Migrants' rights groups call on Carney government to withdraw border security bill

The federal government's border security bill is an open door to violate the rights of migrants and should be dropped, advocacy groups said on Monday on Parliament Hill.

Representatives of the Migrant Rights Network, the Canadian Council for Refugees and other groups held a news conference on Parliament Hill after failing to get on the witness lists for Commons committees studying Bill C-12.

"Bill C-12 proposes changes to nine pieces of legislation, is 70 pages long and yet has only been given three weeks of study," said Karen Cocq, spokesperson for the Migrant Rights Network.

"During that time, no migrants who would be impacted by C-12, who could have their permits cancelled or their refugee protection denied, have spoken to the committee."

The measures in Bill C-12 were part of the g