NDP slams Liberals over slow reunification programs for relatives stuck in Gaza, Sudan

The NDP has accused the federal government of bungling measures introduced months ago that were meant to bring relatives of Canadians from conflict zones in Sudan and the Gaza Strip to safety.

«Not one person has been able to get to safety through the government's special immigration measures,» NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan told reporters Wednesday on Parliament Hill.

«This is perhaps one of the most urgent situations before us that the government needs to take action on.»

She spoke alongside three Canadians with relatives trapped abroad who have spent thousands of dollars to help their family members survive.

They each had hoped to sponsor relatives through special emergency programs meant to bring their loved ones to safety, provided that they can support their family members when they arrive in Canada.

The office of Immigration Minister Marc Miller did not have an immediate response to the criticism.

Civil war broke out in Sudan last spring, yet officials have said they don't expect relatives to reach Canada until the end of this year.

Einam Mohammadian, who has roots in Sudan, said it's been painful to see her relatives flee the conflict to Ethiopia, which has its own recurring episodes of ethnic violence.

Officials told her the delays stem from a lack of access to equipment needed for fingerprinting and other biometric requirements, she said. She questions why her family and others can't be transported to a place where the equipment is available.

«This government left us behind. In 2019, the whole government stood up and said Black Lives Matter, but in this crisis we feel that black lives don't matter anymore,» she said.

Safinaz El-Sohl broke into tears when recounting desperate calls from her relatives in Gaza; the lack