Bill C-242 (Historical)

Reuniting Families Act

An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (temporary resident visas for parents and grandparents)

This bill is from the 44th Parliament, 1st session, which ended in January 2025.

Sponsor

Kyle Seeback Conservative

Introduced as a private member’s bill.

Status

This bill has received Royal Assent and is now law.

Summary

This is from the published bill.

This enactment amends the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to allow a parent or grandparent who applies for a temporary resident visa as a visitor to purchase private health insurance outside Canada and to stay in Canada for a period of five years.
It also requires the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to prepare and table a report in respect of a reduction to the minimum income requirement that the child or grandchild must meet in order for the visiting parent or grandparent to be able to enter and remain in Canada for an extended period.

Elsewhere

All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.

Bill numbers are reused for different bills each new session. Perhaps you were looking for one of these other C-242s:

C-242 (2020) An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (illness, injury or quarantine)

C-242 (2016) An Act to amend the Criminal Code (inflicting torture)

C-242 (2013) An Act to amend the Canadian Forces Superannuation Act and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act (increase of allowance for survivors and children)

Votes

Oct. 26, 2022 Passed 3rd reading and adoption of Bill C-242, An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (temporary resident visas for parents and grandparents)

May 4, 2022 Passed 2nd reading of Bill C-242, An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (temporary resident visas for parents and grandparents)

Debate Summary

This is a computer-generated summary of the speeches below. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.

Bill C-242 proposes amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act regarding temporary resident visas for parents and grandparents, specifically the "super visa." The proposed changes include allowing the purchase of health insurance from outside Canada, extending the maximum stay per entry from two to five years, and requiring the Minister of Immigration to prepare a report on potentially reducing the minimum income requirement for a child or grandchild hosting a parent or grandparent. The goal of the bill is to make it easier and more affordable for families to reunite with their parents and grandparents in Canada.

Conservative

Support super visa improvements: Conservative members support Bill C-242, which seeks to improve the super visa program for parents and grandparents. They believe the bill will significantly benefit Canadian families by allowing longer stays, more affordable insurance options, and a review of income requirements.
Reduce financial burden: The bill aims to alleviate financial strain on families by allowing the purchase of health insurance from outside Canada. It also mandates a report on reducing the minimum income requirement, which is seen as a barrier for many new Canadian families.
Family reunification: Conservatives emphasize the importance of family reunification and criticize the Liberal government's immigration backlogs. They see the super visa as a way to bypass these delays and enable families to be together for important milestones.
Economic and social benefits: Members argue that parents and grandparents provide valuable support to families, enabling parents to work and contribute to the economy. They view extended family as a cultural asset and challenge the assumption that their presence is a financial burden.

NDP

Supports the bill: The NDP supports the bill, recognizing that it is only a stopgap measure to address issues in the parents and grandparents reunification process. Members will support the bill going to committee so that it can be further examined and amendments can be put forward.
Failed reunification system: The NDP believes the handling of the parents and grandparents sponsorship program has been disastrous. They point to the lottery system and first-come, first-served approach as deeply flawed systems that have led to backlogs and family separation.
Need for system overhaul: The NDP calls for the government to look at the financial requirements and other burdensome requirements in the family sponsorship application process for parents and grandparents, highlighting how these requirements can hinder family reunification. The NDP also calls for the lifting of the quota, with increased staffing resources and increased levels numbers to address this ongoing issue, and for reasonable service standards to be set in the processing of the applications.
Extended family considerations: The NDP suggests updating the definition of "immediate family" to be consistent with the views of many newcomers, including extended family members such as adult siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins, who are often considered part of the immediate family in many cultures.

Bloc

Supports the bill: The Bloc Québécois supports Bill C-242, emphasizing its positive impact on families and minimal burden on the government. They view the bill as a way to reduce the administrative burden and costs associated with bringing parents and grandparents to Canada.
Insurance flexibility: The Bloc supports allowing the purchase of health insurance from foreign companies, as it removes the Canadian companies' monopoly, increases competition, and potentially reduces the cost of coverage for super visa applicants. The bill ensures that these foreign insurance companies are pre-approved by the minister to harmonize coverage and claims.
Extending stay duration: The Bloc supports extending the allowed stay from two years to five years, reducing the number of costly return trips between Canada and the home country, and alleviating the need for frequent medical exams and insurance renewals.
Review income requirements: The Bloc supports the bill's proposal to have the minister conduct a study on the low-income cut-off, and to review the relevance of this requirement. Members noted that Quebec does not even assess the spouses' financial capacity, and it works very well, and further that the cost of living is not the same across Canada.

Liberal

Committed to family reunification: The Liberal Party expresses a strong commitment to family reunification through immigration policies. They highlight the importance of parents and grandparents in Canadian society, not only for family well-being but also for their positive contributions to the economy, either directly or indirectly.
Improvement over Conservatives: Liberals criticize previous Conservative government policies that restricted the sponsorship of parents and grandparents, noting that the Liberals have increased the number of parents and grandparents who are able to be sponsored into Canada from 5,000 to well over 20,000 per year, and reduced processing times.
Support with some concerns: While supporting the principles of Bill C-242, the Liberal Party expresses concerns about the potential impact on ensuring adequate support for visiting parents and grandparents and the protection of Canadian taxpayers. They prefer to maintain the ability to make program changes to super visa conditions through ministerial instructions rather than through amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
Proposed amendments: The Liberals support increasing the allowed length of stay per entry but propose an extension to three years, instead of the five years proposed in the bill, as well as tabling a report to Parliament to review financial requirements for children/grandchildren. They maintain the requirement for private health insurance from a Canadian company, citing concerns about unregulated or fraudulent providers.

Was this summary helpful and accurate?

Reuniting Families ActPrivate Members' Business

May 4th, 2022 / 4:45 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker Chris d'Entremont

As this is the first recorded division to be taken on an item of Private Members' Business in Parliament, I would like to take this opportunity to explain the procedure.

The recorded division will start with the sponsor of the item, regardless of whether the member is participating in person or by video conference. We will then proceed row by row, without making any distinction of party, with members in favour of the motion, beginning at the back row of the side of the House on which the sponsor sits. I will call each row until we reach the front row of the seats.

After we have gone through all the rows on this side, the hon. members on the other side of the House will have their turn to vote, starting again with the last row.

Those opposed to the motion will be called in the same order. Members who are not present in the House will cast their votes using the electronic voting system, as was the case for other votes recently.

The House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion at second reading stage of Bill C-242 under Private Members' Business.

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Vote #76

Reuniting Families ActPrivate Members' Business

May 4th, 2022 / 4:55 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker Chris d'Entremont

I declare the motion carried.

Accordingly, the bill stands referred to the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration.

(Bill read the second time and referred to a committee)

I wish to inform the House that because of the deferred recorded divisions, Government Orders will be extended by 52 minutes.