Citizenship and Immigration Committee on Feb. 19th, 2007

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Okay. The point of order you're making here, Mr. Telegdi....

Mr. Komarnicki, you had your hand up.

[Ed Komarnicki, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

The notice of the meeting was shown to be 11 to 1 o'clock, and those are the time restraints we ought to respect. The meetings were set extraordinarily beyond that because of the great numbers of witnesses we were going to have, who were actually to have appeared last Monday but didn't. For this particular meeting the notice was specific to that time, and I think it should be respected.

I think Meili Faille had one question she wanted to put forward, and that would certainly be something that might be accommodated. Beyond that, I would have a vote on the matter, if necessary.

It specifically officially said 1 o'clock.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Mr. Telegdi, you have your hand up again.

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Yes, Mr. Chair.

The motion we passed said until 1:30. If the minister goes, so be it, but if the officials can stay, we'd like to have them. If they cannot stay, we do have Mr. Chapman in the crowd. He's one of those lost Canadians, so he could come and talk. The committee could keep going until 1:30.

We are being webcast, and it was supposed to go until 1:30. We're not going to cut it short because of a clerical error.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Mr. Devolin, you had a submission.

[Barry Devolin, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

It was certainly my understanding that it was until 1 o'clock. The agenda says until 1 o'clock. I'm on House duty. I'm supposed to be back there.

I'd like to move a motion. I think we've asked all the questions we need to ask of the minister.

[An hon. member]

We haven't; you have.

[Barry Devolin, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

I'd like to move a motion that we adjourn at 1 o'clock.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

I understand that the minister cannot go beyond 1 o'clock because of scheduling problems, so that's fine. I don't know if officials are prepared to stay for any questions, but I think the minister has a comment.

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

Mr. Chair, our scheduling was based on the information we received, which said from 11 until 1 o'clock. Regrettably, we do have other commitments. However, the officials would be happy to return at some future time, perhaps if you have an extra half-hour in one of your other special meetings or something like that. Would that...?

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Since I did recognize Mr. Karygiannis for two minutes--it's now 1 o'clock--perhaps you would be prepared to take those couple of questions.

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

Madam Minister, when your government was in opposition you were climbing the bastions, screaming and shouting about waiting times and decreasing waiting times. Have those waiting times decreased since you became the minister, especially for inland spousals?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

We have reduced some of the wait times. We have made improvements in the last 12 months on processing times.

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

Inland spousal applications, Minister, that's my specific question.

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

I don't have that specific number with me. I'd be happy to get it for you.

I can tell you that we have made significant progress.

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

Minister, let me read you a fax that I got in 2003. This was under the previous government. It states: “Our current processing time for an initial decision is approximately six months from the date of receipt.”

A fax dated January 8, 2007, states: “Our office is currently processing applications of this nature received on March 27, 2006.”

Minister, that's a year. Your inland spousal processing times have increased, not decreased. I'll give this to you: your official is here, you're here. So obviously you're either misleading us or you don't know your facts.

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

I did point out that I did not have that particular category, although I do know that we have made progress on other sections.

And let's remember too that the backlog is so significant, it grew by 750,000--

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

Inland spousals, Minister, Canadian citizens wanting to join their families; you're kiboshing them. You're kiboshing them.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

I think that's about the end of our hearing today.

I want to thank the minister--

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Mr. Chair, before you adjourn, we might have the minister go, but we can go until 1:30, because that's what we said we'd go until.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

I think the minister has indicated that this is not an option for her officials either.

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

She doesn't have to stay for us to continue with the meeting.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

But the minister has indicated that it's not an option for her officials. I think the minister is in charge there, for her officials, so—

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Mr. Chair, I mentioned that we have Mr. Chapman here, and we can continue on the lost Canadians.

We said that the meeting was going to go until 1:30. The committee can keep going with or without the minister.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Are you moving a motion to do that, then?