The challenge of refugee determination in a self-interested world

Canada's refugee determination system is in crisis. Over the closing decades of the 20th Century, the number of individuals seeking refuge grew dramatically and this placed a strain on the international community to adapt. The increased ease of transportation made many more countries accessible to the refugee movement. As a result, various deflection strategies were implemented by the industrialized states to curtail this flow. This time period is truly unique in that it tests a Nation's tolerance and questions the capacity of existing decision-making processes to effectively balance international obligations with a sovereign interest in migration control. This major research paper analyzes three key challenges -- backlog, abuse and security issues and compares how the Canadian, Australian and the United States refugee determination systems seek to address them. Finally, necessary improvements and developments are proposed.