Human smugglers broadening bases: Toews

Canada's immigration and refugee system is under increased attack from human smugglers and new rules are needed to deal with the "growing concern," says Public Safety Minister Vic Toews.

The ministerwould not elaborate during an "update"session withreporters in Vancouver, but again urgedopposition parties to supportBill C-49 theConservative government's proposed legislation aimed at punishing anyone who smuggles illegal migrants to Canada.

"We think not only will it deter individuals, but in fact it will make it easier to prosecute human smugglers,"hesaid.

The minister alsorefused to comment on media reports that another vessel suspected of carrying Tamil migrants was bound for Canada.

The Conservative government tabled its smuggling legislation in October, two months after the MV Sun Sea shipwith 492 Tamil migrants docked in B.C. All three opposition parties have lined upagainst the controversial bill,saying it violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

ButToews insisted there is nothing in the proposed legislation that interferes with the rights of legitimate refugees to make claims to come to Canada, even if they arrive through "irregular mechanisms."

RCMP probes alleged Tamil Tigerties

Meanwhile, the RCMP and Canada Border Services Agency continue to investigate whether some of the migrantson the Sun Sea or another vessel, the Ocean Lady, which arrived in B.C. in October 2009, have links to militant groups or criminal networks, he said.

The Conservative government has said it believes some of the migrants are members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, also known as the Tamil Tigers, which has been outlawed in Canada as a terrorist group since 2006.

Toews expressed concern that refugees will no longer be welcomed to Canada as more illegal migrantsenter the country, citing recent polling that suggests a "hardening of attitude" among Canadians in the wake of the ships' arrival.

But when pressed by a reporter, Toews denied he contributed to Canadians' perceptions of the migrants bysayingthe governmentbelieves suspectedTamil Tigers and human smugglerswere hiding among the hundreds ofasylum seekers.

This week, a Federal Court overturnedtwo Immigration and Refugee Board release orders for two of the migrants who arrived on the Sun Sea, and ordered them held in custodyover suspected ties to the Tamil Tigers.