TORONTO, Oct. 18 (UPI) -- Hungarian gypsy refugee claimants in Canada are disputing a federal intelligence report suggesting high levels of crime and welfare fraud among them.
A redacted version of last year's report by the Canada Border Services Agency was seen by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. this week. It denies labeling all gypsies, or Roma, as criminals.
"The information received is not all encompassing, nor is it a depiction of all members of the community, however, it serves to demonstrate that there is significant criminal activity occurring within this group."
Canada lifted visa requirements for some European countries in 2008 and the number of gypsies from Hungary seeking refugee status surged. They claim they are persecuted there, the report said.
In 2011, 4,442 Hungarian gypsies claimed refugee status in Canada, which was 17 percent of all claims, the CBC said.
Gina Csanyi-Robah, executive director of the Roma Community Centre in Toronto, told the broadcaster the report created a bias against future applicants.
"There are a lot of unsubstantiated allegations in this report, very detrimental allegations that are in this report that are misleading," she said. "The vast majority of Roma who have come here seeking asylum in Canada have tried their absolute best to build better lives here and ... not at all [trying] to take advantage of the system."
