1. Check if you meet the definition

To become a in Canada, you must be either a:

You might be a Convention refugee if you cannot return to your home country because you're afraid that you'll be persecuted there.

Persecuted means that there's a serious possibility that you could be killed or experience repeated and serious:

And you must be persecuted in your home country because of your:

race
religion
nationality
political opinion
membership in a social group, which includes women who have experienced domestic violence and people who are persecuted because of their sexual orientation or gender identity

You might be a person in need of protection if you cannot return to your home country because you face at least one of the following risks:

If there's a risk to your life or of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment, you also need to show that the risk is:

personal to you, so not everyone in your country is at risk
not due to a legal punishment, unless the law violates international standards, and
not due to poor medical care, unless you cannot get care because of discrimination or persecution

To be either a Convention refugee or a person in need of protection, you must also show that:

You do not have state protection, meaning that the government in your country cannot or will not protect you.
You do not have an internal flight alternative, meaning a place in your country where you could live safely and it's reasonable for you to go.

If you're afraid of the government, the military, or the police, you should explain that in your refugee claim.

You might also be asked about any delay in leaving your country or making your refugee claim after arriving in Canada.

These definitions are simplified. It's important to get legal advice to understand if you qualify.