Flight 752: Canada Immigration Minister Sean Fraser Vows Justice For Families

On the second anniversary of the flight 752 tragedy Saturday, Canada Immigration Minister Sean Fraser vowed that Ottawa would get justice for the families of the victims.

“As we commemorate this sombre anniversary, we recommit ourselves to honour the lives lost to this tragedy and other air disasters, pursue justice for the victims, and support their families,” tweeted the newly-minted immigration minister

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On Jan. 8, 2020, Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 was shot down only minutes after taking off from Tehran, Iran, by an Iranian surface-to-air missile.

Among the 176 people who died were 30 permanent Canadian residents and 55 Canadian citizens.

“Canada’s priority is to seek answers and pursue justice by holding Iran accountable and pursuing reparations, while continuing to provide the families and loved ones of the victims with the support they need,” Canada’s website for the families of the victims notes.

Memorial, Scholarships In Works To Honour Victims

That website, Canada’s Response To Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 Tragedy, contains a link to a portal for the victims’ families who are in need of assistance.

Ottawa is working with international partners to hold Iran accountable for its violations of international law, demanding that it provide a full, transparent and credible explanation of the downing of the airplane.

There is also an International Coordination and Response Group to support the families of the victims of PS752 which has been formed by Afghanistan, Canada, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom to coordinate legal efforts to pursue accountability and reparations from Iran. The group is trying to ensure the victims’ families and loved ones get the answers and the justice they deserve.

“Our communities have lost friends, neighbours and co-workers,” Fraser told the victims’ families in an online video.

“I can tell you in the conversations I have in my hometown in rural Nova Scotia, there are people you have never met who are affected by your loss, who care deeply about your loss and grieve your loss alongside you.”

Ottawa is planning a memorial and scholarships – and other, as-yet-unspecified steps – to celebrate the lives of those lost in the tragedy.

Downing Of Plane By Iran ‘Horrific Act’

“We will hold Iran accountable for this horrific act,” vowed Fraser. “No person and no state is above the law. It is inexcusable for any nation or state to have such an event take place and we will not rest until we achieve justice and accountability.”

The immigration minister pledged to seek out new pathways to permanent residency for those who are in Canada or other parts of the world so they can come to Canada and help the families of the victims of this tragedy.

With the top five biggest sources of new permanent residents to Canada being India, China, the Philippines, Nigeria, and France, safe air travel to Canada is a priority for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Together, those five countries provided about 16.6 times as many new permanent residents to Canada last year than did the United States, the closest country from which immigrants could arrive by driving through a land border.

Canada Hits Record-Breaking Immigration Level Despite Pandemic

In 2021, Canadian immigration hit a record high of 401,000 new permanent residents and the country is hoping to welcome even more, 411,000, this year.

Ottawa views immigration as essential to building the Canadian economy which, like so many others throughout the world, was hard hit during the Covid-19 pandemic.

As the country rebuilds, job creation is booming and labour shortages abound in many sectors, providing opportunities for foreign nationals interested in gaining their permanent residency in Canada through economic programs.

Under the Express Entry system, Canada receives immigration applications online. Applicants who meet eligibility criteria submit an online profile known as an Expression of interest (EOI), under one of three federal immigration programs or a participating provincial immigration program to the Express Entry Pool.

Candidates’ profiles then are ranked against each other according to a points-based system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The highest-ranked candidates are considered for an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence. Those receiving an ITA must quickly submit a full application and pay processing fees, within a delay of 90-days.

Each of the 10 Canadian provinces also has its own Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP), under a shared jurisdiction between Ottawa and the provinces, which offers programs for skilled workers.

The provinces and territories can nominate skilled worker candidates for admission to Canada with the specific skills required by their local economies. Successful candidates who receive a provincial or territorial nomination can then apply for Canadian permanent residence through federal immigration authorities.