Hong Kong Watch hosts Hong Kong Pathway roundtable in Canadian Senate

On October 2, Hong Kong Watch Patrons Shuvaloy Majumdar MP and Senator Leo Housakos co-hosted an impactful roundtable discussion on the Hong Kong Pathway backlog in the Senate of Canada. The event attracted over 30 attendees, including key stakeholders, Hong Kong Pathway applicants and advocates concerned about the backlog.

The roundtable served as a critical platform to examine the far-reaching implications of Hong Kong’s National Security Law, evaluate Canada’s lifeboat scheme for those fleeing the city, and explore practical solutions to the ongoing backlog in the Hong Kong Pathway. Chak Au MP also attended, demonstrating solidarity with the people of Hong Kong during this period of crisis.

Hong Kong Watch’s co-founder and Chair of Trustees, Aileen Calverley, together with Advocacy and Communications Officer, Landson Chan, joined the meeting to provide an overview of the backlog and emphasise the urgency of the situation. We proposed different ways to increase admissions for the Hong Kong Pathway, including utilising the remaining quotas from the Humanitarian and Compassionate (H&C) category in 2025, unused quotas from the economic category, as well as the refugee category as raised by Immigration Committee member Brad Redekopp MP.

During the discussion, participants heard poignant stories highlighting the human impact of relevant policies. One attendee shared the experience of a child unable to attend school because their mother is still awaiting approval for a work permit. Others reported facing work permit rejections, while some applicants have been left in limbo for over 20 months waiting on permanent residency.

Shuvaloy Majumdar MP emphasised that the government must take responsibility for the current situation, urging them to allocate necessary resources to address these pressing issues. He also advised Hong Kongers to join forces to create a platform to advocate and campaign, and let their voices be heard.

Hong Kong Watch presented a study on the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) at the roundtable, outlining its contributions and the benefits of fast-tracking Hong Kong Pathway applications. This initiative could not only offer humanitarian aid but also bring significant potential benefits to the Canadian economy and society. Encouragingly, we received a positive response from government representatives.

In the coming weeks, Hong Kong Watch will engage in further discussions with the Prime Minister’s Office and the Minister of Immigration’s office regarding steps to allocate more quotas and expedite the Hong Kong Pathway process.

Additionally, we will establish a core group consisting of roundtable participants to continue advocating for these crucial issues and to campaign for meaningful change in support of Hong Kongers seeking refuge in Canada.

Photo credit: CanMen

香港監察在加拿大國會舉辦Hong Kong Pathway圓桌討論會

10月2日，香港監察贊助人Shuvaloy Majumdar MP和Senator Leo Housakos在加拿大參議院聯合主持有關「Hong Kong Pathway」申請積壓問題的圓桌討論會。活動吸引到超過30名參加者，包括主要持份者、「Hong Kong Pathway」申請人和關注積壓問題的倡議人士。

會議檢視香港《國家安全法》的深遠影響，評估加拿大為逃離壓迫港人而設的救生艇計劃，並探討解決「Hong Kong Pathway」申請持續積壓問題的切實可行方案。Chak Au MP亦有出席活動，向處於危急關頭的香港人表達聲援。

香港監察共同創辦人兼信託董事會主席Aileen Calverley聯同倡議及傳訊主任Landson Chan參加會議，概括積壓問題並強調情況緊急。我們提出增加「Hong Kong Pathway」移民配額的不同方法，包括善用2025年「人道與恩恤 H&C」類別餘下的配額、經濟類別未用的配額及難民類別未用的配額（建議由移民委員會委員Brad Redekopp MP提出）。

討論期間，參加者分享令人動容的故事，突顯出相關政策的人道影響。有位參加者分享，有個小朋友因母親仍在等待工作簽證批核而無法上學。其他人談到工作簽證申請被拒絕的情況，而有些申請人已等待永久居留批核20多月，但一直停滯不前。

Shuvaloy Majumdar MP強調政府必須對目前局面負責，並促請政府撥出必要資源來應對這些迫切問題。他亦建議香港人聯手建立倡議及行動平台，讓自己的聲音得到聆聽。

香港監察在會上匯報有關強積金的研究，概述強積金的貢獻和加快處理「Hong Kong Pathway」申請的效益。這項倡議不但能提供人道援助，而且能為加拿大經濟及社會帶來巨大的潛在利益。令人鼓舞的是，政府代表對此的回應正面。

接下來的數週，香港監察將就如何增加配額並加快「Hong Kong Pathway」申請處理進度，與總理辦公室和移民部長辦公室展開進一步討論。

另外，我們將成立由圓桌會議參加者組成的核心小組，繼續為這些重要問題倡議，並爭取有意義的改變，支持在加拿大尋求庇護的香港人。