Citizenship and Immigration committee  I would agree with your premise, MP Dykstra. It could increase tourism in Canada. As we saw in the example of Australia, when they implemented their program, which was similar, tourism did increase. I think that with tourism, perception is everything. Professor Gilbert mentioned

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Yes, sir, I would agree that the ETA will help in reducing costs. I think you've made the point about the high costs in Canada of removing an individual. When it's a forceable removal, the costs skyrocket. I think the U.S. has had a parallel type of cost. It's much more inexpen

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Not a lot. I have been to Australia, and I'm a little familiar with what they do there. They have a system similar to the ESTA in the U.S. and to the ETA. I would say that I'm familiar with those systems in the U.S. and Australia. I've been to about 100 countries. I was a command

Citizenship and Immigration committee  It would be damaging to the country. It's just one more tool that we have to fight terrorism and also to fight fraud. If Canada does not pass the ETA, we're going to maintain the status quo, and the status quo is that we're vulnerable. As long as radical Islam remains at war with

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I'd say the most notorious one would be Ahmed Ressam, who I mentioned earlier. Here's a guy who came to Montreal on a fake French passport, and then when it was discovered it was fake, he just changed his story. He said that he was a political refugee. Then someone out of the kin

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Good morning. I'm sorry, but my French is not very good.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I think information sharing is critical between the U.S. and Canada, because whatever happens to one impacts the other. Basically, our countries have already had a very close relationship military to military and law enforcement to law enforcement. We have the joint command at NO

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Yes, I would agree that there is an economic benefit. People in the United States are concerned about terrorism. I think people were very alarmed about the Toronto 18. Back in 2006, we had a group of young men, homegrown terrorists if you will, and they were plotting to blow up P

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Yes, sir, I would agree with that very much. I think that pre-screening is vital. If you look at the recent case where we had Quazi Mohammad Rezwanul Ahsan Nafis in Bangladesh, here was a kid who basically got a student visa, came over to the United States apparently in good fait

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Yes, sir.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  It does not at this point, to my knowledge. To my knowledge, the ESTA is similar to what you're looking to have here in Canada. Australia has the same program. As far as the point about tourism and whether it's a barrier, I don't think it would be a barrier. I don't really thin

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I haven't had any indication that they would at this point, though biometrics are being used right now by the United States for non-U.S. citizens when they enter at ports of entry. There's a camera. They take their picture and fingerprints. Biometrics are very important to the

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Yes, I can.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Yes, I do believe that. It's an excellent question. I think the electronic travel authorization is one more tool that we'll have between the United States and Canada, and our law enforcement and immigration authorities, to help prevent the type of fraud we've seen, to help preve

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to thank the committee for having me join you today for this important testimony. I'd also like to thank MP Rick Dykstra for his kindness and hospitality and Julie Lalande Prud'homme for organizing this for us. I recently participated in a C