Canada’s immigration system, by its very nature, is forced to reconcile many differing values and aspirations.
For example, the system attempts to mediate between providing both consistency and certainty on one (metaphorical) hand, but also flexibility and fairness on the other.
The
Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) is the main statute governing immigration to Canada. IRPA reflects this balancing effort. When seeking immigration status in Canada, section 25(1) of the IRPA allows persons who do not meet one or more of the application requirements set forth in the Act to request that the government consider waving the relevant requirements on humanitarian and compassionate (H&C) grounds. The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration may also, himself, request such consideration.