The Immigration and Refugee Board’s decision to close the Ottawa office will cause hardship for many claimants in the National Capital Region, especially those with mental or physical disabilities or large families.
Read all about it in the Ottawa Citizen article by Don Butler:
“IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE BOARD SPURNS U OF O’S COURTROOM OFFER
OTTAWA The Immigration and Refugee Board has spurned an offer by the University of Ottawa for free use of a new courtroom at the Faculty of Law for hearings involving vulnerable refugees and immigrants. The rejection comes as the IRB prepares to close its hearings office in Ottawa next week and shift hearings for Ottawa-area claimants to Montreal, a move prompted by cuts in the 2012 federal budget.
IRB officials did consider the offer. In January, they toured the courtroom, where they heard from local immigration lawyers. But the board formally rejected the idea in a letter Wednesday… Read the full article…