Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first proposed omnibus bill would effectively overhaul the asylum-seeking system by granting the government complete authority to adjudicate refugee claims without due process.
People who’ve been in Canada for over a year will be denied from applying for refugee status. This also applies retroactively to anyone who applied after June 24, 2020. Those entering Canada from the U.S. will only have 14 days to apply.
Bill C-2, known as the Strong Borders Act, would also allow the government to cancel, suspend or change immigration documents immediately, pause new applications and pause or cancel the processing of existing applications.
The Migrant Rights Network calls the bill immoral and illegal and says it could lead to mass deportations.
C-2 also massively expands law enforcement’s powers to share immigration documents and information across agencies. This includes requiring electronic service providers to hand over users’ private information without a warrant and allowing police to open mail in approved cases.
Opposition parties and NGOs have raised privacy concerns, pointing to possible violations of Charter rights.
“If the government is serious about addressing concerns regarding illegal gun and drug trafficking, it must introduce legislation specifically tailored to that goal, as opposed to a wide-ranging omnibus bill,” said Tim McSorley with the International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group.
The bill comes after U.S. President Donald Trump pressured Canada to secure its border.
This article appeared in the 2025 Summer issue.