The government of Canada offers safe haven to refugees in Canada who fear persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group in another country or whose removal from Canada would subject them to threat of torture, a risk to their life or a risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment. The Canadian government assesses each claim on its own merits, and according to specific legal criteria such as internal flight alternative, credibility, alternative places of claiming refugee status, and other criteria.