Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise today to present petition e-6563, which more than 1,160 Canadians have signed. It speaks to the issue of private sponsorship refugee applications, which were paused until December 31 of this year, but many approved privately sponsored refugee applicants are experiencing significant delays, some waiting for over a year for interviews at the Canadian embassy in Ankara, Turkey.
The petitioners go on to state that these delays are leaving individuals very vulnerable in precarious situations, particularly those who are faced with threats as part of an LGBT community, as well as others dealing with local political instability. The private sponsors across Canada are prepared and committed to support these refugees on their arrival.
Therefore, to summarize, the petitioners ask the Government of Canada to resume the intake of private sponsorship refugee applications as soon as possible, before the current pause ends on December 31, and to expedite the processing of already approved privately sponsored refugees, prioritizing timely interviews at the embassy in Ankara.