Bill C-2 Risks Undermining Canada’s Commitments to Gender-Based Violence Survivors
Led by the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic, Luke’s Place has joined other VAW organizations in raising urgent concerns about the implications of Bill C-2, the Strong Borders Act. As a strong leader in advocating for the rights and safety of survivors of gender based violence, the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic has raised significant concerns about how this legislation risks undermining Canada’s commitments to those it is meant to protect.
As organizations that work directly with survivors of gender-based violence, including refugee, non-status, and precariously documented women and gender-diverse people, we are deeply concerned about the implications and likely effects of Bill C-2, the Strong Borders Act. Introduced on Tuesday, June 3, this legislation threatens to erode the fundamental rights of refugee claimants by undermining due process and restricting access to justice, with especially harsh impacts on survivors of violence.
Organizations like the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic and others across the country are already working at their capacity to provide trauma-informed legal, counselling, and advocacy services. Bill C-2 will increase demand while narrowing legal pathways, leaving survivors with fewer options and a greater risk of deportation, detention, or death. We urge the Government of Canada to:
- Reassess Bill C-2 through a robust GBA Plus framework;
- Engage directly with frontline organizations and survivors to understand the real-world impacts of this legislation;
- Ensure that no survivor is denied protection due to procedural barriers or irregular entry;
- Uphold Canada’s international and domestic commitments to gender equality and human rights.
Canada has the tools, the frameworks, and the leadership to do better. We call on the government to act now, by withdrawing Bill C-2 and ending the Safe Third Country Agreement, before putting more lives at further risk.