I’ve heard Canadians claiming they’re already letting LGBT folks from the US achieve refugee status, but that’s strange because Canada has a treaty with the US explicitly stating that they can’t take in refugees arriving from the US. So it seems like Canadian citizens think they’re taking in LGBT refugees from the US, and will likely be confused and push back when people try to tell them that Canada literally can’t take US refugees without the refugee doing a big, long legal song and dance. So my guess is that the Canada is going to claim they’re already doing it (when they don’t actually seem to) and then apologize again in 80yrs.
Edit: y’all wanna tell me how I’m wrong? As someone who’s head will probably be on the chopping block should republicans win the next election, I would really like to know if I can count on Canada not turning me around should I find myself having to show up at the border with my belongings.
I would love to say that I have hope that Canada will be willing to break that treaty, but Canada is still financially dependent on the US, not to mention that people who care a lot about “muh Canadian identity” would definitely be against taking Americans.
Honestly I think secessionism has more of a chance than Americans being let into Canada.
not to mention that people who care a lot about “muh Canadian identity” would definitely be against taking Americans.
I know someone who’s non-binary that’s moved to Canada (I think it was on a work visa), and they’ve talked about how Canada has been very welcoming to them in regards to their gender. However, they’ve also said that they’re very glad that their coworkers have either forgotten, or aren’t aware that they’re American because they’ve heard nothing but hate and vitriol towards Americans. No sympathy towards LGBT Americans, no sympathy towards BIPOC Americans, just generally “fuck Americans, they deserve everything that’s happening to them”.
That wasn’t something I was expecting to hear, and it seriously hurt my view of Canada and my hopes that Canada might act as a safe harbor towards LGBT and BIPOC Americans in the future (assuming republicans succeed with Project 2025).
Iirc the stipulations are convoluted. I moved closer to the Canadian border though, just in case.
Yeah, it’d be nice if I could do that. Sadly I’m not in a position to at the moment. My understanding of the whole situation is that Canada allows asylum seekers from the US, who have to go through a long, drawn-out legal process that involves having a politician personally vouch for them. Refugees, however, are automatically turned away from Canada if they come from or through the US as the US is still considered “safe harbor” for refugees of all kinds.
What’s the difference between an asylum seeker and a refugee? While asylum seekers and refugees are both fleeing their countries, personally I see asylum seekers as people with options, typically with highly desirable skills or knowledge, allowing them to choose which country to make their new home in. Refugees, on the other hand, show up at the border with the clothes on their backs and whatever they could cram into their backpack or car, because they don’t have anywhere else to go.
Canada won’t be as eager to take US refugees as you hope. I can’t think of a small population dealing with massive refugee inflows from a place that much larger. Think of how destabilising the refugee migrations from Syria were on Europe. Lots of LGBT and sympathetic cases of course but lots of crazy and the amount of entitlement would be overwhelming.
The rest of the industrialised worried will have angry Americans in their faces screaming about their first and second amendment rights every day if there is an exodus.
