If you have ever worked with refugees, and been confused by the seeming inconsistencies of the Refugee Status Determination process in Canada, or if you have ever wondered who decides the fate of refugee claimants in this country - then this book, Refugee Sandwich, is a must read for you.

Peter Showler, professor of refugee law at the University of Ottawa, is a former refugee lawyer, member of the Immigrant and Refugee Board of Canada, and former chairperson of the Board.  He has written a collection of thirteen fictional short stories based on his experiences inside Canada’s refugee system.  The complexities of the refugee determination process are seen through first person accounts by all the participants - lawyers, judges, interpreters, officers and claimants.

In the afterword to the book, Showler gives a detailed description of the official refugee definitions and of the asylum system in Canada.  These are especially helpful for the reader who is not familiar with the system.

Showler’s stories are insightful, satirical and deeply touching.  He exposes the incredible intricacy of the refugee determination process, painting both a sympathetic and critical picture of the system. I would be tempted to call this book an easy read, but there is nothing ‘easy’ about these stories.  Showler’s hope is that his book will be an eye opener for more people, moving them to work for much needed changes to a flawed system.

REFUGEE SANDWICH
Author: Peter Showler
Publisher: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2006

Book Report by: Holly Patterson