Citizenship and Immigration committee  I probably won't take the full seven minutes. Lorne and I think alike on a lot of these issues, and I agree with everything Lorne has said. There are three points I want to add with respect to this proposed legislation. One is that the proposed changes to section 11 of the Immi

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I was just going to say that I think they're power-hungry. It's coming from the bureaucrats. I think if they see an opening where they can move in, use the backlog as an excuse--because this isn't going to cover the backlog, this amendment--then they jump on it. Because there is

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Can I say one thing? When the minister comes, ask her if there is a backlog of humanitarian and compassionate applications overseas. If she says there is and it's not family class, ask her if it's the wives and children or the husbands of the people who are doing the sponsoring.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Yes.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  No, it doesn't address them specifically, but they will make applications under those provisions that are in Bill C-50.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Of course it does.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  If you're a refugee in Canada and wish to bring your spouse or your children to Canada, and they are not members of the family class because you didn't declare them when you came into the country, for example—but we're not going to remove you—you'd have to do a humanitarian and c

Citizenship and Immigration committee  There is nothing in this legislation, in the amendments, that would say that the minister couldn't put refugees to the bottom of the line in terms of prioritizing.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  It's in proposed section 87.3, I think. I'd have to go back and look at the bill, actually. It specifically excludes sponsorship applications and temporary residence permits--

Citizenship and Immigration committee  No, it doesn't, you're right, in the sense that it doesn't apply to establishing categories for refugees; it does with all related refugee stuff.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Yes.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Yes.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Yes, they may, but then the minister may not consider it if the minister doesn't want to.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Well, it's the difference in wording. If you're in Canada and make the humanitarian application, someone has to look at it. It's mandatory. If you're outside Canada, you could have an even closer family relationship, but it's not mandatory. They don't even have to look at your ap

Citizenship and Immigration committee  It may be made and it may be allowed, but the problem is that you don't deal with these people in these kinds of applications that we see all the time. Right now they have a right to make the application; they are all refused. We have to go to court on them.