Canada’s supreme court upholds pact with US restricting asylum claims

Safe Third Country Agreement does not infringe refugee claimants’ rights to liberty and security of the person, court rules

Canada’s top court has ruled that an agreement with the United States aiming to control the flow of refugees across the shared border is constitutional, ending a lengthy legal challenge by advocacy groups who argue the deal violates the rights of asylum seekers.

In a unanimous judgment released on Friday morning, the supreme court found the controversial Safe Third Country Agreement did not infringe refugee claimants’ rights to liberty and security of the person.