5): five or more Canadian citizens or permanent residents;
• Community Sponsors (CSs): an organization, association or corporation;
• Joint Assistance Sponsorship (JAS): organizations partner with the Canadian government to resettle refugees with special needs.

Witnesses discussed the merits of raising or removing restrictions on private sponsorship in the context of Yazidi resettlement. Of note, the immigration levels plan released for 2018 set the number of PSRs at 18,000,[51] which is an increase from the 4,560 PSRs resettled in 2014.[52] Lorne Weiss, Working Committee Member of Operation Ezra, explained that his organization is seeking more SAHs with higher quotas in cities with larger Yazidi communities.[53] In a written submission to the Committee, Operation Ezra also recommended that more SAHs should be awarded to groups with a history of sponsoring Yazidi refugees.[54] A separate written submission by Haifa Tawfiq suggested that Canada should encourage and support the PSR Program by lifting the cap on private sponsorship. In addition, quotas should be increased in order to allow more private organizations to sponsor more refugees.[55] When asked by the Committee whether the cap on PSRs should be lifted, five witnesses also expressed their approval.[56]

However, Mr. Weiss qualified his approval for lifting the cap on PSRs with a note of caution. He explained that growth in PSR numbers would be “self-monitoring” and tied to the ability to raise funds and stated that he “would hate to see [Yazidi] compete for private sponsorship with groups that are more well-established and that have more funds” for private sponsorship.[57] Accordingly, Mr. Weiss suggested that it should be recognized that certain groups would require preferential treatment.[58]

Prof. Labman praised the work of private organizations mobilizing to aid with resettlement, but voiced concern with what she termed an ad hoc privatization of settlement services and their gap-filling role.[59] She explained that increased dependence on private organizations risks creating differential treatment between GARs and PSRs and noted that the projection for immigration levels for the next three years sees private sponsorship numbers more than double those for GARs. Prof. Labman stressed the importance of considering the impact this might have on the “gap-filling capacity of private Canadians” and warned that aspects related to location and strength of a private organization must not become factors in the determination of government support.[60]

The Committee recommends:

Facilitating Private Sponsorship

Recommendation 2

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada work with stakeholders to facilitate the private sponsorship of Yazidi women and children; and deem these applications over and above the Sponsorship Agreement Holders’ allocations until 2020.

CANADA’S MULTIFACETED REPONSE

Witnesses familiar with humanitarian crises advised that there is rarely a single solution to a situation such as the one faced by the Yazidi people in Northern Iraq. Resettlement might be the preferred solution for one segment of the population, while return to homes in Iraq could be the better option for others. Although the purpose of the Committee’s hearings was to receive an update on the resettlement of Yazidi women and children, witnesses warned that resettlement initiatives need to be accompanied by continued humanitarian aid to Northern Iraq. Matthew Travis Barber, a doctoral student at the University of Chicago studying the Yazidi people, further stressed the importance of the spiritual centre of the Yazidi religion remaining in Iraq. Mr. Barber stated that the stability of the Yazidi homeland in Iraq is not only paramount for those remaining there; it is an important aspect for Yazidis resettling in Canada as well.[61] The manner in which Canada approaches its humanitarian aid and resettlement of Yazidis not only has an impact on the individuals involved, but on the resilience of Yazidis as a group and on the Yazidi religion.

Mr. Barber described the emigration of Yazidis from Iraq as a “double-edged sword,” noting that resettlement offers both advantages and risks to the Yazidi community and stressing the need for strategies to be developed to aid the group as a whole over the long run.[62] Thus, Mr. Barber recommends that resettlement initiatives occur in tandem with efforts aiding Yazidis that have remained in Sinjar, Iraq.[63] Mr. Barber explained that Yazidi opinions appear divided on the merits of resettlement; some feeling there is no future in Iraq and others believing that their homeland is worth fighting for. Payam Akhavan, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law of McGill University, commented that “virtually all of the people I spoke with did not want to leave Iraq to become refugees in other countries” and further emphasized that “I heard time and again that people wanted to go back to their homes.”[64] Nevertheless, Mr. Barber stated that a “comprehensive response to the Yazidi Genocide can respect the opinions of Yazidis on both sides of the emigration issue and can likewise provide robust assistance that addresses the needs of both groups.”[65]

The need for continued humanitarian aid in Iraq was underlined by Mr. Ismail. He requested that the Canadian government intervene to liberate Yazidi women and children still being held by Daesh and that Canada urgently send humanitarian aid to internally displaced persons in Iraq.[66] Haider Elias, President of Yazda, suggested that the Canadian government support local NGOs in Sinjar in their efforts to rebuild communities.[67] Finally, Prof. Akhavan added that “it's time to start thinking about reconstruction efforts so that [internally displaced people (IDPs)] can go back to their towns and villages where security circumstances permit.”[68]

Since the 25 October 2016 motion in the House of Commons, Canada has been addressing the Yazidi issue on two fronts. Sean Boyd, Executive Director, Middle East Relations at Global Affairs Canada, explained that, in addition to Canada’s Yazidi resettlement program, the federal government is also assisting Yazidis who remain in Iraq. He detailed the country’s current involvement in Iraq to the Committee by explaining that “[t]hrough multi-year programming under Canada's Middle East strategy, we are providing over $150 million in humanitarian assistance to Iraq to meet the needs of the most vulnerable, including the Yazidis.”[69]

Mr. Boyd further explained that Canada is funding the removal of unexploded ordnance and improvised explosive devices from Northern Iraq and is supporting “community‑level dispute resolution and reconciliation initiatives” to facilitate the return of IDPs to their homes.[70] Canada is also supporting anti-retribution campaigns as well as institutions addressing property and land disputes in Northern Iraq. Finally, the federal government has also been contributing to community policing in Iraq. Mr. Boyd explained that Canada is focusing on the development of civilian policing with five police officers currently deployed to Iraq and a plan to deploy up to 20 officers.[71]

Acknowledging the importance of addressing the persecution of Yazidis through a multifaceted approach, the Committee recommends:

Facilitating a Favourable Environment for Return

Recommendation 3

That the Government of Canada work with multilateral partners to help internally displaced Yazidi persons return to their region by working towards creating a favourable environment for return in Northern Iraq.

RESETTLEMENT ISSUES FACING YAZIDI WOMEN AND CHILDREN

When government-assisted refugees arrive in Canada, they receive financial and settlement support from the federal government. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada provides settlement support for GARs through the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP),[72] which is delivered through a network of service provider organizations. RAP service provider organizations provide basic orientation for GARs, including airport pickup, temporary accommodation, help for finding permanent housing, and enrolment in government programs. The services offered through the RAP are generally provided in the first four to six weeks after arrival. Access to settlement services such as language training continues until individuals become Canadian citizens. These settlement services are also adapted to the specific needs of children and youth, such as settlement support services in schools, homework clubs, and art and recreation-based activities.[73] More specifically, tailored services for Yazidi children are offered with the help of specialized programs and groups, such as the Aurora’s psycho-social settlement needs assessment at the Newcomers Employment and Education Development Services centre in Winnipeg, the Calgary Bride Foundation for Youth’s Settlement Workers in Schools Program and the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society’s Refugee Child Enhanced Integration Program.[74]

Acknowledging that survivors of Daesh have experienced severe trauma, IRCC works with partners in the communities where the refugees will be resettled to arrange for appropriate settlement supports, such as interpretation and psychological, physical and social supports.[75] Mohamed Al‑Adeimi, Director of settlement services at the South London Neighbourhood Resource Centre, presented to the Committee the complex network of services available in London, Ontario, for resettled Yazidis.[76] He explained that, before the arrival of Yazidi women and children, “we put in place a kind of wraparound team with the support that we get through IRCC funding.”[77] Ms. Edlund noted that IRCC provided additional funding, from the $21.7 million already set aside for this specific initiative, to organizations helping with the resettlement of Yazidi women and children.[78] The department “provided funding so each community can hire a wellness coordinator and also more supports for individual hands-on supports for each of the families.”[79] In addition, regional IRCC officers meet regularly with provincial officials, settlement agencies, clinics and other key partners such as school boards and divisions to ensure that an appropriate continuum of care is in place for these survivors of Daesh.[80]

The South London Neighbourhood Resource Centre prioritized settlement services in five core areas: basic needs, financial support, language training, recreational needs and mental health care, as noted in Figure 1 below. The Centre also provided sensitivity training[81] to the settlement staff to better understand “the atrocities and hardships that the Yazidi women and their families have undergone.”[82] This type of training is necessary according to Louisa Taylor, Director of Refugee 613, because it eases the integration process for everyone involved.[83]

Figure 1 – Example of the support network provided by the South London Neighbourhood Resource Centre to resettled Yazidi women and children in London, Ontario

Note:            SLNRC stands for South London Neighbourhood Resource Centre; RBC is the Royal Bank of Canada; SWIS means Settlement Workers in Schools; and LINC is Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada.

Source: South London Neighbourhood Resource Centre, Background document.

Mr. Khoudeida, an employee of the London Cross Cultural Learner Centre, also provided a full picture of the settlement services offered by his organization. More specifically,

the Yazidi community has been working with the London Cross Cultural Learner Centre to provide all the services and immediate needs for the new arrivals, including but not limited to short-term accommodation; permanent accommodation; facilitation of needed documents, such as PR [permanent resident] cards and OHIP [Ontario Health Insurance Plan] cards; applying for child benefits; interim federal health and life skills supports; access to information, orientation, and education sessions; access to on-site medical care in partnership with our local community health centre; intensive, time‑sensitive, and specialized case management; needs assessment, referrals, case coordination, home visits, and referrals to many agencies; settlement counselling and access to short-term on-site counselling; on-site child minding; language assessment and referrals to LINC [Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada] and ESL [English as a second language] programs; participation in social, therapeutic, language, and skills-based groups; and matching families with volunteers in the community.[84]

Nevertheless, despite this preparation, the Committee heard a variety of issues that resettled Yazidis have faced in Canada since February 2017. Witnesses raised concerns about isolation, lack of funding and support to access services such as health care, interpretation and language training. However, two witnesses reminded the Committee that issues of housing, interpretation, language and social connections are not “unique to Yazidi refugees”[85] and that all “refugees, no matter where they come from, are vulnerable”[86] to these resettlement challenges.

A. Location of Resettled Yazidi Women and Children in Canada

The Committee heard that, through the federal government’s initiative, Yazidi women and children have been resettled to cities in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and exceptionally to other provinces. Ms. Edlund stated that 642 government-assisted Yazidi refugees have gone to London, Toronto, Winnipeg, and Calgary, and 165 people have gone to 14 other communities across Canada, such as Montreal, Moose Jaw, Ottawa, Sherbrooke and Windsor.[87] She added that upon being informed of acquaintances in Canada, efforts were made to place newcomers near family or friends to facilitate integration.[88] Mr. Khoudeida indicated that the London Cross Cultural Learner Centre has helped 12 families with 46 members transfer from Toronto and other cities to London due to affordability and a connection to the local community.[89]

In choosing where to locate new arrivals, IRCC “considered the extent to which communities had an existing Yazidi diaspora, adequate medical and psychosocial supports, availability of interpreters, and social service provider organizations with experience with similar population groups.”[90] IRCC also considered “the advice of Yazidi leaders in Iraq and Canada who emphasized the importance of connections to the religious community in Canada, allowing for the organic formation of community networks amongst the newly resettled families.”[91] Hadji Hesso, from Yazidi Association of Manitoba, added that the Yazidi women and children were also consulted and informed IRCC that they wanted to go to existing Yazidi communities in Canada because it is easier to integrate.[92]

Ms. Edlund explained that the presence of an existing Yazidi community in Canada is due to the previous resettlement movement of 23,000 Iraqis in Canada between 2009 and 2014, which included Iraqi nationals who ethnically and/or religiously identified as Yazidi. These individuals created pockets of Canadian Yazidi diaspora in London, Toronto, Winnipeg and Calgary.[93] Priority was therefore given to resettle Yazidi women and children in these cities, with Lethbridge foreseen as a destination for future arrivals.[94] Ms. Edlund stated that these five cities have the infrastructure in terms of community and religious support.[95] In her written submission to the Committee, Ms. Bolt requested that Edmonton be considered by IRCC as an additional area to relocate Yazidi women and children because she has put “together teams of women who are ready and willing to help.”[96]

Witnesses, however, highlighted that many Yazidi women and children arrive in Canada not knowing that there are Yazidis already established in the country.[97] Project Abraham at the Mozuud Freedom Foundation argued in a written brief that “the government does not connect them with the established Canadian Yazidi community, which adds to their trauma, fear, and the feeling of isolation.”[98] For example, Mr. Hesso pointed out that Lethbridge is not a community with the infrastructure to welcome resettled Yazidi women and children; “no Yazidi families or single members live in Lethbridge today.”[99] Mr. Weiss suggested countering isolation between resettled Yazidi families in Winnipeg by settling “them close to each other so that their children are attending the same schools together and the families have an ability to interact.”[100]

Witnesses emphasized the importance of properly planning where Yazidi women and children are resettled in Canada. Mr. Barber further argued that survivors should be settled “in the same neighborhood; not scattered in multiple locations within a single city,”[101] especially because Yazidi women and children, he believes, do not have the same capacity to drive or use public transportation as other resettled refugees.[102] Benjamin Chacon, Executive Director of Interpretation Services at Cultural Interpretation Services for Our Communities, also spoke of developing connections and communications between the resettlement locations in order to develop the infrastructure and capacity of services to Yazidi women and children in their mother tongue.[103]

As such, the Committee recommends:

Building a Cohesive Community

Recommendation 4

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada offer newly arrived Yazidi women and children information about existing Yazidi communities in Canada to help build a supportive Canadian network of Yazidi people; and facilitate the resettlement of Yazidi women and children in areas with existing Yazidi communities to assist with their integration.

Strengthening Services

Recommendation 5

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada continue to support settlement service providers assisting Yazidi women and children in developing shared capacity and best practices particularly within the five relocation areas, namely London, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary and Lethbridge.

Developing Best Practices for the Resettlement of Vulnerable Groups

Recommendation 6

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada work with relevant stakeholders and experts on the development of a best practices guide for the settlement sector on the resettlement and integration of vulnerable groups.

B. Housing and Financial Needs

The Resettlement Assistance Program, delivered through a network of service provider organizations, provides GARs with temporary accommodations and support for finding permanent housing. When considering where to house the resettled Yazidi women and children, IRCC consulted with counterparts in Germany, who have also resettled Yazidi women and children, and was informed to expect large families of 10 to 12 people.[104] However, Ms. Edlund noted that, in fact, “the individual nuclear families are quite small, two to three people.”[105] She further explained that requests had been made for extended family members who are also coming to Canada to live in the same household.[106] Housing that accommodates not only the immediate family, but also brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, grandparents, and de facto family members, is therefore being sought.

Government-assisted refugees, whose initial resettlement in Canada is entirely supported by the Government of Canada, receive financial and settlement support. It is important to note that financial support “can last up to one year from the date of arrival in Canada, or until the refugee is able to support himself or herself, whichever happens first.”[107] Ms. Edlund informed the Committee that there is “another program called the Joint Assistance Sponsorship[108] where, for particularly vulnerable families, that income support can be extended to a two‑year period.”[109] Mr. Khoudeida indicated that the London Cross Cultural Learner Centre has “identified some single mothers with children who face additional settlement challenges and who are in need of longer-term support.”[110] As of 30 November 2017, the London Cross Cultural Learner Centre got two families into the Joint Assistance Sponsorship Program.[111] Prof. Labman encouraged “a broader examination of the expansion and promotion of the Joint Assistance [Sponsorship] Program” to explore the possibility of closer partnership between the government and private sponsors.[112]

The Committee also heard that resettled Yazidi women and children face a number of challenges when accessing housing and financial support in Canada, including affordability.[113] Overall, Ms. Taylor stated that there are “a lot of problems with affordable housing, and refugees are among the most vulnerable to that issue.” [114] Mr.  Ismail suggested that all levels of government work together “to provide these Yazidis with government housing.”[115]

Mr. Ismail said that the main challenge for resettled Yazidi women and children is finding permanent housing. He observed that it was “left up to the refugees to find their own dwelling” with housing NGOs only providing apartment listings as housing support.[116] While this is the case with most refugees, he believes that this is especially difficult for resettled Yazidis because they do not have “any familiarity with Canadian culture, language skills, and transportation.”[117] Mr. Ismail also explained that when a family moves into a new home, it can take “up to two weeks or more for the government to provide furniture, including beds.”[118]

According to witnesses, insufficient monthly income and delays in the receipt of federal child tax benefits have meant that rent, food, and other expenses are barely covered by the funds allocated to families.[119] Ms. Rose explained that the child benefit payments are delayed because “there is a continual glitch where … the family receives notification that the government is waiting to receive information on the spouse’s income.”[120] She emphasized to the Committee that “this is happening to grieving widows,”[121] who have also suffered severe trauma. According to her, the child benefit payments generally arrive “within 11 weeks from the time of application, [but in] reality, some families do not see these payments for up to six months.”[122] The Canadian Council for Refugees highlighted the importance of sensitivity from government departments such as Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). The organization echoed the concerns about delayed payments voiced by Ms. Rose, adding that families have faced delays in receiving their Canada Child Benefit payments due to the CRA investigating the situation of a father presumed missing or deceased. The organization added that requests for supporting documentation for a missing or deceased spouse can cause trauma to a surviving mother who may be yearning for a spouse to be found alive and therefore unwilling to sign an affidavit affirming his death.[123] COSTI Immigrant Services voiced similar concerns but also noted that, in February 2017, CRA agreed to accept letters of support from settlement agencies on behalf of their clients.[124]

Mr. Barber underlined the importance of housing within close proximity to educational, medical, and therapeutic resources. He described the experience of Yazidis resettled in Germany “who had only seen a doctor once in six months, not because of the availability of the doctors, but because they were housed far from where the medical options were located and had difficulty navigating the public transportation system.”[125] Shannon Smith echoed the same recommendation and shared with the Committee the experience of the Morad family who was resettled to Calgary earlier this spring. She highlighted how difficult it was for the oldest daughter in the family, who is 13 years old, to attend school because of the distance between the school and the house.

She had to walk several blocks and take two buses to get there, and she became very overwhelmed. She and her mother decided she would no longer be put through that, and so she stopped attending school after the first day. … I asked her if she wanted to go to school. She fell to her knees crying and shaking and saying she wanted to go to school but didn’t know how.[126]

Ms. Smith informed the school of the situation on behalf of the family and the principal of the school offered to provide transportation to the 13 year old by taxi to and from school.[127]

Overall, housing affordability and service proximity are essential to refugees who arrive in Canada because they are among the most vulnerable. Resettled Yazidi women and children can start rebuilding their lives in Canada thanks to the housing and income support from the federal government.

As such, the Committee recommends:

Ensuring Proximity to Services and Housing which is Affordable

Recommendation 7

That the Government of Canada recognize that resettled Yazidi women and children do not necessarily have the knowledge, ability or resources to access services on their own and should assist them in relocating to areas that are in close proximity to services, such as public transportation, educational and medical centres as well as settlement services; and work with provincial and municipal governments as well as service provider organizations to ensure resettled Yazidi women and children have improved access to housing which is affordable.

C. Health Care Needs

In November 2016, during its study on the resettlement of Yazidi women and girls, the Committee head from Dr. Jan Ilhan Kizilhan, head of the department of Mental Health and Addiction at the Cooperative State University Baden-Württemberg in Germany. Dr. Kizilhan conducted psychological examinations of Daesh survivors in Iraq and examined 1,400 Yazidi women and girls in Northern Iraq in 2016.[128] He explained to the Committee the trauma and suffering undergone by survivors of Daesh and the significant challenges to provide the necessary health care support.

The survivors, as well as the Yazidi community they belong to, will be traumatized for decades. Forms of violence include rape, harassment, mutilation, enslavement, marking the victims by branding, and killing the victims. Rape is an extreme assault of the intimate self, and it causes enormous feeling of humiliation and shame. Most of the victims develop post-traumatic stress disorder and a range of other disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and somatic disorders.

…

The medical and psychological care of people who experience the trauma process like the Yazidis provide significant challenges for therapists, physicians, and other experts. Apart from the language difficulties resulting from forced migration, they include patients, cultural-specific perspectives and description of illness, resulting in story-telling modes, political situation, gender-specific aspects, and transgenerational trauma.[129]

By consulting with its German counterparts and multilateral partners, IRCC was made aware of the types of health care support required to attend to Yazidi women and children and had “insight into the integration supports that people have been using.”[130] Ms. Edlund, from IRCC, noted that given the extensive trauma resettled Yazidis have survived, “a tremendous amount of psychosocial supports and mental health supports need to be put in place” and that “[o]ur local immigration partnerships have then ensured, working with us, that the settlement supports are actually available so we don’t have gaps in service.”[131] The Department also worked with the provinces and territories to arrange complementary programming of services and health care support. At the federal level, this meant providing adequate resources to the Interim Federal Health Program to ensure medical services are available.[132] For example, interpretation support is covered under the Interim Federal Health Program.[133] IRCC noted, however, that it is currently working with different stakeholders towards ensuring specialized medical services may be available to the Yazidi women and children in their own language rather than through interpretation.[134]

Yazidi women and children are resettled to Canada mainly through the GAR Program. As such, they are resettled as permanent residents and have their primary health care covered by the province where they have been resettled.[135] The Interim Federal Health Program offered by the federal government is “a top-up to what they would get from their normal provincial health services.”[136]

Corinne Prince, Director General of Settlement and Integration Policy Branch at IRCC, described the collaboration between involved parties. She stated that in Calgary,

local service provider organizations are working extremely closely—more than ever, actually—with the local health authorities, not only in terms of mental health but even, as a specific example, ensuring that the local paramedic teams understand the issues this particular [Yazidi] population is dealing with and can adjust the services they are offering to ensure they’re dealing with the deep issues.[137]

Ms. Edlund informed the Committee that, as of 7 November 2017, “636 people have accessed interim federal health services [and the] highest number of services have been in relation to medications and to vision care.”[138]

1. Mental health support

The Committee learned that, in general, refugee populations are more likely than the general population to be exposed to and/or encounter social factors that can affect someone’s risk of developing a mental health problem or illness.[139] The resettled Yazidi women and children have faced a specific set of factors that make them vulnerable to mental health problems or illnesses. The London Cross Cultural Learner Centre emphasized that “many families are living with open wounds; current and complex trauma, as family members whereabouts are unknown, missing and/or presumed dead at the hands of the Islamic State.”[140]

The Mental Health Commission of Canada added that stress from “failure to meet cultural expectations, an ethos of non-disclosure due to fear of shame and a lack of social support effect immigrant and refugees disproportionately and may aggravate […] mental health problems.”[141]

As such, the London Cross Cultural Learner Centre noted that “settlement is hard to attain when grieving processes are hard to even entertain let alone endeavour to start.”[142] For that reason, the Centre partnered with the Canadian Mental Health Association to pilot a program for Yazidi women, which focuses on “fostering belonging, connection, trust and social cohesion and supporting the women in learning coping tools and strategies to support their resettlement journeys.”[143] The Centre also partnered with Merrymount Family Support and Crisis Centre to “collaborate on an art therapy group for Yazidi children,” which allows creative expression for children affected by armed conflict and focuses on recovery and resilience.[144] Mr. Hesso observed that specific mental health support to children is necessary. He testified that while resettled Yazidi children said they love attending school, they have difficulties “learning because of the impact of trauma, which makes it difficult to learn and retain information.”[145]

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada provides funding to communities for a wellness coordinator.[146] The London Cross Cultural Learner Centre used this funding to hire two wellness coordinators to “provide short-term brief counselling and therapeutic group support. However, coping with trauma due to forced displacement and violence requires long-term and holistic support and interventions.”[147]

Ms. Edlund, from IRCC, pointed out that, “up until now, there has not been a large number of individuals who have received individualized counselling.”[148] Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is aware of only five individuals who have accessed individualized counselling[149] for mental health support and of 50 individuals who have accessed, through the Interim Federal Health Program, medications that are possibly related to mental health supports.[150] However, Ms. Edlund reminded the Committee that resettled Yazidis can access medical services at the provincial and territorial level as well as the federal level.[151] Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada provided the Committee with federal data and data from the Canadian Mental Health Association, which explains that “in situations like this you have the initial euphoria when people arrive in Canada, and then their mental health needs resurface six to 24 months in.”[152]

a. Barriers to accessing mental health support

According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, refugee populations are less likely than the general population to seek help for mental health problems.[153] Some fear seeking mental health care because of past negative experiences in their country of origin or of possible negative perceptions in the host country. The fear of being seen as a burden to society can be a powerful barrier when it is combined with the stigma surrounding mental health. It is not uncommon to find individuals who believe that having mental health problems brings shame to themselves, their family and their community. Accessing mental health services can also be a barrier, especially when lacking proficiency in English or French.[154] Services are seen as culturally incompatible and inaccessible due to long wait lists, complicated procedures and inconvenient hours. In addition, circumstantial challenges such as transportation, costs, isolation, weather and competing demands can also impede seeking out mental health care, especially for children, women and seniors.[155]

Project Abraham explained that “refugees from the Middle East have resistance to getting therapy (sic) to help them with their trauma” and that “there needs to be a better program of support to help them.”[156] Ms. Abdallah also added that a barrier to mental health treatment is the lack of interpretation and translation services for the Yazidi mother tongue, Kurmanji.[157]

Ms. Edlund explained that IRCC is conscious of the linguistic barrier to mental health support and that, under the Interim Federal Health Program, interpretation and translation services are paid for by the federal government.[158] However, the services are offered through local immigration partnerships.[159] She stated that IRCC has “been working with Yazidi communities in our four core cities—soon to be five—to make sure that we have those additional interpretation services available.”[160] The case of the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society hiring a Kurmanji interpreter from Winnipeg was given as an example.[161] The Ontario Council on Community Interpreting and the Language Industry Association highlighted that services provided in a timely and linguistically appropriate manner have the benefit of decreasing the “escalation of health care and mental health issues and decrease expenditures for all levels of government.”[162]

In order to ensure better access to mental health support for survivors of Daesh, Ms. Smith recommended that Yazidi women and girls have “access to personalized, individualized mental health care, not in a group setting, but in their homes.”[163] She added that

This is extreme sexual trauma, even for children, and it’s very difficult for them—outside the comfort of their home and a trusting, private relationship—to really, fully express what they’ve been through. I believe that’s why they continue to relive it.[164]

Overall, Ms. Taylor, from Refugee 613, stressed the importance of investing in mental health services to improve support for refugees. Based on her experience with Syrian refugees, she stated that “to be dislocated from your home against your will is a trauma, no matter what.”[165] She recommended investing “in creative and flexible mental health support that can get over the cultural stigma of seeking out support.”[166] Mr. Barber and Ms. Boldt reiterated that all survivors of Daesh need access to better mental health resources.[167]

As such, the Committee recommends the following:

Improving Mental Health Support and Access

Recommendation 8

That the Government of Canada work with provincial and territorial governments, the Mental Health Commission of Canada and all relevant partners to invest in improving mental health support for all refugees resettled in Canada; and work to improve access to mental health support for Yazidi women and children in their mother tongue when accessing services through the Interim Federal Health Program.

D. Interpretation Services

Appropriate settlement support includes interpretation and translation services to allow resettled refugees to access services as soon as they arrive in Canada.[168] However, witnesses testified that when resettled Yazidi women and children access settlement services, they encounter a lack of interpretation services in Kurmanji, the Yazidi mother tongue.

Nadre Atto, a resettled Yazidi refugee and a mother of five, explained to the Committee that, when she arrived in Canada, she did not have access to Kurmanji interpretation. She said she was “lucky” that her brother spoke Arabic and could converse with officials and settlement organizations through an Arabic interpreter.[169] According to Mr. Ismail from the Yezidi Human Rights Organization, this is an issue, especially for resettled Yazidi women and children, because Arabic-speaking interpreters “add to their confusion and fear. Some Yezidis thought they were back in the hands of ISIS.”[170] Ms.  Smith also shared with the Committee that Arabic is a trigger for the young Yazidi girl she helps in Calgary, “because her captors spoke Arabic.”[171] Ms. Smith also indicated that at school the girl “tends to stay away from the Arabic children” for the same reason.[172]

Mr.  Chacon, from Cultural Interpretation Services for Our Communities, pointed out that not offering Kurmanji interpretation to resettled Yazidis “is insulting to them because of all the baggage they are carrying.”[173] Assuming that Yazidis speak Arabic because they “come from the borders of Syria or Iraq” is a misconception.[174] Mr. Chacon stated that more education is needed among service provider organizations to ensure the proper linguistic capacity is available to assist resettled Yazidi women and children.[175] He also recommended sharing interpretation capacities between settlement organizations to provide services to Yazidi women and children in their mother tongue.[176]

Mr. Chacon also informed the committee that Kurmanji is spoken in as many as 12 regional dialects, with some dialects only spoken, not written. This creates a challenge for interpretation and translation.[177] For example, he pointed out that they have developed a fluency assessment for Kurmanji, but due to the existence of several dialects, they would need to develop new assessments for each dialect to ensure that interpreters are fluent.[178] The Cultural Interpretation Services for Our Communities often needs to recruit, train and evaluate interpreters for languages of lesser diffusion. The organization identifies interpreters and ensures “that they have the fluency necessary to be able to provide the services in the communities.”[179] It also provides the necessary training “to educate them and to ensure that they follow the protocols we have put in place here in Canada, as well as build vocabulary in the different areas such as medical, legal, and social environments.”[180] This process requires a lot of resources and time and is not always feasible for a local organization such as the Cultural Interpretation Services for Our Communities.[181] Such organizations would need to receive “some type of support from the community to be able to develop these assessments.”[182] However, Mr. Chacon noted that all the training is provided online, making it accessible across Canada and building a stronger capacity throughout the country.[183]

Professor Andrew Clifford, Director, Master of Conference Interpreting at Glendon College, York University, does not train interpreters in Kurmanji, but knows how difficult it is to find qualified applicants who will become interpreters. He explained that, when people come to an interpreter training program, they must have a very strong command of their working languages. Interpreters are not trained to speak, but to interpret another language.[184] He also highlighted that it is a specialized skill that cannot be practised by untrained or unqualified individuals, especially in life-changing situations such as surgery or a resettlement application.[185]

Mr. Khoudeida shared with the Committee the experience of the London Cross Cultural Learner Centre, where 10 people were trained to help interpret for resettled Yazidis. He specified that there are specially trained women who work with Yazidi women and girls, especially for visits to the doctor or for referrals. The London Cross Cultural Learner Centre took the initiative to find and train interpreters “as soon as the announcement was made this year” for resettling survivors of Daesh.[186] Mr. Khoudeida recognized that “we need to train more Yazidis who speak the direct language to help” the resettled Yazidis.[187] In order to bridge the gap from one relocation area to another, he suggested doing interpretation over the phone, if the situation permits it.[188]

Lola Bendana, Director at Multi-Languages Corporation, shared with the Committee a strategy that could help increase the numbers of interpreters for languages of lesser diffusion such as Kurmanji. She presented the idea of training some refugees as interpreters, which is currently piloted by some settlement organizations in Toronto. However, the refugees need to have a working proficiency in English or French and need to heal from their own personal “trauma before they can function properly as interpreters.”[189]

Ms. Smith recommended that “interpretation services [be extended] beyond six months, because communication is a barrier to all the other issues, such as transportation and mental health services.”[190] Ms. Bendana added that if “high-needs refugee populations … receive the help they need in a timely manner from a professional interpreter, there will be less need for health care services, fewer mental health issues, and a lowering of costs in all levels of government.”[191]

As such, the Committee recommends:

Anticipating Interpreting Needs

Recommendation 9

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada anticipate linguistic capacity needs in its resettlement initiatives and provide professional interpretation to newcomers in their mother tongue.

Developing Community Interpreting

Recommendation 10

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada work with provincial, territorial and municipal governments, as well as professional associations in the areas of interpretation and translation, to develop the capacity of community interpreting and to ensure that professional interpretation is provided to newcomers to Canada who are in need of this service.

E. Language Acquisition

Currently, Yazidi women and children are resettled in cities where a majority of the population is English speaking. One of the most common settlement services is language training, which is offered from the time a refugee arrives in Canada until becoming a Canadian citizen. Witnesses remarked that resettled Yazidi women and children do acquire English, but with certain difficulties.

The London Cross Cultural Learner Centre stated that circumstantial challenges such as childcare, medical appointments and transportation act as barriers for Yazidi women who attend language classes to learn English.[192] However, Mr. Khoudeida said that resettled Yazidis in London are attending classes and are learning the language.[193] According to him, “that’s their first goal, to learn the language.”[194] Mr. Hesso added that resettled Yazidis in Winnipeg do attend English classes and “appear to learn more through conversational groups where they make connections and build relationships with others.”[195] The Yazidi Association of Manitoba encouraged resettlement agencies to find creative ways to teach English as a Second Language with the purpose of facilitating language acquisition.[196] Project Abraham also suggested providing conversational opportunities in English in the Yazidi community, which would include resettled Yazidis who cannot attend regular language training.[197]

The London Cross Cultural Learner Centre underlined that poor language acquisition is

compounded by experiences of gender based violence and trauma [which lead to] focused interventions for employment … [as well as] reconfigurations and reorganizations of some of these family units. For example, many children and youth take a heightened role as navigator, interpreter and decision maker.[198]

Mr. Barber noted that “the acquisition of new language skills … will be the first step in a process that will allow many women and girls to receive important psychological therapy in the future.”[199]

Ms. Abdallah shared with the Committee the determination of a Yazidi woman resettled in London, Ontario, who wants to acquire English. She attends an English as a Second Language program. According to Ms. Abdallah, “she wants to learn English and become a voice for the voiceless” despite all the pain and struggle she went through and is still going through.[200] The Committee also heard from Ms. Smith who shared the experience of the Yazidi woman who is the head of the Morad family resettled in Calgary. Ms. Smith stated that she has seen little or no progress in the woman’s ability to learn English over the last seven months. She added: “She’s been taking classes. She’s been attending regularly and trying very hard, but I believe the stress and the trauma are preventing her from learning English.”[201] However, Fariborz Birjandian, from the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society, informed the Committee that his organization has been assisting the Morad family and that, in his opinion, the family has shown resilience and has made significant headway since arriving in Canada.[202]

Overall, refugees, protected persons and permanent residents can take language classes, either in English or in French, at no cost. IRCC finances in both official languages the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) program since 1992.[203] The Committee recognizes the importance of Canada’s official languages and, as such, recommends:

Encourage Language Acquisition

Recommendation 11

That Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada continue its support of language training for all refugees.

NEED FOR FAMILY REUNIFICATION

One of the objectives cited in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act is “to support the self-sufficiency and the social and economic well-being of refugees by facilitating reunification with their family members in Canada.”[204] Family reunification for refugees is mainly facilitated through the “One-Year Window,”[205] under which both government-assisted and privately sponsored refugees have the opportunity to reunite with spouses, common‑law partners, dependent children and their dependent children, within their first year in Canada. A resettled refugee can apply for family reunification within one year of admission to Canada. While the family members do not need to be refugees in their own right, they must have been declared in the original resettlement application of the principal applicant.

However, it is possible that Yazidi women and children have left behind a member of the family class due to situations outside of their control, such as violence and captivity by Daesh.[206] Mr. Hesso provided the example of a Yazidi boy who was reunited with his mother in Canada in August 2017. Mr. Hesso explained that the boy was captured by Daesh back in 2014 and was found alive in July of this year.[207] The mother had arrived in Winnipeg in February 2017 and did not know if her son was still alive. After seeing pictures of a battle in Mosul, she recognized her son and undertook all possible avenues to be reunited with him in Canada.[208]

Nevertheless, Ms. Rose argued that Yazidis often believe family members to be dead and do not include them in the application of the principal applicant. She claimed that, in those cases, the current One‑Year Window Program creates “a long, drawn-out process that could take years” to prove the person sponsored is an eligible family member under the program.[209] COSTI Immigrant Services explained that, in addition to not including family members believed to be deceased, it is not unusual for missing family members to be located after the first year. In such cases, the organization explained, there are few methods for resettlement other than a Humanitarian and Compassionate claim, which costs money and usually requires the assistance of a lawyer.[210]

In regards to family reunification for resettled Yazidi women and children, Ms. Edlund explained that IRCC asked the UNHCR to include extended family as much as possible when referring cases.[211] The UNHCR did refer extended family members and they are counted in the overall initiative to resettle Yazidi women and children. Ms. Edlund added that IRCC is currently identifying “whether there are any individuals who are family members who were perhaps in captivity and have been released and the mechanisms for getting them to Canada quickly to reunite.”[212]

However, the Committee heard from several witnesses who advocated that more should be done to reunite Yazidi families affected by the persecution and the war. Ms. Atto urged the Committee to “bring more Yazidi families over here to Canada to help them because the situation over there is” dire.[213] She also called for reuniting with her brother, sister, and mother who were not resettled with her to Canada.[214] Mr. Hesso explained that newly resettled Yazidis frequently talk about family members back in Iraq.[215] Ms. Abdallah advocated for “a program for the Yazidis to reconnect with family members left in Iraq to have them come and join them here in Canada.”[216] Mr. Weiss explained that prioritizing opportunities of family reunification plays an important role in successful integration,[217] while Mr. Hesso stated that larger families appeared to be adapting more quickly than individuals or smaller families.[218] Mr. Barber stressed that, in light of feedback from the German resettlement experience, efforts must be made to resettle families together.[219]

Prof. Labman commented on “the so-called echo effect” as resettled Yazidis work to bring over their extended families.[220] According to her, family reunification for Yazidi women and children will “most commonly occur through private sponsorship, although UNHCR has indicated it is receiving names directly from Canadian NGOs, which would funnel into the GAR Program.”[221]

As such, the Committee recommends:

Supporting Family Reunification

Recommendation 12

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada support family reunification for survivors of Daesh by considering extending indefinitely the One-Year Window of Opportunity for them to include immediate family members found to be living; and continue to expedite the applications of immediate family members.

In conclusion, the Committee would like to thank the individuals, local and international organizations and departments who contributed to the resettlement of Yazidi women and children in Canada. The witnesses have provided the Committee with valuable insight into the daily work and challenges of resettlement services.