Petition to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Whereas:
- The earthquakes of 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude in Türkiye on February 6, 2023, left behind over 15,000 unusable residential buildings, most of them collapsed and, tragically, over 40,000 lives have been lost, and more than 150,000 people injured;
- The total affected size of the region is from Windsor to Ottawa, and the affected population is almost 15 million; and
- The growing Turkish diaspora with over 150,000 people have family members who are injured, lost their homes and have no place to say.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, colleagues and friends of Turkish people, call upon the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to
1. Create a special visa program that would allow the family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents in Türkiye to reunite with their loved ones in Canada after the two devastating earthquakes. This would provide them with the necessary support and stability to cope with the aftermath of the earthquake; and
2. Expedite the processing of family reunification applications for the primary applicants who live in the earthquake zone. This would greatly aid in the timely reunification of families and provide much-needed support in these trying times.
We understand the importance of maintaining a rigorous immigration process, but in this case, a humanitarian approach is crucial to assist those in need. The creation of this special visa program and the expedited processing of applications would not only bring comfort to these families but also demonstrate Canada’s commitment to supporting those affected by natural disasters.
