SAVE THE DATE
7th Round Table of the Bonn Platform for Forced Migration Studies
Still a Model? Canada’s Evolving Immigration and Refugee Policy
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Dagmar Soennecken, York University
Discussant: Prof. Dr. Petra Bendel, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg
📅 Tuesday, May 5, 2026
📍 University of Bonn, Main Building, Festsaal,
Regina-Pacis-Weg 3, 53113 Bonn
With its multicultural social model and pluralistic immigration policy, Canada has been regarded as an international benchmark for decades. The country has long played a pioneering role, particularly in the area of refugee resettlement—for example, through innovative programs such as the private refugee sponsorship program introduced in the 1970s, which has been recognized internationally as a model and widely adopted. Together with its managed, points-based immigration mechanisms, all of this has earned Canada a reputation as a country with an outstanding “culture of welcome,” a topic that has also been the subject of intense debate in Germany. In a North American comparison, Canada is often viewed—especially against the backdrop of more restrictive developments in the North American context since Donald Trump’s reelection in 2017—as the “more liberal counter-model” to the United States.
The lecture examines the extent to which this picture still holds true in light of recent political and social developments. It focuses on changes in the management of migration and refugee flows, shifts in political rhetoric following Mark Carney’s election, and new tensions between domestic political interests, humanitarian obligations, and economic pressures. Drawing on current reforms—including the passage of Bill C-21—and political debates, the presentation analyzes whether and how Canada’s approach is transforming and to what extent external and internal dynamics are driving this change. The presentation thus explores the question of whether the “better” North America is increasingly a thing of the past.
The Round Tables are an event series by the Bonn Platform for Forced Migration.
The Bonn Platform is a collaboration established in 2023 by researchers and academic managers. It brings together bicc (Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies), FFVT (Forced Migration and Refugee Studies: Networking and Transfer), the University of Bonn, and the Bonn Institute for Migration Research and Intercultural Learning (BIM e.V.), including its House of Diversity Migrapolis.
Their aim is to bring together Bonn-based stakeholders working on issues of displacement and migration, offering a platform for exchange, peer learning, and collaboration. With their interactive format, the Round Tables encourage participants to bring in their own perspectives and engage in dialogue.
We look forward to your participation!
Contact:
Dr. Sandra Gilgan (BORA, University of Bonn)
Maarit Thiem (BICC / FFVT)
Dr. Lena Laube & Dr. Maria Ullrich (FIW, University of Bonn)
Jure Leko (BIM e.V.)