Canada announced the temporary residency visa program for family members of citizens and permanent residents who are trapped in Gaza in January. Ten months later, more than 40 human rights organizations have signed a letter pleading with the federal government to reform the program.
Saadiya Joha says she has lost more than 200 members of her extended family in Gaza since the start of the war. And she says she is is still waiting to receive unique codes for seven of her 10 loved ones, to apply for temporary visas to be accepted.
“How do I answer them when I cannot guarantee their safety or offer them the help they so desperately need?” she asked.
In order to apply for a temporary visa a family member in Canada must first provide a list of names and birth dates of relatives. They are then given a unique code for each name …