Evidence of meeting #21 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was information.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:45 p.m.
Vice-President, Operations Branch, Canada Border Services Agency
There are instances of people who have come back to the country many times and have gone through this process a number of times.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
Parm Gill Conservative Brampton—Springdale, ON
Would you also be able to tell us, for each of the last five years, how many people have been found inadmissible to Canada before or at their entry to the country? Would you have those numbers?
4:45 p.m.
Vice-President, Operations Branch, Canada Border Services Agency
The 54,000 I gave you earlier is the total number of people who presented themselves at the border, have been deemed inadmissible, and have been returned.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
4:45 p.m.
Vice-President, Operations Branch, Canada Border Services Agency
It's last year.
4:45 p.m.
Vice-President, Operations Branch, Canada Border Services Agency
I can get you numbers for previous years if you want. That number is for last year.
4:45 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
There's another percentage that have been found inadmissible to get a visa or for immigration to Canada from overseas. That would be the total population that was refused, but in the case of our refusals overseas, it would not necessarily be tied to being a criminal or to security. It could be for other reasons. We could probably work to make sure the clerk gets a breakdown.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
Parm Gill Conservative Brampton—Springdale, ON
Sure.
Would you be able to give us an idea of how much this 54,000 number varies from year to year?
4:45 p.m.
Vice-President, Operations Branch, Canada Border Services Agency
I don't have that number.
February 14th, 2012 / 4:45 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
Thank you.
I wanted to ask you a question, Peter. You mentioned the issue surrounding the inspections and the reviews that take place in our detention facilities.
Could you expand on that a little bit in terms of who the groups or individuals actually are who go in to do the viewings, or at least who observe, and what kind of reports you've had over the last while in terms of the work you are doing?
4:45 p.m.
Director General, Post-Border Programs, Canada Border Services Agency
Thank you for that.
There are two groups, the Canadian Council for Refugees and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
With respect to the Canadian Council for Refugees, under a memorandum of understanding, they perform a monitoring function in the immigration holding centres that CBSA administers. They do a series of checks, and they give us annual reports. I can tell you that on balance their reports are favourable, and their recommendations that we receive to make improvements are seriously considered. They form part of discussions with the CCR on a regular basis, and we integrate the recommendations wherever we can into our overall program strategy for improvements.
With respect to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, we have regular meetings with the senior representative in Canada, and likewise with our partners at Foreign Affairs and CIC and CIDA. They, too, have access to persons in detention and are able to report to us their observations, which are always insightful and very helpful for the CBSA in maintaining adherence to international detention standards and upholding our domestic laws.
The relationship with both groups is very valuable, healthy, and continues to be a priority for the agency.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
How is the determination made to use those two organizations as the filter, if you will, or the partners that you use to engage in this process?
4:45 p.m.
Director General, Post-Border Programs, Canada Border Services Agency
I can say that with respect to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, that is their mandate. Canada is a signatory to conventions that facilitate and permit their access to our facilities. I have to admit that with the CCR, the arrangement goes back many years, so I'm not entirely sure of the origins, other than that they do offer their services as an independent group to government. This is an area where they have some expertise, so that's been leveraged over the years.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
I wouldn't mind exploring that a little bit more—not right now, I don't have a lot of time, but I would love to get some further information on how that relationship was determined to be implemented and how it came to fruition.
Secondly, I don't know how we would be able to do this, but I think it would be very helpful to this committee if we were able to get two or three of those recent reports that either one of those organizations has done for you. If we need to do that in camera, in confidence, we have no problem with that, but I think it would be extremely helpful for those on this committee to have a clear understanding of what the responsibilities are of those two groups with respect to the relationship and the work they do.
4:50 p.m.
Director General, Post-Border Programs, Canada Border Services Agency
I'd be happy to.
Mr. Chair, I would just like to correct something. I inadvertently referred to the Canadian Council for Refugees. I was thinking the Canadian Red Cross. We have a relationship with the Canadian Council for Refugees, but it's the Canadian Red Cross that provides the monitoring function in our IHCs, and I'll be happy to provide you with further information.
4:50 p.m.
Voices
Oh, oh!
4:50 p.m.
Director General, Post-Border Programs, Canada Border Services Agency
My apologies for misspeaking.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
Clearly, the point still stands, but I appreciate the clarification.
You mentioned a relationship with the CCR. What would that be?
