Liberals call on Conservatives to reverse cuts to refugee health care

OTTAWA – The federal Liberals are calling on the Conservative government to reverse cuts to refugee health care.

The party’s citizenship and immigration critic, Kevin Lamoureux, says he’ll put forward a motion this fall to study the cuts at a parliamentary committee.

Lamoureux also called on Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney to make public all studies done by his department about the cuts.

The Tories have cut benefits under the interim federal health program, which provides extended health-care benefits to refugees.

Refugees will still receive health-care coverage for emergency services, or if their care is required to prevent or treat a disease that could endanger the public.

The government argues that refugee claimants shouldn’t receive benefits that aren’t received by Canadian taxpayers, saying the changes were designed to discourage bogus refugee claims.