Government Operations Committee on Feb. 22nd, 2007

[Jody Thomas]

We would have to work with the Consular Affairs Bureau in the Department of Foreign Affairs on that. There are certainly travel warnings on the Department of Foreign Affairs website that identify countries where there are particular security concerns for Canadians. That's certainly something we can take up with the director general of Consular Affairs.

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Will you report back to this committee to let us know what is being done about this issue?

[Jody Thomas]

Yes.

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

What sort of timeframe will it be?

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

How much time before we get an answer on that?

[Jody Thomas]

Do you mean an answer in terms of a regime's being in place, or just an answer to whether it exists?

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Well, we know one really doesn't exist, so I assume there will be a little bit of a discussion. We know it won't be a set timeframe, but is it in fact at all being looked at? If not, why not? If it's now been red-flagged, how long before the issue would be addressed?

[Gérald Cossette]

In terms of putting the regime in place, we could do that as soon as possible. The issue is really to find the proper means to inform Canadians to secure their passport. It could be done as they enter those countries; it could be done, as you said, through a notice. It could be done through the little booklet that is issued with the passport, Bon Voyage, But..., but it could be done relatively quickly.

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Great; let's get that report back here. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

Thank you.

Monsieur Nadeau is next.

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

First, let me share a few minutes with my colleague.

[Louise Thibault, Bloc, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

I wanted to speak to Mr. Carrie, but he is leaving.

I'll tell you in English. I just wanted to tell you that when the chair was previously Mr. Benoit, who was one of your colleagues, he took the same--

[An hon. member]

I don't remember Mr. Benoit doing that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Diane Marleau]

Your memory is faulty.

[Louise Thibault, Bloc, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

I just wanted to make sure that you understood.

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

So the main reason why we are meeting with you today is the current backlog. It is good to hear various points of view from different colleagues regarding passports.

I would like to know how many Canadians and Quebeckers among all the people whom you serve and who are Canadian citizens travel to the United States each year. Do you have statistics on this?

[Gérald Cossette]

I do not have them with me, but I presume that the Conference Board will take them into account when making their projection.

[Gary McDonald]

Absolutely. We receive statistics regarding this from Statistics Canada. Statistics Canada can give us the number of trips made by Canadians to the United States. As for the rest, it takes some calculation. As I just said, given the fact that 43% of the population has a passport, about 70% of Canadians who cross the land border have some kind of document. This is almost twice as many, but not quite.

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

I do not want to be like a school teacher monitoring his students. A year ago, we learned from official sources that there would be a backlog. Moreover, this had been rumoured for at least two years if not more. Given your position, you must have heard about this well before last January 23. I have trouble understanding how the situation could have been unexpected. I presume that you cannot answer this question because we are facing a backlog right now.

That being said, in another vein, I read in the documents that there are some attempts to make the task easier. We understand that you will take the needed measures.

We also heard that you are in touch with Alberta and British Columbia with regard to birth data. You receive reports on birth statistics. Am I wrong about this? What is going on?

[Gérald Cossette]

This is a pilot project whereby the federal government wants to verify birth certificates electronically and on time. For instance, was the applicant really born at that time and place? Can the province or the Quebec government confirm the facts?

This is an attempt to develop a system for exchanging statistics of this kind throughout Canada.

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

In other words, when I apply for a passport, how can you be sure that I was really born in Hawkesbury, Ontario?

[Gérald Cossette]

This is why we are asking for the—

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

How do you go about it? I see that it takes you quite a while to get this information. Do you go to the nearest church rectory, or what?

[Gary McDonald]

It is a part of the process. This is one of the reasons why a guarantor is required, or a third person to confirm the applicant's identity.

Our officers are trained to verify documents. This is why we always require an original copy of the birth certificate or the certificate of citizenship. Our employees are trained to detect counterfeits—

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

Fine.

I only have five minutes.

I understand your point of view, but with the backlog that we have right now, which, I presume, will be eliminated sooner or later because we know from the statistics about how many Canadians go to the United States every year, will this kind of measure mean that backlogs of 50% will be a thing of the past and that we will be able to laugh about it?