The 1985 case was one of the Supreme Court’s earliest rulings regarding the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. They also ordered the Immigration Appeal Board to grant the seven applicantsĪ full oral hearing before reaching a decision on their refugee claims.

The Singh case was reviewed by six Supreme Court justices. Their cases were appealed through the courts and made their way to the Supreme Court.īecause of the similarities of the legal issues, all seven were dealt with in a single case it was called Singh v. None of the applicants was allowed to make an oral appeal to these panels, or to hear and reply to the argumentsĪgainst them. Under the immigration system of the time, however, the Refugee Status Advisory Committee and the Immigration Appeal Board considered and made their decisions in private. They were also questioned under oath by an immigration officer. The seven were allowed to explain their cases in written statements to those boards. In each case, the Board ruled that none of the applicants had valid grounds for refugee status, including a reasonable fear of persecution if deported.

The Immigration Appeal Board later upheld those decisions. Seven applicants were refused by the federal government on the advice of the Refugee Status Advisory Committee. Each argued they would face persecution in their home countries - because of either race, religion or their past political activities - if they were returned there. Between 19, six citizens of India (all Sikhs with the surname Singh) plus a Guyanese citizen of Indian heritage, made separate refugee claims

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