Docket: IMM-6545-13
Citation:
2015 FC 131
Ottawa, Ontario, February
3, 2015
PRESENT: The
Honourable Mr. Justice Phelan
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BETWEEN:
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MARIA BRIGITTE DIAZ CASTRO
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JULIETTE JOHANA ESPITIA DIAZ
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BRIGGETTE LORENA BALLESTEROS DIAZ
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MARIANA ESPITIA DIAZ
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JUAN ALEJANDRO MONTOYA ESPITIA
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Applicants
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and
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THE MINISTER OF CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION
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Respondent
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JUDGMENT AND REASONS
I.
Introduction
[1]
This is an application for judicial review of a
decision by the Refugee Appeal Division [RAD] dismissing the Applicants’ appeal
for lack of jurisdiction.
II.
Background
[2]
The Applicants left Colombia, travelled to the United States and came directly to Canada where they claimed refugee protection. Their claim was
dismissed by the Refugee Protection Division [RPD] principally on grounds of
state protection.
[3]
The RAD held that because the Applicants came
directly from the United States, their appeal of the negative decision of the RPD
could not be considered because of the operation of s 110(2)(d) of
the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, SC 2001, c 27 [IRPA], and
the Safe Third Country Agreement between Canada and the United States.
III.
Analysis
[4]
Sections 102(1) and (2) of the IRPA, deal with
Safe Third Countries.
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102. (1) The regulations may govern
matters relating to the application of sections 100 and 101, may, for the
purposes of this Act, define the terms used in those sections and, for the
purpose of sharing responsibility with governments of foreign states for the
consideration of refugee claims, may include provisions
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102. (1) Les règlements régissent l’application
des articles 100 et 101, définissent, pour l’application de la présente loi,
les termes qui y sont employés et, en vue du partage avec d’autres pays de la
responsabilité de l’examen des demandes d’asile, prévoient notamment :
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(a) designating countries that comply
with Article 33 of the Refugee Convention and Article 3 of the Convention
Against Torture;
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a) la
désignation des pays qui se conforment à l’article 33 de la Convention sur
les réfugiés et à l’article 3 de la Convention contre la torture;
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(b) making a list of those countries
and amending it as necessary; and
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b)
l’établissement de la liste de ces pays, laquelle est renouvelée en tant que
de besoin;
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(c) respecting the circumstances and
criteria for the application of paragraph 101(1)(e).
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c) les cas et les critères d’application de
l’alinéa 101(1)e).
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(2) The following factors are to be considered in designating a
country under paragraph (1)(a):
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(2) Il est tenu
compte des facteurs suivants en vue de la désignation des pays :
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(a) whether the country is a party to
the Refugee Convention and to the Convention Against Torture;
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a) le fait que ces pays sont parties à la
Convention sur les réfugiés et à la Convention contre la torture;
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(b) its policies and practices with
respect to claims under the Refugee Convention and with respect to
obligations under the Convention Against Torture;
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b) leurs politique et usages en ce qui touche
la revendication du statut de réfugié au sens de la Convention sur les
réfugiés et les obligations découlant de la Convention contre la torture;
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(c) its human rights record; and
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c) leurs
antécédents en matière de respect des droits de la personne;
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(d) whether it is party to an
agreement with the Government of Canada for the purpose of sharing
responsibility with respect to claims for refugee protection.
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d) le fait qu’ils sont ou non parties à un
accord avec le Canada concernant le partage de la responsabilité de l’examen
des demandes d’asile.
[Emphasis by Court]
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[5]
The only country with an agreement with Canada, as provided for in s 102(2)(d), is the United States.
[6]
IRPA s 110(2) precludes appeals to the RAD in a
number of circumstances; sub-paragraph 2(f) being the relevant
provision.
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110. (2) No appeal may be made in
respect of any of the following:
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110. (2) Ne sont pas susceptibles d’appel :
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(a) a decision of the Refugee
Protection Division allowing or rejecting the claim for refugee protection of
a designated foreign national;
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a) la décision de la Section de la protection
des réfugiés accordant ou rejetant la demande d’asile d’un étranger désigné;
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(b) a determination that a refugee
protection claim has been withdrawn or abandoned;
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b) le prononcé de désistement ou de retrait de
la demande d’asile;
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(c) a decision of the Refugee Protection
Division rejecting a claim for refugee protection that states that the claim
has no credible basis or is manifestly unfounded;
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c) la
décision de la Section de la protection des réfugiés rejetant la demande
d’asile en faisant état de l’absence de minimum de fondement de la demande
d’asile ou du fait que celle-ci est manifestement infondée;
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(d) subject to the regulations, a
decision of the Refugee Protection Division in respect of a claim for refugee
protection if
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d) sous réserve des règlements, la décision de
la Section de la protection des réfugiés ayant trait à la demande d’asile
qui, à la fois :
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(i) the foreign
national who makes the claim came directly or indirectly to Canada from a
country that is, on the day on which their claim is made, designated by
regulations made under subsection 102(1) and that is a party to an agreement
referred to in paragraph 102(2)(d), and
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(i) est faite par un étranger arrivé, directement ou
indirectement, d’un pays qui est — au moment de la demande — désigné par
règlement pris en vertu du paragraphe 102(1) et partie à un accord visé à
l’alinéa 102(2)d),
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(ii) the claim —
by virtue of regulations made under paragraph 102(1)(c) — is not
ineligible under paragraph 101(1)(e) to be referred to the Refugee
Protection Division;
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(ii) n’est pas irrecevable au titre de l’alinéa 101(1)e)
par application des règlements pris au titre de l’alinéa 102(1)c);
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(d.1) a decision of the Refugee
Protection Division allowing or rejecting a claim for refugee protection made
by a foreign national who is a national of a country that was, on the day on
which the decision was made, a country designated under subsection 109.1(1);
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d.1) la décision de la Section de la protection
des réfugiés accordant ou rejetant la demande d’asile du ressortissant d’un
pays qui faisait l’objet de la désignation visée au paragraphe 109.1(1) à la
date de la décision;
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(e) a decision of the Refugee
Protection Division allowing or rejecting an application by the Minister for
a determination that refugee protection has ceased;
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e) la décision de la Section de la protection
des réfugiés accordant ou rejetant la demande du ministre visant la perte de
l’asile;
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(f) a decision of the Refugee
Protection Division allowing or rejecting an application by the Minister to
vacate a decision to allow a claim for refugee protection.
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f)
la décision de la Section de la protection des réfugiés accordant ou rejetant
la demande du ministre visant l’annulation d’une décision ayant accueilli la
demande d’asile.
[Emphasis by Court]
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[7]
Regulation 159.3 of the Immigration and
Refugee Protection Regulations, SOR/2002-227, specifically names the United States as the designated country under IRPA s 102(1).
[8]
It is immaterial whether the standard of review
is correctness or reasonableness, the result is the same.
[9]
The RAD was correct in determining that it had
no jurisdiction to entertain the Applicants’ appeal.
[10]
The Applicants made the absurd argument that
despite the acknowledged expressed bar to jurisdiction, the RAD ought to have
exercised its discretion to hear the appeal. This is an untenable proposition which
suggests that the RAD should fly in the face of the law.
IV.
Conclusion
[11]
Therefore, this judicial review will be
dismissed. There is no certified question.