Scrap plans to hold immigration detainees in prisons, Ottawa urged

Former Liberal cabinet ministers sign letter slamming federal proposal

- NICHOLAS KEUNG

Two former Liberal cabinet ministers are urging the Trudeau government to cancel its plans to start using federal prisons to hold immigration detainees, citing a recent inquest recommendation to end the practice of detaining migrants in jails.

Lloyd Axworthy, a former foreign affairs minister, and Allan Rock, who was a justice minister, have joined a chorus of 85 Canadian and international organizations opposing the spring budget’s proposal to use federal prisons to detain “high-risk” migrants after all 10 provinces said they were ending their agreements to hold them in their facilities.

“We cannot allow unjustified fears and unsubstantiated claims about public security to override our respect for human rights,” said Rock and Axworthy in an open letter released Monday. Axworthy is chair of the World Refugee and Migration Council.

“Asylum seekers and migrants should be welcomed to Canada with dignity and respect, not dehumanized and detained.”