Photo: Andy Crosby
Photo: Andy Crosby

by Ash Abraham Coutu

Like the raised fist of the resistance or the olive branch of the peace movement, symbols are only as powerful as the voices who drive them. One of those voices is Somerset Ward Councilor Catherine McKenney, who will be presenting a motion to make Ottawa a sanctuary city in late February.

“Symbolically[,] we have always been a generous and open community,” McKenney told the Leveller. “This motion says, we continue to be.”

In response to the anxiety induced by President Trump’s recent immigration ban, hundreds gathered in front of the Human Rights Monument in Ottawa on Feb. 4 to demonstrate solidarity with with refugees, Muslims, and immigrants. The crowd left Mayor Jim Watson a voicemail message chanting, “We want Ottawa to be a Sanctuary City.” The large crowd then marched to the U.S. embassy chanting, “No hate, no fear, refugees are welcome here,” and “From Palestine to Mexico, all the walls have got to go.”

 

Other cities across Canada, such as Montreal, Peterborough and Regina, are also pushing for sanctuary city policies, where residents without legal status can access essential services without fear of prosecution. McKenney says, “We see what is happening in the world. People are frightened. This is an opportunity for us to take care of each other.”

Councillor McKenney’s motion will be more than a symbol. It will guarantee all non-status residents equal access to city-funded services. Frontline service providers will be instructed to not ask for residents’ immigration statuses. McKenney says, “These residents work, contribute, pay property tax and pay sales tax. They have every right to the services without fear of us turning them over to immigration. This isn’t necessarily providing anything extra. It’s just saying, we’re not going to do immigration’s job for them.”

A pilot study on sanctuary city policies in Toronto found that “the human rights implications of living without status are profound.” The study, conducted by the Ryerson Centre for Immigration and Settlement in February 2017, states, “The degradation of mental and physical health is a primary concern, which is attributable in large part to fear of detection and deportation, social isolation, poor working and living conditions, vulnerability to abuse and exploitation, and a host of institutional barriers.” Undocumented residents may also choose to not vaccinate their children or phone the police for fear of potential deportation.

Toronto declared itself a sanctuary city in February 2013 and implemented “Access without Fear” policies that ensured all residents opportunities to access city-funded services.

Aditya Rao, who is involved with the Sanctuary City Ottawa campaign, believes Ottawa should look to cities like Toronto for guidance. Rao told the Leveller that, “There’s no reason for cities to be assisting the federal government in rounding up individuals. Cities should be building welcoming and safe communities for everyone regardless of their status.”

Rao cites the story of an undocumented woman who was detained in Vancouver after attempting to flee domestic violence: “She didn’t have bus fare, and the bus driver called CBSA.” Rao continued, “She was put into detention and chose to hang herself, rather than going back to the situation she was in.” Rao points out that this example is extreme but is also the kind of situation sanctuary cities could prevent.

Rao further commented that Sanctuary City Ottawa is not calling for merely a symbolic gesture. “That could be dangerous for migrants who come expecting safety, and are handed over to CBSA. It is putting their lives at risk. Catherine McKenney agrees, and that’s why we are hoping this motion will pass.”

McKenney says, “It’s important to always be moving forward together. But at the same time, people live in real fear. If you’ve never been a victim of discrimination, then it might be difficult to understand what that’s like on a day to day basis. We have to support each other.”

Counsellor McKenney is set to present her motion on Feb. 22, 2017.

This article first appeared in Vol. 9, No. 5 (February/March 2017).