Research Team

The preliminary research has been divided into the following 14 areas and an individual has been assigned to cover that area:
 
RESEARCH TEAM

• International Coordination: Howard Adelman  
• Canadian Project Management: Nergis Canefe
• Basic Data: Gowry Sivapathasundaram and Anastazia Tataryrn
• Profiles of PILs: Luis Alberto Matta
• Human Rights Dimension: Grace Wu  
• Ethical Framework: Monika Korolozuk
• Legislative Framework: Andrew J. Brouwer 
• Case Law: Leigh Salsberg   
• Government Policies and Practices      ?
• Psychological Impact: Janet Cleveland
• Role of NGOs: Janet Dench
• Statelessness: Julie Chamagne 
• Comparative Frame (Europe): Lavinia Asavei
• Philosophical Frame: Howard Adelman and Gowry Sivapathasundaram

  The research is preliminary with a view to developing a full fledged critical analysis of persons in limbo (PILs) in order to develop alternative solutions. The study would involve:

1. a survey of literature pertaining to PILs;
2. determining who is in limbo, for how long, under what different categories, how they are monitored, the system for accounting, and how their cases are eventually disposed of and over what period;  
3. the legal framework;
4. the administrative structure for making decisions re PILs, including provisions for reviews, appeals or external monitoring by the office of an ombudsman or equivalent;
5. the rationale and principles underlying maintaining persons in limbo;
6. the critical security considerations related to the public both with respect to risk (health, security, etc.) and the maintenance of the rule of law and management of the immigration program;
7. the relevant applicable ethical norms and how they interact and are prioritized;
8. the existing policy framework within which the procedures and practices take place;
9. a study of relevant legal cases pertaining to PILs;
10. the role of NGOs and advocacy groups in relationship to PILs;
11. the various efforts made by government and non-government sectors to resolve the problem of PILs and the shortcomings of such efforts;
12. the impact of being in limbo on the persons in such situations;
13. the impact on Canadian society, including its prevalent norms and values, of leaving persons in limbo for extended periods of time;
14. hopefully, the study would be linked to studies in other countries to allow a comparative description and comparison of policies and practices with other jurisdictions drawn from participating states in the Intergovernmental Consultations on Migration, Asylum and Refugees (IGC) who have encountered similar problems.