Thank you, Mr. Chair.
The Canadian government has an obligation to create a balance in our refugee determination process to make it fast while upholding our Canadian values of fairness. This amendment would do that.
There were witnesses who raised numerous concerns about concentrating this decision in the hands of the minister. Without an independent panel of experts, the qualitative criteria should be explicit. We have heard and we've said that no country is truly safe. A country that is considered safe for some residents may be unsafe for others.
Impartiality towards the development and maintenance of this list is extremely important. If this is not going to happen, then the criteria included in this amendment must be considered. It's confusing as to why Bill C-31 would remove this safeguard.
Thank you.