Bill C-12 has the potential to endanger the lives of LGBTQI+ people fleeing persecution.
The introduction of Bill C-12 has sparked widespread outcry from civil society across Canada. While presented as a security measure, this Bill revives and expands the most restrictive elements of Bill C-2, including a one-year bar on asylum claims, broad ministerial powers to cancel immigration status, and new data-sharing provisions.
From the UNHCR Global Refugee Forum in 2023 to the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2025, the Canadian government has lauded the success of Government-Assisted Refugee partnerships around the world; however, the measures outlined in the Bill threaten to dismantle Canada’s long-standing humanitarian commitment to refugee protection. For LGBTQI+ asylum seekers, whose safety often depends on privacy, trust, and time to disclose their identities, Bill C-12 replaces compassion with control, turning Canada’s asylum system into an enforcement tool that undermines fairness, transparency, and due process.
Rainbow Railroad joins Canadian Council for Refugees, From Borders to Belonging, and other civil society partners across Canada in condemning Bill C-12 for limiting the right to seek asylum and potentially endangering the lives of LGBTQI+ people fleeing persecution. The Bill’s rigid timelines and surveillance provisions punish those who need time to disclose their stories and gather evidence, creating a traumatic experience for LGBTQI+ asylum seekers. This Bill overrides the government's own guidelines for LGBTQI+ claims, which explicitly state that a delay in disclosure must not be held against a claimant
By granting unchecked powers to the Minister to revoke immigration status or share personal data, Bill C-12 undermines judicial independence and risks refoulement, sending LGBTQI+ people back to countries where they may face violence or death. These provisions violate Canada’s obligations under the Refugee Convention, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
Rainbow Railroad believes safety is not a privilege; it is a right. Canada’s asylum system must reflect that principle by upholding fairness, oversight, and specialized protection for those with the highest need. Rainbow Railroad calls on the Government of Canada to withdraw or amend Bill C-12 to align with its international human rights commitments and Canada’s Charter.
We urge the government to:
- Eliminate the one-year bar on asylum and guarantee full Immigration Refugee Board hearings for all SOGIESC claims.
- Restrict Ministerial Discretion by requiring judicial review and public reporting for any suspension or cancellation of status.
- End invasive data-sharing that jeopardizes safety and privacy.
- Expand LGBTQI+ protection pathways through the Government Assisted Refugees partnership with Rainbow Railroad.
Canada must protect the rights of LGBTQI+ refugees and ensure they can access services with dignity and respect.