moved for leave to introduce Bill C-254, An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (exception to inadmissibility).
Mr. Speaker, I am introducing this bill as the way of righting a wrong in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. The section that is in contention currently allows the exclusion of persons with disabilities from immigrating to Canada.
The bill would put some restraints on the present government which has a tendency to use this section, section 38, of the act beyond its original intentions and to arbitrarily and unilaterally exclude persons living with disabilities. It is a step toward ending the hypocrisy of signing a UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities while systematically undermining it by falling back on ill-founded stereotypes, as was so graphically illustrated by the deportation of Chris Mason, a Winnipeg resident welcomed to Canada with open arms originally but booted out after becoming physically disabled.
I urge all members to see this as an important beginning to ensure equal rights for all persons in Canada.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)