Inter-racial Alliance of Edmonton and Area

20 August 2017

OPEN LETTER

To Members of City Council:

In light of the report on Access without Fear initiatives in Edmonton, as requested by the Community and Public
Services Committee, the Inter-racial Alliance of Edmonton and Area (IAEA) submits this letter to provide our
views on the report.

First, we would like to acknowledge, as indicated in the report that while the exact number of undocumented
individuals currently in Edmonton is unclear, a rough estimate from community agencies is between
10,000-25,000 people. This number conveys an alarming message and represents our most marginalized
people in the community. For Edmonton, in our effort to become a Human Rights City, our commitment should
be to support those most marginalized. Access without Fear in the municipality is thus something that needs
attention in a way that meets the needs of these people.

The Access without Fear Initiative report provided by Citizen Services, we believe, does not set us in the direction
nor provide the information needed to begin this important effort. We are disappointed with the report as it fails
to provide information on what Access without Fear is, and what use it could be in Edmonton. The analysis is
superficial and does not provide information that allows City Council to create or build an informed movement
on this initiative.

Our first recommendation is:

The City of Edmonton should conduct an analysis on: 1) what does an Access without Fear policy involve? And 2)
present the research that exists regarding Access without Fear and its use in other jurisdictions and its value.

The submission by Citizen Services is irrelevant. It does not look at Access without Fear as a deliberate policy, and
what the value and implications are for Edmonton.

The report highlights barriers for people accessing services, through the Food Bank and other municipal public
services, particularly for those that cannot provide an address. The report notes how community agencies do not
receive the supports needed for undocumented individuals and families. These responsibilities are all too often
off-loaded onto already stretched community agencies placing increasing strain on their tight resources. While
the report highlights there are significant barriers accessing services, it does not provide any insight on the role

!1
Inter-racial Alliance of Edmonton and Area

the City can take to address these barriers. In these situations, where the issues may be beyond municipal
jurisdiction, we argue the City has an advocacy role to play here.

Our second recommendation is:

The City of Edmonton has a role to play in advocating to federal and provincial governments to address the lack
of supports in the community. One of these for example is addressing issues about the lack of resources and
funding to already stretched community agencies working to support these individuals. The City can also play a
valuable role in advocating for changes in policy among the services that do exist in our City and to remove the
requirement of having an address to access services.

We also found in the report that there was no connection of the Access without Fear to anti-racism or poverty.

Thus, our third recommendation is:

The City of Edmonton, when looking at an Access without Fear policy, must start from the understanding that
good policy needs a strong anti-racism and anti-poverty lens. These lens need to be applied in any report
submitted to Council. This current report does not reflect this at all.

When we have undocumented individuals in our community, they have no protection or support to meet their
basic human rights. The City of Edmonton has pledged to commit to being a Human Rights City through End
Poverty Edmonton. However, part of being a human rights city is to ensure a focus on the most marginalized in
our community. We ask that the City take a serious approach to the Access without Fear policy and engage
community in this process.

Finally, our fourth recommendation is:

The City of Edmonton should support an informal structure to provide basic and continuous supports to
undocumented individuals and families. These people need a contact point in our community. The City has a
role to play in committing to helping people access the supports they need.

Without addressing the needs of these individuals in our community, they will gradually get into worse and
worse conditions. By not addressing the issue, we increase the longer term cost for these people and the
community.

In closing, we want to reinforce the importance of real action on this issue and that City Council not let it fade
away. This report, we believe, does not provide any real grounding or information that helps Council to make an
informed decision on Access without Fear. No additional information is provided to Council to help them

!2
Inter-racial Alliance of Edmonton and Area

understand what Access without Fear can look like or the value it can bring. The report seems to only summarize
things related to Access without Fear that are currently happening in Edmonton (noting the many inadequacies),
but not to focus on the May 1 motions direction to report on how such initiatives impact people and so has the
danger of justifying current services and approaches rather than offering alternative solutions.

IAEA is an alliance of Edmontonians who with a vision of Edmonton as a region from from systemic racism and
discrimination, and where all community members are welcomed, valued and respected. We seek to enable
informed decisions and actions that contribute to combating systemic racism and discrimination within the area
of Amiskwaciswaskahikan and surrounding areas.

In leaving, we want to emphasize not only does this issue play an important role for Edmonton to be
considering in the wake of the End Poverty Edmonton strategy, but we want to reinforce the vulnerability of this
group. Undocumented individuals and their families can become wound up in a cycle of poverty and slavery.
According to the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner:

Contemporary forms of slavery often involve hidden populations, some of whom perform illicit work. Slavery
often occurs in isolated areas and access can be challenged or compromised when workers are involved in
illegal activities, when they are geographically isolated, or when they work in violent or politically unstable
countries or regions.

The majority of those who suffer are the poorest, most vulnerable and marginalised social groups in society.
Fear, ignorance of ones rights and the need to survive do not encourage them to speak out.

In order to effectively eradicate slavery in all its forms, the root causes of slavery such as poverty, social exclusion
and all forms of discrimination must be addressed. In addition, we need to promote and protect the rights of all
especially the most vulnerable in our society. Where human rights violations have already been committed, we
are called upon to help restore the dignity of victims.

We ask you to take this initiative seriously and call for a new report that provides relevant information and that
applies an anti-racism and anti-poverty lens. We also call on the City to take action by creating an informal
structure to support these individuals. We also call on the City to take action through external and internal
advocacy to remove the barriers for those without an address.

Respectfully Submitted,

Inter-racial Alliance of Edmonton and Area

!3