Honourable member, my first priority is ensuring that the recognition under UNHCR for each refugee be waived, be eliminated, as was done in the past. In fact, this is not something that was in the law in the past. It's only in the past decade or so that this came to be.
We've always made exceptions in certain circumstances. The government has to treat this situation as an emergency. We need help today, not two years from today.
The government has indicated that the program is going to be implemented in the next two to three years. That's too long. We have the capacity to do this a lot sooner. We don't need to have people stuck in third countries and a never-ending saga of a determination process. We could have them just the way we are doing it with the Ukrainian community. We can bring them here and then process the paperwork in Canada. That can be done. People can be issued temporary visas to come to Canada. Instead of the standard six months, we can extend it to a year or two years. In the interim, the biometrics can be done. Whatever needs to be done in terms of paperwork, there will be support here for those potential refugees and they can get the help they need and the protection they require.
Given the circumstances and country conditions, a prima facie situation as far as refugees are concerned, we have to recognize that these people need the help of countries such as Canada. To allow more time to pass, we're exposing a lot more people to risk, and in my opinion, that's not okay.