Evidence of meeting #16 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was women.
A video is available from Parliament.
3:55 p.m.
NDP
Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe NDP Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
Could you send it to the clerk of the committee?
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Chris Alexander Conservative Ajax—Pickering, ON
Allow me to specify that our funding is in addition to private funding that the institute solicits for itself. Our funding, which is only granted as long as the institute solicits funds from Canadians, represents only half of the institute's total funding.
3:55 p.m.
NDP
Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe NDP Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
Thank you.
Given that the mission statement is "to encourage national dialogue", I was wondering if the institute could ask Canadians' opinion on the recently tabled citizenship reform bill, which could allow us to make amendments to it. Could that be one of the institute's objectives?
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Chris Alexander Conservative Ajax—Pickering, ON
You are all invited to work with this institute and to attend its activities which are open to all.
3:55 p.m.
NDP
Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe NDP Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
All right, but I am asking you if the institute could participate in improving the citizenship reform.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Chris Alexander Conservative Ajax—Pickering, ON
In principle, yes. I do not know if the institute has planned any activities that directly affect our bill. In any case, our bill is partially based on the institute's work and the work of all the other organizations in Canada that...
3:55 p.m.
NDP
Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe NDP Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
Thank you. I am sorry to interrupt you, but I have a lot of other questions to ask you.
My next question is on the Immigrant Investor Program. The media recently reported that several people are planning to launch legal proceedings because their files had been closed and returned. I would like to know if you have set aside money to fund these legal proceedings.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Chris Alexander Conservative Ajax—Pickering, ON
Unfortunately or inevitably, we deal with a huge amount of litigation every year. So, such a comment...
3:55 p.m.
NDP
Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe NDP Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
I am specifically asking you if you have set aside money.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Chris Alexander Conservative Ajax—Pickering, ON
Yes, and we follow up on every case where someone has indicated that they intend to sue us. However, the gaps...
3:55 p.m.
NDP
Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe NDP Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
Minister, I am sorry to interrupt you, but I have many questions to ask you.
I would simply like to know if, yes or no, you have set aside a sum of money to cover the cost of this litigation.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Chris Alexander Conservative Ajax—Pickering, ON
We always study the legal risks of everything that we do.
3:55 p.m.
NDP
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Chris Alexander Conservative Ajax—Pickering, ON
We have a budget from the Department of Justice for all the litigation that we deal with.
4 p.m.
NDP
Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe NDP Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
Thank you.
Have you also budgeted money for reimbursements to applicants? If yes, on which page or in which column can that be found?
4 p.m.
Conservative
Chris Alexander Conservative Ajax—Pickering, ON
Yes. This is not reflected in the document that is before you, but it will be in the documents to come.
4 p.m.
Conservative
Chris Alexander Conservative Ajax—Pickering, ON
It will be in our plans for 2014-2015. Dealing with all this will take us several years.
4 p.m.
NDP
Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe NDP Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
Thank you.
I would now like to talk about the cut to operational spending of roughly $14 million. There is a new program, which was previously under the responsibility of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development. Regardless, there is a planned cut to operational spending, if I am not mistaken. Could you maybe confirm that?
How can we expect the department to take on more responsibilities if it is faced with a reduction in operational spending?
4 p.m.
Conservative
Chris Alexander Conservative Ajax—Pickering, ON
These are the same services. This is a transfer of responsibilities. There is more of an upward trend in the case of this program.