Options for discouraging vessels of refugee claimants will be brought before the Harper cabinet during the week of Sept. 19, the Globe and Mail reported today (Sep 14).

Measures under consideration are believed to include intercepting ships at sea, enacting harsher penalties for those behind the smuggling operations – and striking deals with allies to stop boats before they head to Canada, the report said.

The Globe and Mail also reported that the Canadian government was warned eight months ago that a “perfect storm” of factors could result in a rush of Sri Lankan Tamils being smuggled into Canada.

‘Immigration experts say it’s surprising, given this revelation, that the Conservatives began talking publicly about a crackdown on human smuggling only when the Sun Sea neared Canada last month’.

‘Newly disclosed government records show that red flags were being raised about a mass influx of “irregular migration” by Tamils months before the Sun Sea appeared on Ottawa’s radar’.

The documents were obtained under the access to information law by Vancouver immigration lawyer Richard Kurland, the report said.

A Jan. 12, 2010, report for the Canadian government said that the end of the 30-year war and the release of more than 100,000 displaced Tamils from IDP centres are creating a “significant challenge for Canada” on the immigration front.

“The economic and social issues caused by the civil war coupled with a relatively wealthy international Tamil Diaspora results in a large push/pull factor for human smuggling and trafficking,” the report by Canadian officials said.

“Some have called this a perfect storm as overseas friends, family and relatives appear willing to fund irregular migration operations. As Canada has over 250,000 former Sri Lankan nationals living in the country, Canada will be a target destination.”

Christopher McCluskey declined to speak about Ottawa’s plans but said the Tories will “toughen our laws to ensure that we are able to protect our borders and defeat human smuggling.”

One senior federal official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the government began working seriously on measures to deter ship-borne migrants in August after Mr. Harper demanded action.

Prior to that, the official said, “people thought [the threat of migrant boats] was a communication challenge to be managed rather than a chronic policy dilemma to be confronted.