Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I know I only have a minute in any event, but with the bells ringing and the pressure on us and looking at something as egregious as these clauses, I will reiterate everything that has been said by colleagues.
It is a disgrace that after this omnibus budget bill, where we have been looking at patent law, aerodromes, and repealing the polar commission, we come to fundamental changes to social assistance that have not been asked for by any province. I would have preferred these were defeated and removed from the bill, but I proposed at least a protection.
It would still allow provinces to make changes that would impose residency requirements on other classes of persons. My amendment would attempt to protect those who are awaiting determination.
It would assume that we would not be requiring a residency requirement for those whose claim for refugee protection is eligible to be referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board, who are waiting a final determination of claim by that board, including a person who's right to judicial review or appeal of that judicial review has not been exhausted, but not including a person whose refugee claim was determined to be abandoned or withdrawn.
It's an attempt to provide a dose of compassion into an otherwise egregious section.