The minister clarified there is a very small number, almost zero, of irregular refugee claimants coming into Canada. However, we're facing a new situation with regard to persecuted Hong Kong pro-democracy residents, who can come to Canada without a visa. We're told several hundred of them plan to make asylum claims when they are in Canada, if they are not already here.
I'm wondering how the department ensures that the Immigration and Refugee Board will guarantee a fair and impartial hearing for those claims at a time when there is political sensitivity with regard to federal government relations with China and some timidity in recognizing the crisis for those pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong.