Immigration Minister’s Spokesperson Defends Strict New Timelines for Refugee Claims

Immigration Minister’s Spokesperson Defends Strict New Timelines for Refugee Claims
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Lena Metlege Diab rises during Question Period on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on March 24, 2026. The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld
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A spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Lena Diab is defending new rules that will rule out thousands of refugee claims, saying difficult decisions were required to regain control of Canada’s immigration system.

Under Ottawa’s new border law that passed in March, refugee claims must be made within a year of a claimant’s first arrival in Canada.