MYTH: Canada respects the rights of all refugees and immigrants living in Canada.

Canadians are rightly proud of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms and our human rights commitments, but our record is not spotless. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has repeatedly criticized Canada for its slowness in reuniting refugee families.

MYTH: People who use smugglers are less likely to be refugees in need of protection.

This is false.  People fleeing persecution often have no choice but to turn to smugglers to help them escape.  How people arrive in Canada tells us nothing about why they left their country of origin.  To decide if they need Canada's protection we need to know why they left and what dangers they face if they returned.

MYTH: Refugee claimants pose threats to Canada's security.

Refugee claimants are not threats to security – they are seeking security and protection from threats to their own lives.

MYTH: Canada does more than its share to assist refugees and asylum seekers when compared to other countries.

On the contrary, international law recognizes that refugees often have no choice but to enter a country of asylum illegally.

MYTH: Refugee claimants are "queue jumpers."

This is false.  There is no queue for refugees.  International law guarantees that people fleeing persecution have the right to go to another country and seek asylum - that is why Canada has a refugee determination system.If your life is in danger, you run.  You do not stand still and wait for help to come to you.