In a forceful challenge to the federal government’s humanitarian response, NDP foreign affairs critic Heather McPherson demanded immediate action yesterday to expedite the evacuation of approved refugees from Gaza, where the humanitarian crisis continues to deteriorate nearly two years into the conflict.
“These are people who have been approved to come to Canada, yet they remain trapped in a war zone where children are dying of malnutrition,” McPherson declared during a news conference on Parliament Hill. “The government’s promises mean nothing if these families continue to suffer while paperwork sits on desks in Ottawa.”
According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, approximately 1,400 Gazans have been approved for temporary residence in Canada since special immigration measures were implemented in January 2024. However, only 640 have successfully reached Canadian soil—less than half of those approved.
The situation has grown increasingly dire as humanitarian access remains severely restricted throughout Gaza. The World Food Programme reported last week that 96% of Gaza’s population faces acute food insecurity, with conditions in northern Gaza meeting technical thresholds for famine.
Immigration Minister Marcus Reynolds defended the government’s efforts, citing complex logistical challenges in evacuating people from an active conflict zone.
“We’re working through extraordinary circumstances,” Reynolds told reporters. “The Rafah crossing isn’t consistently open, Egyptian authorities have their own procedures, and coordinating evacuations requires multilateral cooperation that isn’t always forthcoming.”
The minister pointed to Canada’s $175 million humanitarian aid package announced in July as evidence of the government’s commitment, but critics argue this funding hasn’t translated to effective evacuation procedures.
Dr. Amani Johar of Canadian Physicians for Gaza called the pace of evacuations “unconscionably slow” during testimony before the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs last week.
“We’re talking about families sleeping in tents while bombs fall around them, children developing psychological trauma that will last lifetimes, and pregnant women giving birth without basic medical supplies,” Dr. Johar said. “Canada has the diplomatic and logistical capability to do much more.”
The NDP is calling for the establishment of a dedicated evacuation task force with representatives from Global Affairs Canada, IRCC, and the Department of National Defence to coordinate extraction efforts for approved refugees.
Prime Minister Caroline Stewart’s office issued a statement reaffirming Canada’s commitment to humanitarian principles but offered no specific timeline for accelerating evacuations.
This controversy unfolds against the backdrop of Canada’s recent diplomatic initiatives in the Middle East, which have included calls for a comprehensive ceasefire and increased humanitarian access.
For many Canadian political observers, the government’s response to the Gaza crisis has become a litmus test for its broader foreign policy commitments to human rights and international humanitarian law.
Meanwhile, community organizations across Canada have mobilized to prepare for eventual refugee arrivals, establishing housing networks, trauma counseling services, and integration programs in major cities including Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.
As diplomatic and humanitarian efforts continue, the fundamental question remains: Will Canada’s actions match its stated commitments to those trapped in one of the world’s most desperate humanitarian crises, or will procedural barriers continue to keep approved refugees waiting in a war zone?
