Evidence of meeting #16 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was removal.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
You have approximately 40 or 50 seconds left, if anyone wants to pick it up. Does anyone have a question there?
That will complete our seven-minute round. We will go to five-minute rounds now, starting with Mr. Karygiannis.
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Mr. Stewart, you said that from time of application to approval is six months in Vegreville. Is that correct, sir?
4:10 p.m.
Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
For most cases, for most of the applications received, it takes five to six months to complete the process.
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
So if an application were made in September or October, would it be finalized by now?
4:10 p.m.
Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Potentially, depending on the specific circumstances of the case. It depends.
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Mr. Stewart, do you want to clarify that again? Do you want to rephrase your question? Are you sure about your answer? Do you want to pass on it and come back to us another time?
4:10 p.m.
Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
My understanding is that most cases are completed within five to six months. Spousal inland applications are completed in that timeframe. There will always be exceptions to that.
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
If I were to tell you, sir, that I moved back from the table and I called Vegreville, and Vegreville just told me right now, a couple of minutes ago, while you were stating that, that they're opening applications that were submitted at the end of September or the beginning of October and dealing with them right now--not finalizing them but opening them--what would you say to that?
4:10 p.m.
Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
I can come back and confirm those statistics for you. I'd be happy to send statistics back to this committee. But my understanding is that it takes five to six months to complete the processing of most applications.
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Well, sir, let me give you the phone number of Vegreville, the manager or the director, and maybe you can verify with them: 780-632-8030.
4:10 p.m.
Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
I will be most happy to follow up with them following the meeting.
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Thank you.
Ms. Kramer, you said that at no point does it make sense to remove somebody who will come back tomorrow.
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
I came to your department a couple of months ago with the case of an individual who was married; his wife was Canadian and pregnant. He was removed—no 60 days, nothing; removed. His wife is due May 24. Why did we go ahead and remove him? Why are we removing cases like that?
4:15 p.m.
Director, Inland Enforcement, Canada Border Services Agency
I'm sorry, privacy legislation prevents me from discussing particulars about a case, and without having the details I'm not prepared to comment.
4:15 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Let me rephrase this: are we removing people who are in Canada, are married, and their wives are pregnant with Canadian kids?
4:15 p.m.
Director, Inland Enforcement, Canada Border Services Agency
First of all, it takes a long time to remove someone. Just a regular failed refugee claimant would take 853 days—that's two to three years. Criminals, of course, are removed in less time, within a year. So you have a long period of time for someone to make an application for a spousal in-Canada application if they wish to live in Canada.
4:15 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Ms. Kramer, let me put the question again. Do we remove mothers or fathers who are married and who have Canadian kids and an application is in process? Do we remove them?
4:15 p.m.
Director, Inland Enforcement, Canada Border Services Agency
Just because you have a Canadian-born child does not exempt you from being removed. Canadian children, of course, are not removed from Canada, because they have a right to remain in Canada.
4:15 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Okay. Let me rephrase this question, then.
Let's say the woman has two Canadian-born children and the husband is Canadian. The husband put in an application in October for H and C within Canada. Will you go ahead and remove them?
4:15 p.m.
Director, Inland Enforcement, Canada Border Services Agency
Well, without knowing the specific details of that case, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on that.
4:15 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Well, let me give you a little bit more then. Let me just help you out.
The wife applied; refugee failed. The husband sponsored the wife--no criminality--back in October. Paperwork was received in October. It's six months up to now, and you're about to remove this woman at the end of the month. She has two Canadian-born children. What's the sense of removing that woman, as--I quote your words--she will be back tomorrow?
4:15 p.m.
Director, Inland Enforcement, Canada Border Services Agency
Without knowing the details of the case, it would be inappropriate for me to discuss that right now with you.
4:15 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Well, in your estimation, Ms. Kramer, would you say this is a good candidate to remove from Canada--yes or no?
