Canada-China Relations Committee on Nov. 16th, 2020

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Every one of those cases will be assessed on its merits, and we have established a precedent whereby we prioritize situations where individuals are at greater risk. As I said, each one will be determined on the unique facts and circumstances of the case.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

How will people be able to get their refugee status determination?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

First, we will work with our international partners, including the UNHCR and IOM, for referrals. Where there are very exigent circumstances, we will prioritize those cases, as we have.

In cases where individuals file claims, they will be adjudicated by the Immigration and Refugee Board—

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

So they would need the UNHCR designation. Does that include the Five Eyes countries?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Again, Ms. Kwan, we will work with our international partners, and on occasion we will work with other partners as well.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

I wish I could just get a straight-up answer, Minister; it's not a difficult question, really.

I'm going to move on, though.

Of the pathways the minister highlighted, the second pathway is for those who have graduated from post-secondary institutions in Canada, and the first stream is for people who have received a year of authorized work experience in Canada. That means they must be here in Canada already. There are really no programs for students who are abroad in Hong Kong right now.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Thank you. I'm afraid that's all the time we have for Ms. Kwan.

Now we're on to Mr. Chong for five minutes.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Thank you, Minister, for appearing.

My first question is, should Canadians living in Hong Kong leave Hong Kong?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Those are decisions that will be taken by Canadians who are there.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Okay, so you're not urging them to leave Hong Kong.

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

I'm saying that those decisions will be taken by Canadians in Hong Kong.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Okay. Thank you.

We know, and the government knows, that China is conducting covert and subversive influence operations here in Canada and in other democracies, some of which involve the monitoring and direction of Chinese students on visas.

Minister, you said earlier in your appearance in front of our committee that Canada has a rigorous screening system for approving visas for students studying here in Canada. Several incidents last year in the greater Toronto region belie that assertion, one at the University of Toronto, Scarborough campus, and the other one at McMaster University.

At U of T Scarborough, Chemi Lhamo, a Canadian of Tibetan origin, received death threats from Chinese visa students studying at U of T Scarborough, simply for being elected as U of T Scarborough student president, causing her to worry about her safety and prompting the University of Toronto to take measures to protect her.

Have any of those students had their visas revoked?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chong, I have said before that any effort to undermine national security, through espionage or other interference, is unacceptable, and we do have a public safety apparatus to address that.

With regard to other conduct that may be against the law, as a former prosecutor I would want—

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

I understand that, but have any of those students had their visas revoked for conveying death threats to a woman at the University of Toronto?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chong, you've heard me reiterate now on a number of occasions that conduct that amounts to espionage or—

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

I know that. I understand that. If you don't know the answer, that's fine.

[The Chair, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

I just want to know if any of those students have had their visas revoked.

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chong, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on any case.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Okay. Thank you.

My second question is this. Last year, at McMaster University, the Chinese Students and Scholars Association had its privileges stripped as an official club because its members disrupted a speech at McMaster by Rukiye Turdush, a Uighur Muslim. They threatened her by reporting her to the Chinese consulate on St. George Street in Toronto.

Have any of the students involved with threatening the safety and life of another woman, at McMaster University, had their visas revoked?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chong, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on any individual case, but I will reiterate the concerns I mentioned before around interference and espionage and breaking the law here in Canada.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

All individuals leaving Hong Kong face exit controls, and some of those individuals have been denied exit. For example, some of them have had their passports taken away from them.

Is Canada prepared to issue temporary resident permits or other travel documents to those individuals if necessary?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Well, we take every application on its merits, and we determine whether or not they're admissible or eligible under one of the existing immigration routes, including COVID-era, including the announcement last week.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

But what if they can't leave Hong Kong to get to Canada to make an asylum claim? Is your department, through the consulate in Hong Kong, prepared to issue temporary travel documents to those individuals?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Chong, as I said earlier, the consul general and the staff there are working in very challenging circumstances, but they will facilitate where they can...where eligible and as long as they meet admissibility requirements.