Last Updated: Nov 6, 2014
FAMILY SPONSORSHIP: A PATHWAY TO INDEPENDENCE OR A ROAD TO NOWHERE?
by Avvy Go
by Avvy Go
ABSTRACT
Women are more likely than men to gain immigration status through family class sponsorship program. Advocates concerned with gender based discrimination and violence against women have long expressed concerns that both the nature and design of immigration sponsorship puts women in precarious position vis-à-vis their sponsors. Recent changes to the immigration legislation further reinforce immigrant women’s vulnerability. Yet for many immigrant women, family class sponsorship program remains the only avenue through which they could seek permanent resident status, and to bring their loved ones to Canada. This presentation will focus on both the challenges facing women as sponsored immigrant, and the opportunities that the family class sponsorship program for women to start a new life in Canada.
Women are more likely than men to gain immigration status through family class sponsorship program. Advocates concerned with gender based discrimination and violence against women have long expressed concerns that both the nature and design of immigration sponsorship puts women in precarious position vis-à-vis their sponsors. Recent changes to the immigration legislation further reinforce immigrant women’s vulnerability. Yet for many immigrant women, family class sponsorship program remains the only avenue through which they could seek permanent resident status, and to bring their loved ones to Canada. This presentation will focus on both the challenges facing women as sponsored immigrant, and the opportunities that the family class sponsorship program for women to start a new life in Canada.
Avvy Go
Metro Toronto Chinese & Southeast Asian Legal Clinic Toronto Avvy Go is the Clinic Director of Metro Toronto Chinese & Southeast Asian Legal Clinic. She received her B.A. in economics and management studies from the University of Waterloo, LL.B. from the University of Toronto, and LL.M. from Osgoode Hall Law School. Since her call to the Bar in 1991, she has worked exclusively in the legal clinic system, serving the legal needs of low income individuals and families, the majority of whom are non-English speaking immigrants and refugees. Immigration, human rights, and employment law are some of the main areas of law that she practices in. Between 2001 and 2003, and then from 2006-2011 she was a bencher of the Law Society of Upper Canada. In June, 2013, Avvy was re-elected as a bencher. She also serves on the LSUC’s Access to Justice Committee and the Equity and Aboriginal Issues Committee. Since 2005, Avvy has been a part time adjudicator of the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board, and a member of the Health Services Appeal and Review Board since 2011. Between 2009 and 2011, Avvy served on the Board of Directors of the Ontario Justice Education Network. Avvy served on the Advisory Council of the Canadian Human Rights Museum between 2011 and 2013. Since 2011, she has been serving as a member of the Community Council of the Law Commission of Ontario. Avvy has given numerous lectures and educational seminars in various areas of law. She has also published articles in various publications including law journals, law books, community as well as mainstream newspapers dealing with a variety of subject matters, most notably legal and policy issues affecting immigrants and racialized communities. Apart from her legal practice, Avvy spends much time doing community organizing and advocacy work. She had been involved in a number of community organizations such as serving as the Vice-Chair of the Court Challenges Program of Canada (1994-1997), President of the Chinese Canadian National Council (Toronto Chapter) (1989-1995) and board member of the Urban Alliance on Race Relations (1991-1994). In 2007, she co-founded the Colour of Poverty Campaign (COPC), a campaign to address the increasing racialization of poverty in Ontario and currently serves a steering committee member of COPC. Avvy has received the following awards: Order of Ontario (2014), the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers’ Lawyer of Distinction Award (2012), City of Toronto’s William P. Hubbard Award for Race Relations (2008) and President's Award of the Women's Law Association of Ontario (2002). |