Canada’s government proposed reforms Thursday to its political asylum laws, aiming to speed up the process for dealing with what a top official called “bogus refugees.”

“To be blunt, Canada’s asylum system is broken,” Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said in presenting the proposal to parliament in Ottawa.

Kenney noted that 42,000 people are awaiting a decision on asylum in Canada, and that the country accepts 10 percent of those classified by the United Nations as refugees.

The main element of the reform would be the creation of a list of countries which are generally respectful of human rights, and to deal with requests and appeals from these nations quickly. The aim would be to handle these cases in 45 days, compared with an average of more than 1,000 days.

“The rise in refugee claims from democratic countries is well documented. It is a cause for growing concern,” the government minister said.

Kenney said Canada receives more asylum requests from Europe — mostly from EU nations — than from Africa or Asia, and that most of these end up being rejected, suggesting that many seeking asylum are trying to take advantage of Canada’s generous social welfare benefits.

“It’s worth noting that last year we received about 5,000 asylum claims from Hungary,” Kenney said, adding that most were Roma.

“United States received, how many? Not, 30, I think. About 30 asylum claims from Hungary. Other European countries received trace numbers.. It’s very clear that we have, our generous social benefits are acting as a significant pull factor.”

Kenney said the current system is costly for Canadian taxpayers, especially in dealing with those from the European Union, noting that “virtually all” cases from EU nations are eventually denied.

“Too many tax dollars are spent on bogus refugees,” he said. “We need to send a message to those who would abuse Canada’s generous asylum system that if you are not in need of protection, you will be sent home quickly.”

The reform measure would also require that anyone over the age of 16 requesting asylum and arriving clandestinely in Canada be detained for two to three months.

Human rights attorney Lorne Waldman told CBC television however that the measure appeared to be unfairly targeting the Roma, many of whom face persecution in Hungary.

“I have dealt with them, and they are not bogus claimants. They may not all fit in the definition, but the fact they don’t fit in the definition does not mean they are bogus,” Waldman said.

Don Davies, an MP from the opposition New Democratic Party, also found flaws in the proposal, saying a ban on persons convicted of a crime in their home country was unfair.

“That provision would ban Nelson Mandela, were his claim to be made today, from even being able to make a refugee claim in Canada,” Davies said.

(Source: Yahoo!)