The Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) Canadian Chapter stands with all those affected by the recent United States Travel and immigration ban on immigrants from seven predominately Muslim countries. CBTU believes that apart from our indigenous peoples, Canada is a nation of immigrants and their descendants. As such, the decision of the Trump Administration to deny the entry into the United States of immigrants fleeing violence based on their country of origin goes against the core values of The Coalition of Black Trade Unionists Canadian Chapter. Among our core values is our belief that there is no place in modern day society for things like anti-black racism, misogyny, xenophobia and islamophobia. Considering that the overwhelming majority of Muslims around the world are people of colour. We believe that each of these and more can be found to some degree at the roots of the Trump Administration’s travel ban on immigrants from several predominantly Muslim countries.

Refusing entry to citizens fleeing conflict and persecution can only serve to exacerbate what is already a grave humanitarian crisis.

The well-established policy of welcoming those fleeing conflict and persecution has saved countless civilian lives around the world and strengthened countless societies across the globe.

The Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) Canadian Chapter has in the past and continues to stand against all forms of racial injustice and racial profiling. As such, CBTU Canada stands against what we see as a global form of racial profiling by the Trump Administration. Belonging to a specific race, creed, religion or being a citizen of a specific country does not in our view constitute a threat to society. It is further our view that there is no place in Canadian society for divisive laws and policies like this.

That is why the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists in Canada calls upon The Canadian Government to stand against the United States travel ban on Muslims while actively engaging the United States Government to reverse the ban. We further call upon The Canadian Government to stand up for the rights of all Canadians on this issue and to support the thousands of refugees now in limbo because of the U.S. travel ban regardless of their country of origin. In addition, the CBTU calls upon Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to engage President Donald Trump on the full reinstatement of the U.S. resettlement program regardless of the refugee’s country of origin.

Finally, we call upon the The Canadian Government to work with and support organizations around the world that uphold the civil liberties of all.