Point Of Entry

🎧 In this episode, Alina Murad sits down with Julie Chamagne, Executive Director of the Halifax Refugee Clinic, and legal counsel Thiago Buchert to explore the history – and ongoing challenges – of legal aid in Halifax. They share how this vital support can mean the difference between a smooth settlement and a system full of barriers. Their conversation reveals how critical needs are often constrained by federal and provincial limitations – and what that means for newcomers trying to build a new life.

Dans cet episode, Camille Fournel s'entretient avec Gabrielle Thiboutot, co-présidente de l’AQAADI, pour discuter de l’accès limité à l’aide juridique et de l’impact direct que cela a sur le parcours d’installation des personnes nouvellement arrivées. Elles explorent les barrières structurelles, les réalités de celles et ceux qui restent en marge des services essentiels, et le rôle du projet de loi C-2 dans ce paysage déjà complexe.

In this episode, Alina Murad sits down with Faiz Abhuani, director of Brique par Brique, to unpack what it truly means to build spaces rooted in justice and community. Faiz speaks to the urgent need for institutions that address one of our most basic needs: housing. In the face of systemic discrimination in the rental market and the growing inaccessibility of housing, collective action becomes essential. Faiz takes listeners inside the process of creating a community-driven housing institution and shows how everyday people can help sustain it through community bonds and shared investment in a more just future.

🔗 Listen now, available on all platforms!

In this episode, Alina Murad sits down with Rachel Schleifer, Advocacy and Engagement Project Coordinator at Le Depot, to explore the complex realities of food insecurity and its intersectional impacts. They discuss how community-based organizations are creating solutions that go beyond temporary fixes - tackling the root causes and harnessing collective power to drive real and effective change.

🎧 In this episode, Alina Murad sits down with Abdul Raziq Khan, municipal candidate for City Councillor in Parc-Extension, to explore what it means to ground power in community. Drawing on his work tackling food insecurity as owner of Mama Khan and Madinah Foundation, he explains how he has built sustainable grassroots solution to support his community. He also sheds light on the challenges facing Parc-Ex and the collective strategies needed to address them. From grassroots organizing to civic engagement, this conversation reveals how lasting change is built collectively.

In this episode, TRC’s Executive Director, Abdulla Daoud sits down with Chris Friesen, Chief Operating Officer of the Immigrant Services Society of BC (ISS of BC), to speak candidly about the deep flaws in Canada’s housing system, especially when it comes to meeting the needs of refugee and immigrant families. This powerful conversation calls for a bold reimagining of housing policy, one that centers on community, equity, and long-term sustainability.

In this episode, TRC’s Executive Director, Abdulla Daoud sits down with Kizito Musabimana, founder of Rwandan Canadian Healing Centre (RCHC), to explore the stark realities of housing access for refugees. The conversation touches on the role of the government, private sector, and community organizations and what can come from cross-sectoral collaboration. Listen now to discover how these institutions can collaborate to develop innovative models for affordable housing.

Dans cet épisode spécial enregistré en personne, le directeur général Abdulla Daoud et la directrice de l'engagement et des communications Camille Fournel discutent avec quatre experts de première ligne sur les obstacles quotidients que rencontrent les réfugiés au Canada pour accéder à leurs besoins de bases — logement, soins de santé, sécurité alimentaire, et bien plus encore. Une conversation éclairante, portée par des voix engagées sur le terrain, qui nous montre concrètement comment chacun peut agir grâce au fonds Pay It Forward.

Invités : Dr Juan Chirgwin (CLSC Parc-Extension), Florence Bourdeau (ROHMI), François Loza-Rodriguez (TCRI), Ariane Nadeau (Moisson Montréal)

Faites un don au fonds Pay It Forward : www.therefugeecentre.org/payitforward

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In this special in-person episode, Executive Director Abdulla Daoud and Outreach Director Camille Fournel sit down sit down with four frontline experts to explore the daily barriers refugees in Canada face in accessing basic needs—housing, healthcare, food security, and more. Gain a multi-sector perspective from professionals on the ground, and learn how you can take action through the Pay It Forward fund.

Guests: Dr. Juan Chirgwin (CLSC Parc-Extension), Florence Bourdeau (ROHMI), François Lola-Rodriguez (TCRI), Ariane Nadeau (Moisson Montréal)

Donate now to the Pay it Forward Fund: https://www.therefugeecentre.org/payitforward

In this episode, Alina Murad sits down with Gauri Sreenivasan, Co-Executive Director of the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR), for a deep dive into Canada’s refugee policy landscape. Together, they unpack how are current policies contributing to current anti-immigration sentiment in Canada. From the impacts of the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) to the political context surrounding Bill C-2, they explore how public perception, political agendas, and advocacy intersect to shape the realities faced by refugees and refugee claimants today.

To learn more about the CCR, please visit https://ccrweb.ca/en

In this episode, we sit down with Aisling Bondy the President of the Canadian Association for Refugee Lawyers (CARL) to unpack one of the most pressing and controversial policy proposals on the table: Bill C-2. Though not yet passed, this bill threatens to reshape Canada’s refugee system by closing vital pathways to safety for claimants. Drawing comparisons to restrictive U.S. immigration policies, our guest explores the potential implications of Bill C-2, what it signals for Canada’s future, and why legal experts and advocates are raising the alarm.