By Canadian Press

Canada considering options to get extended family of Canadians out of Gaza

Dec 5, 2023 | 10:03 AM

OTTAWA — Immigration Minister Marc Miller says he is considering options to get the extended family members of Canadians out of the embattled Gaza Strip.

Most Canadians with extended family members in Gaza have been told their family doesn’t qualify to come to Canada, leaving them helpless.

The NDP caucus wrote an open letter to the government asking for special immigration visas that would allow Canadians can get their parents, siblings and adult children to safety. 

Miller says the government has tried to be flexible in cases where family configurations don’t match the strict definition laid out in the Immigration Act.

That definition only includes spouses, children and common-law partners of Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

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Miller says the problem is that a Canadian visa isn’t enough to get people out of the Gaza Strip and into Egypt, and for now, the government remains focused on getting people across that border.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 5, 2023. 

Laura Osman, The Canadian Press