Evidence of meeting #44 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was funding.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:35 a.m.
NDP
Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC
All right.
I just want to make a brief point of information about Bill C-49, because it was actually the government members who brought it up.
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
I'm trying to discourage Bill C-49 discussions, and people keep talking about it.
10:35 a.m.
NDP
Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC
I know, but this is just information.
Bill C-49 is actually at second reading, so it's actually up to the government to decide whether or not to bring it back.
10:35 a.m.
NDP
10:35 a.m.
NDP
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
If we bring it, will you support it in the vote to get it to committee?
10:35 a.m.
NDP
Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC
I'd like to just follow up my earlier questions.
The information that came through access to information as reported on the CBC about the number of applicants who are already in the queue—about 140,000—and the estimates being made that a parent could wait about 13 years for a visa to Canada.... I want to ask you how you rationalize that. It seems to me to be a gross violation of the priority of family reunification, so I'd like to ask you that.
Also, you mentioned earlier that funding isn't given forever. But there is an issue of transition. I know, for example, that an agency such as the Afghan Association in Toronto were actually encouraged by the department to take a long-term lease. Their funding has been completely cut, so now they have a $300,000 debt. We're talking about a volunteer board.
I think it's very unfair that they should have to shoulder the department's bad planning on this, so I'd like to ask whether or not your department will be paying outstanding debts incurred, through the funding cuts, based on information that they received that they should be taking out long-term leases.
The third question I want to ask you is on the head tax on Chinese workers. Your government made an official apology, and that was very important. As we know, it was based on the head-tax payer and spouses. I think you're probably aware that there's still an ongoing issue about dependants. It's still a very active movement.
I want to ask you whether you consider that matter to be closed and that there will be nothing further done on it, or whether you consider that there is still room, and some work to be done, in addressing the dependants and subsequent generations.
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
Jason Kenney Conservative Calgary Southeast, AB
I'll take those in reverse order.
With respect to the head tax, our approach upon being elected...coming to office in February 2006 was to consult with the grassroots within the Canadian Chinese community as to the best form of redress, because this is an issue that had gone on for decades without resolution, and there were a lot of different points of view. A previous government wanted to give I think $10 million to one organization that happened to be run by a bunch of Liberals. That was not well received in the community, as you will recall, Ms. Davies.
We said we're going to consult with the community and try to come up with a consensus position, if at all possible. I actually led those consultations. It was fascinating work to meet with some Chinese seniors who were some 90 or 100 years of age and listen to their stories.
Out of that process, some people wanted descendants to receive large amounts of money, some people wanted no ex gratia payments but just a community fund, some people just wanted an apology. There was quite a range of opinion. We couldn't find one clear and obvious consensus. So what we decided to do was make $20,000 ex gratia payments to surviving head-tax payers and their spouses. That ended up being about 400 people and about $24 million.
10:35 a.m.
NDP
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
Jason Kenney Conservative Calgary Southeast, AB
What we decided to do with respect to “others” was provide $5 million in commemorative funding through CHRP.
But yes, we are not considering any additional ex gratia payments to descendants. There's no precedent for that, and we don't think there's broad support for it.
Concerning the Afghan association, I'm not familiar with any discussions that may have taken place. But when people enter into a contribution agreement, it's clear that there's a termination date, and there's no guarantee it will be renewed. I will, however, look into that matter and will endeavour to get back to you.
On the rationale for family class levels, as you can see, we're increasing family class immigration this year over last. We're putting the priority where the Immigration Act puts it, which is among spouses and kids.
But here's the fundamental problem: we have no limit on how many people can apply. There was a recent poll that estimated there are something like two billion people who would like to immigrate to Canada, if they could. And that's understandable. It's a great problem to have. Obviously, we can't settle all those people. There's always going to be an excess of demand over our capacity to accept people, even though we have the highest relative levels of immigration in the developed world and the second-highest level of immigration to Canada in 90 years.
We need to have a mature discussion about how we deal with all of these backlogs, about the problem of consistent excess of demand over our capacity to settle people. We don't want people waiting for years in a line. I don't want that any more than you do. So I think we have to look at ways in which we can perhaps apply the principles of the action plan for faster immigration and the ministerial instructions on the federal skilled worker program to the FC4 program.
10:40 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
We have to stop.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. I'm sorry to cut you off, but we have to vote on some of these estimates.
Did you have something else to say?
10:40 a.m.
Conservative
Jason Kenney Conservative Calgary Southeast, AB
Can I attempt to correct something I said, if I may, on a point of order?
10:40 a.m.
Conservative
Jason Kenney Conservative Calgary Southeast, AB
I said earlier that I have never directed officials to change targets or alter targets with respect to missions. There are two exceptions I'd like to register. I just realized this.
One is with respect to a special program under section 25 of IRPA that we announced last month to allow for the immigration of 1,000 Tibetan refugees in India, as per a request of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Those 1,000 will be processed over five years. I very definitely directed the department to work with me on that.
The second is our special refugee resettlement program for Iraqis. I definitely directed the department to increase the PSR and GAR targets for Damascus.
But as it relates to all the other categories, I've never had any involvement.
10:40 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
Okay, thank you, Mr. Minister, for that clarification.
I'd like to thank you and your officials for coming this morning and talking about many issues of immigration.
Thank you very much. The witnesses are excused.
I'll call the votes.
CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION Department Vote 5c—The grants listed in the Estimates and contributions..........$3,947,617 Vote 7c—Pursuant to section 25(2) of the Financial Administration Act, to write off from the Accounts of Canada 1,908 debts due to Her Majesty.................................$472,489 Vote 10c—Program expenditures..........$908,245
(Votes 5c, 7c, and 10 agreed to)
Shall I report the supplementary estimates to the House?
10:40 a.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.