Executive Summary. Thank you for supporting our program! Sincerely,

Transcription

1 Midterm Narrative Report for 2017

2 Executive Summary According to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), 73 countries criminalize LGBTQ+ sexualities and identities. Some of those countries promote direct state sponsored violence against LGBTQ+ communities or turn a blind eye to oppression and persecution. Based on these realities, thousands of LGBTQ+ identified peoples flee their countries seeking safety and freedom. The LGBTQ+ Refugee Program at the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto (MCC Toronto) has made a commitment to provide support, hope and safety those who have experienced or have a founded fear of persecution, violence or risk to their lives based on their gender identity, gender expression and/or sexuality. Our areas of work: 1) private sponsorship and settlement of refugees living abroad (MCC Toronto is the only Sponsorship Agreement Holder in Canada that exclusively sponsors LGBTTQ+ identified people into Canada and provides settlement support for at least a year); 2) in land peer support meetings and services for asylum claimants; 3) advocacy in front of private and public institutions and gatherings, and 4) networking with other LGBTQ+ organizations to increase and promote the sponsorship and settlement of LGBTQ+ refugees, to improve living conditions and access to services and to ensure dignified IRB hearings are taking place.. Since the creation of the program, we have sponsored over 26 refugees from the Middle East and African countries and served over 1,900 refugee claimants who have participated in our peer support activities. We have participated in conferences, gatherings and meetings with the opportunity to advocate and network in favour of the most marginalized in our communities. With the help of the donor we have accomplished great things. The highlights: 1) provided support to over 316 new LGBTQ+ in land refugee claimants; 2) written over 255 letters of support; 3) provided monthly peer support meetings (average of 130 participants per meeting) and provided biweekly information sessions to help claimants prepare for their IRB hearings (average of 30 people per session), Together, we are having a profound impact on the lives of many refugees! Thank you for supporting our program! Sincerely, Aleks Dughman-Manzur LGBTQ+ Refugee Program Manager Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto adughman@mcctoronto.com ext.125 1

3 A Brief History of our LGBTQ+ Refugee Program Since the beginning in 1973, the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto has been on the frontlines fighting for social justice, particularly around LGBTQ+ rights. In 1986, MCC Toronto supported Bill 7, adding sexual orientation to the Ontario Human Rights Code. In 1994 we supported Bill 167 in favour of extending some rights of marriage to LGBTQ+ couples. In 1996 we went to the Supreme Court of Canada as interveners in support of Egan and Nesbit in the constitutional question of same-sex spousal recognition under the Old Age Security Act. As a result of this case, the rights of same-sex couples were recognized and sexual orientation was read into the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In 1999 MCC Toronto intervened in the M vs. H case on spousal support provisions in family law. The ruling in this case was the first to hold that same sex couples receive equitable treatment under the constitution. In the fall of 2000, a decision was made that the time was right to take the next step in the pursuit of equal marriage rights in Canada. MCC Toronto s lawyers developed a strategy that was built on a combination of The Ontario Marriage Act and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In January of 2001 we legally married two same-sex couples but the Registrar General of Ontario refused to register the marriage documents. We took the provincial government to court and our case was heard in November of The decision was ultimately in our favour. In 2007, aware of the needs of an increased population of LGBTQ+ refugee claimants attending MCC Toronto s services and programming, a group of volunteers organised a peer support group to address some of their needs and welcome them to Canada. In 2009, the Board of Directors decided to make the struggles and issues of LGBTQ+ Refugees in Canada and abroad MCC Toronto s Signature Social Justice Program going forward. The LGBTQ+ Refugee Program was officially launched in 2010, so far, we have provided services and support to over 1,980 in land claimants. After careful consideration of the needs faced by LGBTQ+ refugees abroad, MCC Toronto became, in 2013, the only charitable organization to hold a Sponsorship Agreement with the Government of Canada to exclusively sponsor LGBTQ+ refugees and resettled them in Canada. So far, we have sponsored over 27 refugees from the Middle East, Africa and the Caribbean. A Refugee Strategy and Fundraising Committee, formed by volunteers to recommend strategies for the program going forward, began meeting in February The Committee has recommended strategies, activities and fundraising initiatives, providing guidance and support to all areas of the program and staff. Currently, we have a team of 3 staff members: A Program Manager and 2 Peer Support Coordinators. Soon we will be adding a new member of the team to coordinate our settlement work. 2

4 A Few Words from Our Participants and Contributors It has been one year since I arrived in Canada. Every day I am feeling a little better and less shocked. I never imagined myself starting a new life in another country, but Toronto has been a great place to start over. Things we were dreaming to someday happen in my country are real here. Now I don t see myself as a gay person in the middle of a battleground. Instead I see myself as a resident of a country that I can emotionally connect with and call home. Sponsored refugee When I was 18 and my boyfriend was 20, I was discovered to be gay by Iranian officials. They gave me 3 choices they could kill me, and I would be fixed when I went to Paradise; I could undergo therapy to change my sexual orientation to heterosexual; or because I had completed my mandatory military service, they would give me a passport and I could leave the country. I knew others who had undergone the therapy they later killed themselves. I chose to leave. My boyfriend hadn t completed military service, so he didn t have a passport, so he had to pay someone to lead him over the border at night. That was a hard night for me. They sweep border areas with searchlights and if they find you in the light, they shoot you. But he made it. We spent 2 years in Turkey waiting to be sponsored. The UN High Commission for Refugees asked us what country we wanted to go to. We said Canada, because we knew here we would be free and our relationship respected. MCC Toronto sponsored us both. They met us at the airport and gave us housing for the first few weeks while they helped us find permanent housing. They got us enrolled in ESL classes, get our health cards and other documents, introduced us to Toronto, and gave us emotional and practical support. Two years later, we re doing well we re both working, we love Toronto and appreciate the help MCC Toronto gave us to start new lives together. I want others to have the freedom and the life I m able to build here. Sponsored refugee Thank God you re doing this work and saving lives. Thank you for asking me to help support it. MCC Toronto Refugee Fund monthly donor [We do this work because] we want to share our freedom to love who you want without fear; we re saving lives; we re privileged, and we need to share that; and we have a responsibility to leave a legacy, as we did with same-sex marriage where we had a global impact. Member of the LGBTQ+ Refugee Strategy and Fundraising Advisory Committee 3

5 Our Three Main Areas of Work Private Sponsorship of LGBT refugees and resettlement to Canada We privately sponsor LGBTQ+ refugees that have made asylum claims abroad and who have not found a permanent or satisfactory solution or settlement in their country of asylum. We prepare the application and file it on their behalf before IRCC (Immigration Refugee Citizenship Canada) and guide them through the process until its completion. We also match the sponsored refugee with a settlement team or a constituent group who will assist in their resettlement in Canada and provide a committed support for at least 12 months. During those 12 months we prepare the resettled refugee for their independent living come month 13. In our role as a Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH) we have sponsored 26 LGBTQ+ refugees facing persecution abroad due to their gender identity and/or sexual orientation. We are the only SAH nationwide who exclusively works to sponsors and resettled LGBTQ+ refugees. In accomplishing this work, we also work in partnership with Rainbow Railroad and are in conversations to expand our work to other organizations such as Rainbow Refugee Society and Capital Rainbow Refugee. None of these partners have a Sponsorship Agreement with the federal government so MCC Toronto s role remains unique in this respect. In the future, we envision an increase in the number of people we sponsor into the country by increasing our partnerships with other organizations, churches, and constituent groups, and by creating a system that involves an application processes, formal agreements, mandatory training programs, development of settlement plans, and oversight of settlement teams. Our training program will not only be geared to those groups that would like to sponsor refugees using MCCT as their SAH, but also those SAHs that do not have much experience settling LGBTQ refugees. Peer Support for in land refugee claimants A large number of LGBTQ+ people who suffer or fear persecution in their home countries due their gender identity, gender expression and/or sexuality, decide to leave their home country seeking safety. Some of those refugees make it to Canada and file in land refugee claims. The number of Refugee claimants is exponentially increasing and so is the request for letters of support from MCCT in preparation to their Immigration and Refugee Board hearings (IRB Hearings). This increased number of participants is calling on us to provide programming and services specifically catered to their needs. This population is particularly vulnerable and experience poverty and difficulties trying to settle on their own. Their status a refugee claimant is temporary and uncertain, and they have limited access to public services and resources. Their IRB Hearings is one of the most stressful periods of their lives and they require support, guidance, information and settlement services. 4

6 At MCCT we provide them with monthly peer support meetings, biweekly information sessions and IRB Hearings preparation support, guidance to obtain housing, healthcare, social assistance and more. Moreover, in our unique position as a spiritual community, we also make sure to support their emotional and spiritual needs by providing spiritual care and counselling to those who request it and by having one on one conversation to help them manage stress and be emotionally prepared for their IRB Hearing outcome, even if negative. Networking and Advocacy on issues concerning LGBT Refugees in Canada and abroad Advocacy is stronger and much more effective when done in partnership. We are members of the Sponsorship Agreement Holders Association (SAH Association) and participate actively in their activities and National Conference. We are also member of the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR) and participate in their spring consultation. We are also part of the LGBTQ+ Settlement Network. In all our work, we make sure to bring LGBTQ+ refugee issues and challenges to the center of the discussion and give visibility to the struggles and intersectional challenges they face not only because of their immigration status, race, and religion, but also because of their gender identity, gender expression and/or sexuality. In the following sections we will give a more detailed account of our participation, partnerships, networking and advocacy activities this year. 5

7 Meet Our Staff Aleks Dughman-Manzur LGBTQ+ Refugee Program Manager Brendalee Cox LGBTQ+ Refugee Peer Support Co-Coordinator (Resources and Information Sessions) Abiodun Ojo LGBTQ+ Refugee Peer Support Co-Coordinator (Systems and Letters of Support) 6

8 Meet Our Strategic and Fundraising Advisory Committee From left to right: Beverley Wybrow, Mike Thorn, Leslie McLean, Michael Tukatsch and Aleks Dughman-Manzur. Also, not in picture, Shelly Morris (MCCT Executive Director) 7

9 Midyear Accomplishments and Achievements (June 2017) STAFF We ve started the year with the same staff hours as in 2016 employing 0.85 FTE. Our Program Manager was working 24 hours a week (0.6 FTE) and our Peer Support Coordinator, Abiodun Ojo, was working 10 hours a week (0.25 FTE) and his time was mainly consumed in creating effective systems to register and gather as much information as we could from our inland participants and providing support letters. We soon had realised that we needed to increase staff hours to better serve the participants of the program. In February we hired Brendalee Cox, a former participant of the program who had just had a positive outcome in her appeal and who was already volunteering with the program some hours a week. Brenda was hire for 10 hours a week (0.25 FTE) and she started to develop other aspects of Peer Support around resources for LGBTQ+ refugees and a biweekly information session to help them get through their IRB Hearings. From February up to today we are employing a total of 1.1 FTE. Although the hiring of Brenda has improved the development of our Peer Support component, the hiring and adding a staff member and the increased of programming for our participants has also involved an increase managerial responsibility for our Program Manager who is also developing all other aspects of the program including Private Sponsorship and Settlement and Networking and Advocacy. Without having access to funds, we were wary of increasing their hours or hiring a Settlement coordinator. However, thanks to the funds granted by the donor and the people who donate on our regular basis we are able now to increase the Program Manager s hours and hire a Settlement coordinator following the following schedule: As of July 2017, we will employ 1.25 FTE. Peer Support staff hours will remain in 20 hours a week and Program Manager hours will increase to 30 hours a week. As of September 2017, we will employ 1.50 FTE. Program Manager will remain 30 hours a week, Peer Support will continue to be 20 hours a week and we will hire a Settlement Coordinator for 10 hours a week At the end of the year we will assess if changes need to be made for the coming year. If funding allows, the Program Manager hours will increase gradually into a fulltime position and the Settlement Coordinator will become a part-time 20 hours a week position. Summary: As of January 2017, we employed 0.85 FTE Program manager 0.6 FTE Peer Support Co-Coordinator (Systems and Letters of Support) (0.25 FTE) As of February 2017, we employed 1.1 FTE Program manager 0.6 FTE Peer Support Co-Coordinator (Systems and Letters of Support) (0.25 FTE) 8

10 Peer Support Co-Coordinator (Resources and Information Sessions) (0.25 FTE) As of July 2017, we will employ 1.25 FTE Program manager 0.75 FTE Peer Support Co-Coordinator (Systems and Letters of Support) (0.25 FTE) Peer Support Co-Coordinator (Resources and Information Sessions) (0.25 FTE) As of September 2017, we will employ 1.50 FTE Program manager 0.75 FTE Peer Support Co-Coordinator (Systems and Letters of Support) (0.25 FTE) Peer Support Co-Coordinator (Resources and Information Sessions) (0.25 FTE) Settlement Coordinator (0.25 FTE) This does not include the program support provided by other staff positions at MCCT. In particular, our Senior Pastor, Executive Director, Team Leaders of Finance, Fundraising and Children & Family Ministries. PRIVATE SPONSORSHIP OF LGBTQ+ REFUGEES AND RESETTLEMENT TO CANADA Sponsored Refugees MCCT s Sponsored Refugees Resettled by MCCT Settlement Teams By the end of 2016 and the beginning of 2017 our five active sponsorship cases and the one-year commitment of providing financial support and settlement services came to an end. Mohammad (Iranian) was ready for independent living and he was holding a fulltime job and stable housing. The same for Modar (Syrian) and Karim (Syrian), a gay couple where Modar was finishing his high school certification and Karim was working as a Taylor, both living in a coop and able to sustain themselves. As we assessed the situation of Emmanuel (Eritrean) and Ronald (Uganda), who are studying and in need of support, we decided to extend the support we provide to them to make sure that they will continue to be successful in their studies and have a better future. Emmanuel (Eritrea), a JASS case with vulnerable characteristics and health concerns, was also in need to extra help. After consulting with our Advisory Committee, we decided to continue to support him with settlement and housing as well to provide him with a rent top up, so he can continue to concentrate on his studies and his application to college. We continuously check on him and make sure he is doing well. 9

11 Ronald, who is in nursing school only required one extra month of financial help to fill the gap between the end of his studies and his summer job. We continuously check on him and make sure he is doing well. Number individuals Country of origin Self-identifiers Arrival date 1 Emmanuel Eritrea Intersex 05/2015 Jass case 2 years support 1 Mohammad Iran gay man 08/ Ronald Uganda gay man 12/ Modar and Karim Syria gay couple 01/2016 MCCT s co-sponsored Refugees with Rainbow Railroad, settled by Rainbow Railroad s settlement teams As you can see in the chart below we cosponsored with Rainbow railroad 4 individuals during of those sponsorships arrived during 2016 and were successfully settled into Canada. Their sponsorships came to an end a year from their arrival date on May and June of We are still waiting for Edwar from Syria who just had his interview at the Ankara Visa Post and everything seems to be going according to plan and will hopefully join us in the next few months. Number individuals Country of origin Self-identifiers Submission date Arrival date 1 Syria HIV+ gay man 29/01/ /05/ Syria gay man 29/01/ /06/ Syria HIV+ gay man 18/07/2016 TBC 2 Syria gay couple 08/04/ /06/2016 MCCT s co-sponsored refugee with the Group of Five 10

12 The only active sponsorship case we had with the Group of Five, a constituent group formed with the specific mission to settled LGBTQ+ refugees into Canada in partnership with MCCT, concluded in June Bernard has been successfully settled into Canada where he is employed in accounting, his field of work and is able to have independent living. Number individuals Country of origin Self-identifiers Arrival date 1 Cameroon gay man June/ Application and Settlement teams: looking into the future During the course of the year we will be submitting at least 4 new applications. 2 applications will be submitted in co-sponsorship with Rainbow Railroad. However, if everything goes according to their plans we will be submitting up to five applications on their behalf. We will also be submitting 2 new application this year on behalf of MCCT s settlement teams. We have successfully recruited and form a new settlement team with 9 members who have expressed the wish to sponsor a female identified LGBTQ+ activist individual or couple. In the coming months we will be training and informing the settlement team as well as finding the right candidate and submitting all the appropriate documentation before IRCC. The recruitment of an MCCT second settlement team is on the way. We have advertised on social media and our E-news. We believe that we will be able to recruit a settlement team before the last quarter of the year and submit an application by the end of year. We will consult with Rainbow railroad to provide us with a list of candidates and help the settlement team make the best options, considering diversity, urgency and need. PEER SUPPORT FOR IN LAND REFUGEE CLAIMANTS New Participants From January to June 2017, we have registered 316 new participants into our Peer Support Program. In addition, we continue to provide support to over 100 people who registered with us last year and who are still waiting to schedule a hearing date, their hearings have been postponed or they are in the process of an appeal. A percentage of people who participate in our programs also become congregants of the church and continue to maintain a relationship with the program. This year, the age range of the adults we serve fluctuates between 18 years old and 55 years old. The majority of people we registered and provided services to are in their 30s with 45.3% (143 participants), followed by people in their 20s (25.3%, 80 participants) and their 40s (23.2%, 73 11

13 participants). A small number of people are in their teens (3.1%, 10 participants) and in their 50s (3.1%, 10 participants). Our participants come from all around the world: Afghanistan, Bahamas, Barbados, Cameroon, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Namibia, Nigeria, Saint Lucia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Turkey, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It s an amazing cultural experience for our program and for the participants themselves to make community with such a diverse group of people. The vast majority of our new participants identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual. We also serve a small percentage of people who identify as LGBTQ+ ally and who are filing claims based on grounds other than gender identity, expression and/or sexual orientation, particularly women filing domestic violence claims and who find safety and comfort in our community. Although are programming is geared towards the LGBTQ+ community we do not turned anyone away when they have reached out to us for help. Allies are always welcome! In summary 107 newly registered participants self-identify as bisexual males (33.8%) 108 newly registered participants self-identify as bisexual males (34.5%) 45 newly registered participants self-identify as gay men (14.2%) 43 newly registered participants self-identify as lesbian women (13.7%) 13 newly registered participants self-identify as an LGBTQ+ ally (4.2%) Is important to note that due to the oppressions and persecution that people experience in their home countries, some of them have entered into heterosexual marriages and have families that do not necessarily separate when they discovered their sexual orientation. After arriving to Canada some newcomers will start identifying as gay or lesbians and some will continue to identify as bisexuals. Identity is complex and contextual and western categories don t always apply to every culture Monthly Peer Support Meetings be successful in an interview. Our monthly Peer support meetings are held the fourth Sunday of every month at 12:45pm. They are attended by a number of people that fluctuates between 120 and 140 attendees. At the beginning of the year our average number of attendees was 70 to 80 people. We invite different facilitators to speak to a number of topics from how to manage the stress of your hearing to understating the beauty of being LGBTQ+ in a spiritual community and healing from homophobia, or how to apply for work and 12

14 Biweekly Information sessions Our biweekly information sessions are attended by an average of 30 people. Our first information session was held in April, and as you may see from the picture it was attended by an average of 10 people. That number has grown as the participants invite other LGBTQ+ refugees to attend and considered it to be extremely useful. Our information sessions are usually facilitated by our Peer Support Co-coordinator Brenda with the participation of our program manager Aleks, they make an effort to simplify the process they will be going through and answer all their questions in regard to their IRB hearings from a practical perspective. 13

15 Letters of Support Our Peer Support Co-Coordinator Abiodun has created a registration system that facilitates the interview process and production of support letters for refugees who request them. We have minimum requirements to provide them with the letters, mostly that they are known to the program and participate with us and the LGBTQ+ community. Abiodun works hand in hand with a group of wonderful volunteers who offer their time to making sure that every LGBTQ+ refugee who meets the minimum requirement and requests a letter of support has it ready with at least 10 days prior to their hearing date so they can submit i t on time. Since the beginning of the program we have provided 1980 letters of support for refugee claimants. This year we have written 255 letters of support and have assigned 61 letters to our team of volunteer letter writers. Letters are written according to hearing date and deadline for submissions as informed by our participants. At this time, most of the agencies providing settlement services for LGBTQ+ refugees have stopped producing letters of support, feeling overwhelmed by the request. We are the only institution who continues to do so. IRB Hearing outcomes Some participants let us know of the outcomes of their hearings. They might want to appreciate the support we have given them, celebrate with us or seek emotional and spiritual support when they have had a negative decision in their case. Of the 316 refugee claimants who started participating with us this year: 30 have reported to have had successful hearings with positive decisions; 2 cases have been denied and are in the process of an appeal; 279 are still waiting for their result, and 4 have had their hearings postponed. Peer Support Leadership Team Our Peer Support Leadership team usually meets a Sunday before and a Sunday after our Peer support meetings to discuss better ways to serve the needs of the LGBTQ+ refugees participating in our program. From what kinds of information, they would benefit from having to what resources are lacking. They also give 14

16 recommendations to the program about programming, resources and the barriers they are facing. This leadership team is formed by a group of refugee claimants, staff members who facilitates their conversations and volunteers. Emotional and Spiritual Support, and integration in community Our participants have expressed that having to flee their country of origin seeking safety in a foreign country with no guarantee that their hearings will have a positive outcome is the most stressful time of their lives. Especially, if they have had a negative outcome in their hearings and are fearing deportation towards unsafety and possible harm. Through one on one sessions, when they request it, we address their fears and concerns, and if needed we connect them with institutions that provide them with free mental health care such as the CCVT (Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture). If they express the need for spiritual care and support, we asked them what spiritual tradition they feel more comfortable getting that support from. If within our church, we connect them with a deacon, if they express affinity with other faith traditions we look for LGBTQ+ inclusive communities and connect them with their leadership. We also make sure to know if they are feeling integrated and welcome in our community. For this purpose, at the beginning of each information session we conduct a brief survey to inquire if they are feeling welcome into MCC Toronto and we ask how we can serve them better. During times of socialization and during their participation in our programs we also reach out to other members in our community who feel integrated and asked them to make sure the newcomers feel as welcomed as they do. Community Meal with Caribbean and West African flavours Once a month MCC Toronto organises a community meal for the congregation to come and socialise and make friends. On February 2017, our community meal was a celebration of the different cultures represented by our participants. Caribbean and West African food was offered, and we had one of us DJ what turned out to be a super fun dance party. 15

17 Clothing donations and distribution We make sure to request, stored and distribute clothing items, particularly in the coldest months of the year. Some of our participants are not prepared for our Canadian winter and we make sure they have what they need to feel warm and able to move around the city when they are required to do so Tokens On a monthly basis we purchase tokens and distribute them according to need and making sure that if they participate with us they can come from and to home in TTC. Resources and access to services: Helping them navigate the Canadian system Our program provides them with relevant information to ease their anxiety, one on one sessions to answer their questions and to advocate for them with other organization in the provision of public goods and access to services. New Technology We are planning to purchase a new computer and 2 tablets to facilitate our registration process and also to make sure that all our staff members have access to a computer when needed. This will most likely happen within the next couple of months. 16

18 Our participation in Pride Toronto 2017 Our participants were very excited to be a prat of Pride celebration. For some of them this is their first time openly and freely celebrating their identities. They wanted to march in our contingent and carry pour sings. People greeted them very warmly and it was obvious how much they were enjoying themselves it was a joy to watch. More than 50 people form our program were carrying one of the biggest rainbow flags in the parade 17

19 Networking and Advocacy on issues concerning LGBT Refugees in Canada and abroad 2017 Achievements in Advocacy Submission to the Canadian Council for Refugees and guideline 9 as a result: Awareness and criticisms were raised in the past over the way some IRB members were conducting LGBTQ+ hearings. The miss-gendering of Trans identities, the misunderstandings around gender expression, the lack of understanding of multiple identities and intersectional ties, including bisexuality, as well as the enforcement of stereotypes, and in some occasions prejudice and discrimination, made the process unfair and uneven. Some board members had a high percentage of positive decisions while others extremely low. As a result, CCR put forward a consultation to all communities and organization working with LGBTQ+ refugee claimants to put forwards their experiences and recommendations for change. Our program submitted a five pager to CCR that was included in other many submission. As a result the Chairperson of IRB issued Guideline 9: Proceedings Before the IRB Involving Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression. They represent a big win for our community thanks to the joint efforts of many organizations including our program. Was these are implemented, we hope fairness and equity will be the outcome. The case of Edwar in Turkey: we advocated for one of our sponsored refugees to have an expedited interview at the Ankara Visa Post. We feared he was going to be deported from Turkey and that his application was going to be delayed unnecessarily. We also feared for his health and his safety and access to medication. Fortunately, we were able to advocate for him with our local MP and the IRCC Regional Director for the Middle East. We were heard, and Edwar has been interview and will be joining us in Canada shortly. Participation in SAH National Conference and CCR spring consultation: In May we participated in two conferences and brought visibility and awareness in the sessions we attended to LGBTQ+ issues. Achievements in Networking Our old and new collaborations: We continue to work closely with Rainbow Railroad in cosponsoring and resettling refugees, and with Rainbow Refugee Society to have access to the LGBTQ+ Refugee pilot project of IRCC. We are in conversation of expanding such collaborations to include other areas of work as well as adding new partners such as Capital Rainbow Refugee. We are also an active participant of the LGBTQ+ Refugee Settlement network, gathering 13 Toronto based organizations providing support to in land refugee claimants. You can see the Network s brochure included as an annex. In the brochure we also list our activities and can refer our participant to the different organizations depending on need and expertise. 18

20 City of Toronto Newcomer s day: together with the LGBTQ+ Settlement Network we put together a booth and distributed information about our Network and the different organizations and their services to Newcomers and others who attended the event. We were also able to get information that will come in handy to better serve our community. Amnesty international consultation to promote Canada s Private Sponsorship Program to other countries: This year we also participated in a consultation carried out in the offices of Amnesty International in Toronto with the purpose of informing and talking about our experiences with 19

21 Canadian Private Sponsorship programs in the hopes that they will promote such system to other countries. If other countries adopt such system, it will mean an increase of sponsored and resettled refugees into safety all around the world. Participation in SAH National Conference and CCR spring consultation: In May we participated in two conferences and had conversations towards future possible collaborations with organizations in Vancouver and Ottawa. We are also organising 2 panels for CCR s international conference in 2018 to bring awareness on LGBTQ+ private sponsorship and in land asylum claimants. Other organizations interested in participating with us are rainbow Railroad, Rainbow Refugee Society and Capital Rainbow Refugee 20

22 Annexes We have included in our the following documents that will provide extended information on our activities and participation. Please see the files attached jointly with this report: MCCT 2017 Pride Guide 2017 LGBTQ+ Settlement Network Brochure THANK YOU! 21