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GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT
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M
**W OUR REF.CR 12/4821/79
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KM YOUR Ref.:
24315
LOWER ALBERT ROAD
HONG HONG
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
16 APR 1980
DESK OFFICER
REGISTRY Action Taken
21 March 1980
A E Montgomery Esq OTTAWA
INDEX
PA
Лю
8764
AW 16
See (31)
Dear Alaro,
CANADIAN PROGRAMME FOR REFUGEES FROM SOUTH EAST ASIA
Mr K D McKay, the First Secretary in charge of the Canadian refugee programme here, told me at a reception yesterday evening that he was fairly confident that there would be an increase in the Canadian refugee quota beyond the current target of 50,000. Policy decisions had still to be taken by the new government, but there were indications that the government might allow private sponsorships in excess of 50,000. At a rough estimate this might come to 10,000. However there was also a reasonable possibility that these private sponsorships would also be matched on a one to one basis by the Federal government. One reason for some optimism on the matching quota being revived was that Quebec apparently felt it was 'owed' a further 10,000 refugees. There was no reason for the Federal government to oppose this and, therefore, quite a good possibility that Canada might agree to take a further 20,000 refugees of which 10,000 would be under government sponsorship and go to Quebec and the remaining" 10,000 under private sponsorship to provinces which had private sponsors and where any dangers of further refugees being politically unacceptable would be minimised.
2.
McKay added that he hoped that under any new quota Hong Kong would continue to get about 20% of the numbers, possibly more in view of the continuing private sponsorships for refugees here and the higher numbers still in camps in Hong Kong compared with other places in the region.
3.
We should be grateful to know by telegram of any substantive developments in Canadian refugee policy and will, of course, be grateful for anything which you can do to ensure that a high proportion of any new quota is allocated to refugees in Hong Kong.
4.
We have taken every possible opportunity to tell the Canadians how grateful we are for the reliability and size of their programme here. They have alao expressed appreciation for the co-operation given by Immigration Department and the airport authorities. Grateful for your advice on whether further marks of appreciation would be helpful and what the most effective format would be.
Yours wer
(I C Orr)
cc T C S Stt Esq SEAD ECO
DR Snoxell Esq UKMIS GVA
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