Title: Canadian Consular Cases Surge Amid Global Instability

OTTAWA - Global Affairs Canada has reported a significant increase in the number of consular cases involving Canadians abroad, attributing this surge to worsening global stability. The department has cautioned Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand that Canadians may need to pay higher fees for consular services while receiving less assistance. This information comes from a briefing binder prepared for Anand when she assumed her role in May.

The binder outlines the cases of eight Canadians currently facing the death penalty in various countries and highlights geopolitical crises that have prompted embassies to evacuate citizens and their families. The department emphasized that while international policy will be a focus, consular work will demand considerable attention. "Canadians' expectations are not anticipated to abate, and the minister of foreign affairs has a visible role in managing consular crises and demands for assistance," the binder stated.

Over the past five years, the frequency of deploying evacuation personnel has increased by 3.4 times. Factors contributing to this rise include increased travel, a diverse Canadian population, geopolitical instability, and natural disasters. The binder also noted that Global Affairs Canada (GAC) is now assisting not only citizens but also permanent residents and their families, leading to a financial shortfall for the department.

The $25 fee for consular services has not changed since 2013, despite the introduction of a 10-year passport. This has resulted in a widening gap between revenues and costs, straining departmental resources. The binder warns that GAC is unable to cover the expenses of prolonged crises and is working on a plan for "sustainable crisis funding."

In the fiscal year ending March 2024, GAC opened 7,208 consular cases, which include severe illness and child abductions. The department also provided 271,340 routine services, such as issuing passports and citizenship certificates. Consular issues accounted for about 40 percent of the department's media inquiries in 2024.

The rising costs of consular assistance include evacuations from Haiti, the Middle East, and New Caledonia. In 2024, the consular response for Haiti alone cost nearly $10 million, aiding 681 Canadians. GAC has allocated an additional $40 million for evacuations and preparations in the Middle East. Between March 2023 and March 2025, GAC reported assisting 5,231 Canadians in evacuations from various countries, including 880 from the Gaza Strip and 1,627 from Israel.

As of May, the department was aware of four Canadians on death row in the United States. The binder noted that both federal and state governments can impose death sentences. In China, Robert Schellenberg, a native of Abbotsford, B.C., was sentenced to death in 2019 for drug smuggling, a case Ottawa has labeled as arbitrary sentencing. The binder also mentioned that China executed four Canadian citizens in early 2025.

In India, Canadian citizen Tahawwur Hussain Rana was extradited in April to face trial related to the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, where he could also face the death penalty. As of April, there were up to 18 Canadians detained in India, with three in jail and 15 released on bail. The fiscal year ending March 2024 saw 120 new consular cases opened in India, primarily concerning arrests and medical assistance.

A separate report indicated that there were 993 Canadians in custody abroad, including three additional death penalty cases not mentioned in the May binder. The report identified two cases in Vietnam and one in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, along with three potential death penalty cases in the U.S. and Trinidad and Tobago.

Canada is also working to prevent hostage diplomacy, particularly after two Canadian citizens were detained in China for over 1,000 days. In response, Canada launched the "arbitrary detention initiative" in 2021. GAC has appointed a senior official for hostage affairs to oversee these cases. Anand's office has designated MP Mona Fortier as her assistant for consular matters, although none of the parliamentary secretaries appointed by Prime Minister Mark Carney hold a public title related to consular issues.