Excerpts
The Quebec Court of Appeal has ruled that asylum seekers are allowed to use subsidized daycare in the province.
In a unanimous decision on Wednesday, the court reinforced a lower-court ruling — albeit for different reasons — and found that the Quebec government policy barring asylum seekers from subsidized daycare was discriminatory because it unfairly prevented women from participating in the job market.
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"Such recourse would be perceived as a serious threat to gender equality, running counter to the government's commitments to progress toward a fair and equitable society," the media release said.
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In 2018, Quebec barred asylum seekers from putting their children in subsidized daycare, arguing their refugee claim had to be heard before they could be granted access to the service. It recommended new arrivals turn to private daycare until their status was confirmed by the federal government.
Advocates for asylum seekers decried the move, saying it prevented asylum seekers from entering the workforce, forcing them to remain on welfare.
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