Canadian court deems U.S. unsafe for refugees in striking down joint agreement

is it true about Canadians being nice?  Here is a new data point.

A federal judge (Madam Justice McDonald) in Canada has ruled that the Safe Third Country Agreement — a 2004 pact that recognizes the U.S. and Canada as mutually safe places for refugees — is unconstitutional under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, as sending claimants back to the U.S. could risk their life, liberty, and security, CTV News reports. The court “could hardly fail to be moved by the testimonies of the appalling experiences of people in the U.S. immigration detention system, after Canada closed the doors on them. … ‘Their experiences show us – and convinced the Court – that the U.S. cannot be considered a safe country for refugees,” said Dorota Blumczynska, president of the Canadian Council for Refugees.  “While the Federal Court has provided the government with six months leeway, it is imperative that Canada immediately end the return of claimants to the U.S.,” said Alex Neve, secretary general of Amnesty International Canada. 

KJ