June 5, 2025

Mario Bellissimo Shares Legal Insight with CBC News on Controversial Bill C-2

As debate intensifies over the federal government’s proposed Bill C-2 (Strong Borders Act), immigration experts are raising serious concerns about its far-reaching implications for asylum seekers and migrants.

Bellissimo Law Group’s Mario Bellissimo, a leading immigration lawyer, was interviewed by CBC News this week to discuss the bill’s impact on due process and Canada’s refugee protection system.

In an interview with CBC, Mario warned that the legislation risks making the immigration process more rigid and less fair:

“The bill creates arbitrary distinctions—like 14 days or one year after June 2020—that remove the possibility for individualized assessment…It will make the system more cumbersome than actually helping to resolve the backlog.”

The bill proposes sweeping powers allowing the government to suspend, cancel, or pause immigration and refugee applications, including those already in progress, if deemed in the “public interest.” It would also enforce strict deadlines on when refugee claims must be made.

While Mario acknowledged the importance of maintaining the integrity of the immigration system, he cautioned against overly broad measures:

“It wants to send messages to individuals who want to traverse the system over many years without legitimate claims that this is not a destination of choice for you,” he noted. “But in doing so, it risks targeting individuals in genuine need of assistance.”

As the bill makes its way through Parliament, Mario and other legal experts continue to advocate for a more balanced, compassionate, and procedurally sound approach to immigration reform.

Read the full news article here: Experts warn of Bill C-2 as ‘anti-refugee’ and ‘anti-immigrant’ giving Canada ‘unchecked powers’ like the U.S. | CBC News