The new politics and legislation regarding the Canadian security: a closer look at Smuggling of Migrants.

Numerous debates on smuggling of migrants, transnational organized crime and on clandestine immigrants have emerged these past years through out the world. The General Assembly adopted on November 2000 The United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime and two additional protocols supplementing the above mentioned convention: The Protocol Against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air; and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in persons Especially Women and Children. Canada ratified the three instruments in May 2002. In the aftermath of September 11th some remarkable changes have been observed in the security measures and the migratory control stakes. Since then, illicit immigration is seen as a high menace and a priority to the western governments. The measures against smuggling immigrants have never been as streaked which brings higher control at the borders. George W. Bush and his government are leaning forward a harmonization of the immigration laws and procedures, security and customs between the United States and Canada. Both nations have chosen to close all entries to illegal migrants by enforcing border control. Canada adopted on October 2001 a strategy part of the Antiterrorist Plan that will strengthen all immigration measures against the terrorism. All these changes have a negative impact on the respect of the rights of immigrants and refugees. The purpose of this paper is to analyze how Canada applied the UN Convention and its protocols. We will explore the impact of 9/11 on the Canadian legislation of immigration and also the pressures felt by Canada to conform to the measures taken to fight against illegal immigration. All trough this critical analysis we will study how the immigrants and refugees haves seen their rights and liberties diminished. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]