Finance Committee on May 28th, 2013

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Okay.

(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])

(Clause 161 agreed to)

Can I deal with clauses 162 to 165? No.

(Clause 162 agreed to)

(Clause 163 agreed to)

(Clause 164 agreed to)

(Clause 165 agreed to)

(On clause 166)

We have amendment NDP-19.

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Clause 166 again concerns the temporary foreign worker program, It gives CIC and HRSDC instructions included in their annual report to Parliament.

We have certainly seen serious problems and scandals at companies such as HD Mining, RBC, and iGate, and revelations that the ALMOs have not been properly granted to fill lower-skilled positions, which has damaged the confidence of Canadians and the reputation and credibility of the temporary foreign worker program.

Our view is that we need stronger amendments to make sure that the program is properly used and that it is properly enforced. We believe that with more transparency, clarity, and certainty the government will be able to more quickly investigate abuses in the program. Our amendment, NDP-19, ensures that the annual report includes the number of investigations conducted for compliance, that it includes financial resources dedicated to monitoring the compliance of the temporary foreign worker program, and that it includes the total privilege fees collected and the allocation of those funds. We've been concerned that the mismanagement of the temporary foreign worker program has really been obscured from Parliament.

We want, again, better accountability. We want access to the information to better hold the government to account with respect to this important program. That is the rationale for this amendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Thank you, Ms. Nash.

We'll go to Mr. Van Kesteren, please.

[Dave Van Kesteren, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON]

Division 9 contains amendments to revoke work permits if it is found that employers are misusing the system.

Look, I've been to western Canada to some of the mines and I've spoken with the mining officials there. I've seen how this industry is expanding. I've listened to people in the field. There is a severe work shortage, and they are doing an excellent job of reaching out to the community at large nearby. They have excellent programs with first nations people. However, there still are severe work shortages.

So we recognize that there is a need for temporary foreign workers, but we have put into place legislation to revoke a permit if it is abused, and as such I think the legislation is sufficient.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Thank you.

I'll then go to the vote on NDP-19....

Sorry, Ms. Nash.

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Not to belabour it, but there have been some obvious missteps with this program. This is not to deny that in some cases there are legitimate skills shortages, and temporary foreign workers can be a valuable remedy for that skills shortage, but we saw the outrage of Canadians with the RBC situation, for example. There have been other examples where clearly there were abuses.

In our view, the fact that the implementation of this program has been in the shadows, if you will, has fostered the abuse of the program. We don't think it was the government's intention that it be abused, we don't think it's in their best interest that it be abused, and we feel that the best way to prevent any future abuse is to shine a light on it and make sure there is accountability in Parliament and therefore to all Canadians.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Thank you.

We'll vote on NDP-19.

(Amendment negatived [See Minutes of Proceedings])

(Clause 166 agreed to)

(Clauses 167 to 169 inclusive agreed to)

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

We have the Citizenship Act, division 10, clauses 170 to 172. Can I group these clauses?

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

I want to speak on clause 170.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Ms. Nash.

(On clause 170)

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

I just want to go on the record opposing the fee hike, which, as we understand it, is going to double the fee from $200 to $400. That's a significant increase. We see it as a tax on new Canadians. People have already had extremely long and growing wait times under this government. It's a concern that the fee hike will seriously damage our credibility, and we don't believe it's necessary.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Could I just ask the officials, perhaps, to explain the rationale for the changes dealt with in clauses 170 to 172?

[Alexandra Hiles, Project Lead, Citizenship Modernization, Department of Citizenship and Immigration]

I'll just give a brief overview of clauses 170 and 171.

Clause 170 would repeal the existing fee-making authority in section 27 of the Citizenship Act and replace it with broadened authority, permitting the Governor in Council to make regulations governing fees for services provided in the administration of the Citizenship Act in cases in which those fees may be waived by the minister. Existing fees made under the act shall continue to operate following the coming into force of the new authority.

The proposed amendments would ensure that CIC can recover costs for enhanced and modernized services to be provided to clients beyond the cost that can currently be recovered under the Citizenship Act.

Clause 171 would exempt fees for services provided in the administration of the act from the application of the User Fees Act. The fees would continue to be subject to the Financial Administration Act requirements, notably that a fee for service must not exceed the cost of providing the service. There is an extensive process associated with conducting consultations in the manner prescribed under the UFA, which can take years.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

My understanding is that the reason for the change is to ensure that service is provided much more quickly to people who desire that service. This is the reason for the change.

[Alexandra Hiles]

In terms of increasing the fee for the service?

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Yes.

[Karine Paré, Director, Cost Management, Department of Citizenship and Immigration]

The reason we want an increase in the fee is because we want to shift the burden from the taxpayers to the users of the service. Currently the cost of processing the application is significantly subsidized by Canadian taxpayers.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

But the goal here is to increase the speed and efficiency with which the government deals with those people who want that service.

[Alexandra Hiles]

The funding announced in the budget will be put towards citizenship processing, which will increase the number of decisions we're able to make. It will increase the department's capacity to make decisions on citizenship applications.

In terms of the increase in fee, the revenues from the fee go to the consolidated revenue fund, which is not directly linked to the department's A-base capacity.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Thank you.

Mr. Brison, on this point.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

At this point, Mr. Chair, what is clear is that there's no relationship between the increase in this fee and an increase in resources or capacity in processing, based on what the public servants have just told us. This fee goes into consolidated revenue. There's a separate allocation for the processing. There's no direct relationship between this fee and resources for processing.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Do you want to respond to that, Madame Paré?

[Karine Paré]

As my colleague mentioned, there was some funding announced in budget 2013 that will allow us to make more decisions, but you're correct in the fact that the revenues from the fees are deposited into the consolidated revenue fund.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

But the increased funding comes out of the consolidated revenue fund?

[Karine Paré]

Yes.