Yes.
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.
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.
4:30 p.m.
Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Yes.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Andrew Telegdi Liberal Kitchener—Waterloo, ON
I agree with the parliamentary secretary; for the life of me, I can't understand why we wouldn't do the security and the medical right off the bat. From what you're saying, it's a very small number, and it would seem to me that this truly is what you'd want to do. If you're interested in security, for God's sake, do the security first. It just doesn't make sense that you would leave it as an afterthought at the end, if it's going to get done anyway, when it's such a small number that doesn't get done.
Ms. Kramer, you talked about taking two years to remove someone. Are we talking about the spousal applications taking two years or are we talking about something else?
4:30 p.m.
Director, Inland Enforcement, Canada Border Services Agency
No, in general to remove someone would take about two to three years, because they have all levels of appeal available to them--
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Andrew Telegdi Liberal Kitchener—Waterloo, ON
Let's talk about the spousal ones. How long does it take to remove them?
4:30 p.m.
Director, Inland Enforcement, Canada Border Services Agency
Well, generally speaking we don't remove spouses.
4:30 p.m.
An hon. member
Sure you do. Come on, sure you do.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
4:30 p.m.
Director, Inland Enforcement, Canada Border Services Agency
We consult with CIC so that they can make the decision before we remove.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Andrew Telegdi Liberal Kitchener—Waterloo, ON
No, no, I heard you say that; you said that; and we know that we have people who get removed. So my question to you is what is the timeframe for removal of those people who have an application in but CIC has not yet rendered a decision?
4:30 p.m.
Director, Inland Enforcement, Canada Border Services Agency
Criminals in general take less than a year to remove--
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Andrew Telegdi Liberal Kitchener—Waterloo, ON
I'm not talking about criminals, I'm talking about people in the spousal....
4:35 p.m.
Director, Inland Enforcement, Canada Border Services Agency
All others can take between two to three years, and some can take even more.
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Andrew Telegdi Liberal Kitchener—Waterloo, ON
No, no, I'm talking about the people who applied to stay under the spousal program. How long does that take? I'm not talking about criminals, I'm talking about those folks who have applied under spousal.
4:35 p.m.
Director, Inland Enforcement, Canada Border Services Agency
Are you talking about those whose applications have been refused?
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Andrew Telegdi Liberal Kitchener—Waterloo, ON
No, I'm talking about those whose applications are in progress but the department has made no ruling yet. How long does their removal take?
4:35 p.m.
Director, Inland Enforcement, Canada Border Services Agency
Okay. Their removal is stopped for 60 days to give Citizenship and Immigration a chance to assess the application. If you have a case where the 60-day time period has lapsed, there's consultation with CIC to ensure that....
4:35 p.m.
Liberal
Andrew Telegdi Liberal Kitchener—Waterloo, ON
How long does it take to remove somebody who falls into that category where the 60 days has expired?
I'm not getting an answer.
4:35 p.m.
Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
If I may, Mr. Chair, in most cases where somebody has an application in process, we will endeavour to complete a determination of approval in principle of the application before removal.
I think what you're asking about is that very small minority of cases where we may decide to act on a removal before we have reached a final approval in principle. I'm not sure I can imagine what the scenario looks like, sir, but a determination would be made on whether there was a serious issue that required removal before we would get to a final determination.
4:35 p.m.
Conservative
Wajid Khan Conservative Mississauga—Streetsville, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I think it was Ms. MacNeil who was answering my question. I'll go back to my original question, which she didn't have time to answer.
There are many, many groups of women and men who have sponsored spouses and abandoned them or have fraudulently sponsored them and they come to the country. In some jurisdictions, in Europe and the United States, there is a requirement that if you are married to somebody, you cannot get your documentation unless you are there for a certain number of years. Here we are facilitating these fraudulent marriages--people come here, stay here; the husband divorces or separates; then this man or woman goes and sponsors another person. Another person comes in and they separate. Then they go and sponsor another. This is a—
4:35 p.m.
Conservative
Wajid Khan Conservative Mississauga—Streetsville, ON
This is a routine that goes on in this country. You had better accept it, Mr. Karygiannis, or keep quiet. I'm asking the questions. It's my time.
4:35 p.m.
Conservative
Wajid Khan Conservative Mississauga—Streetsville, ON
Excuse me, it doesn't matter. I'm asking the question.
4:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Order, order. No interruptions, please. It's been pretty good so far.
