Canada presented itself as a safe destination for Uyghurs escaping persecution. In February 2023, the House of Commons unanimously supported Motion M-62, calling for the resettlement of 10,000 Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims at risk in third countries. Yet, by March 2026, fewer than 300 people had arrived in Canada less than three per cent of the announced target.
This gap is more than an administrative delay. For Uyghurs trapped in unsafe transit countries, every month can bring the risk of detention, deportation or pressure to return to China. For Uyghurs already living in Canada, the problem continues in another form: they may be physically safe but still vulnerable to threats against relatives, surveillance and intimidation by Beijing.
Canada’s promise of sanctuary therefore remains incomplete. Protection must mean both reaching Canada and being free to speak, organise and preserve Uyghur identity after arrival.
A family used as a warning
In January 2023, Uyghur Canadian activist Mehmet Tohti received a telephone call that appeared to come from Hong Kong. During the call, a relative reportedly told him that his mother and two sisters were dead. Tohti later learned that his 76-year-old mother had died in a detention camp.
The timing of the call was especially disturbing. It came just days before Parliament debated the plan to resettle 10,000 Uyghurs. Tohti said his mother’s death was “the cost you have to pay if you continue to advocate.”
The alleged message was clear: even after leaving China, a Uyghur activist can be punished through family members who remain behind. This is one of the most powerful tools of transnational repression. It turns a parent, spouse or child into a source of pressure.
Why Uyghurs need protection
The need for resettlement begins in Xinjiang, where the UN human-rights office documented arbitrary detention, torture allegations, intrusive surveillance and restrictions on religious and cultural life. The UN concluded that the abuses may constitute crimes against humanity.
Beijing defends its policies as counterterrorism measures aimed at combating separatism and violent extremism. However, the UN assessment found that China relied on vague definitions and discriminatory indicators of “extremism,” enabling large-scale arbitrary detention.
This distinction matters. People who are accused of violence should face fair legal proceedings. But a person should not be detained simply because they attend a mosque, study the Quran, contact relatives abroad or express support for Uyghur cultural rights.
The danger in third countries
Motion M-62 recognised that many Uyghurs who escaped China remain vulnerable in third countries. These countries may detain or deport Uyghurs under pressure from Beijing.
In February 2025, Thailand deported 40 Uyghur men after detaining many of them for more than a decade. The UN human-rights chief expressed deep concern, warning that they faced a real risk of torture and other serious harm in China.
Delays in Canada’s resettlement process can therefore have serious consequences. Applicants may remain exposed to imprisonment, deportation or coercion while waiting for a decision.
The Canadian process includes referrals, medical and security checks, and coordination with international organisations and private sponsors. These safeguards are necessary. The government is also right to protect confidential information when applicants, staff or referral partners could face danger.
But confidentiality cannot explain the scale of the delay. More than 140 people had arrived by September 2025, and fewer than 300 had reached Canada by March 2026. Parliament’s target is scheduled to conclude at the end of 2026.
Safety does not end at the border
Arrival in Canada does not automatically end Beijing’s reach. Uyghur Canadians have reported threatening calls, hacked devices, online harassment, surveillance at protests and pressure directed at relatives in China. Some have also described physical and verbal assaults outside Chinese consular buildings.
Family pressure is particularly effective. A Uyghur Canadian may avoid a protest or public speech because a parent in Xinjiang could be questioned. Others avoid contacting relatives because even a telephone call from abroad may attract official attention.
This means a refugee can be safe under Canadian law yet still feel unable to exercise freedom of speech, association and cultural expression.
Canada has taken steps but more is needed
Canada has strengthened its legal response through Bill C-70, which expanded information-sharing powers, modernised offences involving foreign-linked intimidation and created a foreign-influence transparency registry.
However, legal reforms alone do not provide an immediate safety net. A person receiving threats should not have to decide whether to call the police, intelligence services or another government office.
Canada should create a multilingual hotline and reporting portal for Uyghurs and other targeted communities. Trained coordinators could connect victims with police, cybersecurity experts, legal assistance and trauma counselling. The government should also publish regular, non-identifying updates on M-62 applications, approvals and arrivals.
Sanctuary must include freedom
Canada made a political promise to protect 10,000 Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims. That promise will remain largely symbolic if those in danger cannot reach Canada and those who arrive cannot live free from intimidation.
True sanctuary requires a timely route to safety, protection from foreign interference and the freedom to speak about Uyghur rights without fear. Canada must ensure that its promise is measured not by the words adopted in Parliament, but by the lives actually protected.