The Federal Court found the government's treatment of refugees is "cruel and unusual" because it jeopardizes their health and shocks the conscience of Canadians.

Judge Anne Mactavish ruled the federal cabinet has the power to make such changes and that the procedure was fair, but that the people affected by the changes are being subjected to "cruel and unusual" treatment.

• Read the Federal Court decision (pdf) 
• Listen to refugees and doctors talk about how the cuts affect them

"This is particularly, but not exclusively, so as it affects children who have been brought to this country by their parents," Mactavish wrote in the 268-page decision

We are a group of health care providers and frontline advocates who work with refugees and we are tired of seeing our refugee clients suffer from the IFH cuts. We are calling on the BC government to follow the lead of most of the provinces and step in to provide basic and essential health care coverage to these vulnerable and valuable people.