A really powerful public protest took place by the Peace Tower in front of Parliament today. Like protests going on across the country today to underline the importance of the Interim Federal Health program that refugees to Canada have been able to access. This program is set to end on July 1. Some Canada Day present.

This is not some freebie and those that need this are not a bunch of people gaming the system, as Immigration Minister Jason Kenney frames it. These are some of the most vulnerable people among us. And today on the Hill we heard from two such refugees who, had they not, when they first arrived here in Canada had access to this program, they quite likely would not be here today. One of them is now a doctor, the other is a recent university graduate and about to begin a masters in International law. They, doctors, nurses and other frontline health care practitioners as well as the NDP are part of a growing voice of Canadians who cannot believe that the Harper government would play such wedge politics with people’s lives. They are calling on the government to reverse this egregious policy.

- Andrew Cash