The federal political scene recently distinguished itself when Amina Gerba, an independent senator from Quebec, brought to light a troubling issue. The core of his concern? Unacceptable disparities in Canadian visa issuance, disproportionately affecting French-speaking African nationals.
This revelation, brought to the attention of Senator Marc Gold, representative of the Trudeau administration, cast doubt on that administration’s real determination to end this persistent discrimination.
Persistent Discrimination
Unfortunately, this situation is not new. In fact, it has persisted for decades and even appears to be getting worse.
Recent data highlights this troubling reality: a visa applicant from Senegal or Gabon waits an average of 320 days for a response, while an applicant from Indonesia only waits 11 days.
The silent consequences of blatant inequality.
The consequences of this discrimination are far-reaching and differentiated.
They range from blocked university courses for French-speaking African students to artistic talent being repressed during Quebec’s cultural festivals.
They extend to researchers, entrepreneurs and professionals, as well as to African tourists forced to forgo attending events in Quebec.
A call to action
While Senator Gold acknowledges the existence of this institutional racism, the effectiveness of the actions taken by the Trudeau administration remain in question.
This finding illustrates the urgent need for concrete measures. Racism within Canada’s Immigration Service must be eradicated and the processing of visa applications must be fair, regardless of the origin and nationality of the applicant.
It is time to turn words into deeds and allow real equality of treatment for all visa applicants. After all, immigration is not just a question of the free movement of people, but above all a question of humanity.
