Cabinet yesterday doubled a loan program that requires Afghan refugees to repay funds advanced to cover their cost of resettlement in Canada. Ukrainian refugees were given free grants..“The plan consolidates Canada’s humanitarian commitment to resettle at least 40,000 Afghan nationals over the next two years,” the Department of Immigration wrote in a regulatory notice. “This accounts for most of the increase.”.The Immigration Loans Program extends refugees interest-free loans averaging $3,293 per family to cover transportation and resettlement expenses. Loans are repayable within one to eight years. About 4% of borrowers default, by official estimate..According to Blacklock's Reporter, cabinet yesterday raised the financing limit under the program from $126.6 million to $250 million in anticipation of more Afghan borrowers, it said. “While these loans are available to all immigration classes, resettled refugees constitute 99% of Immigration Loans Program users,” wrote staff..Ukrainian war refugees on June 2 were offered cash grants of $3,000 per adult and $1,500 per child in “transitional financial assistance.” Ukrainians were also offered free charter flights to Canada..Cabinet has denied preferential treatment. “There are marked differences between the situation in Afghanistan and Ukraine and those differences should not be overlooked,” Defence Minister Anita Anand testified May 9 at the House of Commons immigration committee..“There have been some suggestions at our previous meetings that Canada is treating Afghan refugees and Ukrainian refugees differently,” said Liberal MP Yvan Baker (Etobicoke Centre, Ont.). “There are significant differences,” replied Anand..“There’s a fight for democracy in the one country, Ukraine, while there is clearly not a fight for democracy in Afghanistan,” said Anand. “Furthermore in Ukraine there are borders shared with close allies, in particular I would point out the Polish border.”.Conservative MP Alex Ruff (Bruce-Grey, Ont.), an Afghan War veteran, interjected. “I disagree,” said Ruff..“You were comparing what’s going on in Ukraine and Afghanistan and there not being a fight for democracy ongoing in Afghanistan,” said Ruff. “There absolutely is a fight for democracy going on in that country.”.Parliament introduced the Immigration Loans Program in 1951. Penniless refugees from postwar Europe qualified for loans of up to $10,000 to pay for transport and resettlement..A 2015 Evaluation Of The Immigration Loans Program found the typical borrower spoke neither English nor French, had limited work skills and a grade school education. Interest was charged at 1% until cabinet waived all interest payments in 2018.
