Evidence of meeting #21 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was person.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
Regardless. But I'm just making the principle, and now we're getting the Harkats in and we're going to get others in. If we're going to expand in that fashion, we need to really expand, so we get the full picture instead of bits and pieces.
It's an issue I harped on initially and may raise again. Time is running out to deal with this appropriately today, but that's the concern I have. The agenda as put forward is reasonably well put together, subject to my concern.
10:55 a.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
As far as the Harkat family is concerned, their parent is incarcerated in Kingston. From the perspective of the family and what the family is going through, especially the children of the incarcerated individual, it's important to listen to them, because all the refugees and a lot of the people who come through...the clerk said 120 beds in Toronto, and he was trying to figure out if these people are on certificate.
As for the Harkat family or the family of any other individuals who have been incarcerated for a long time, it not only points out the difficulties people face when they're incarcerated for a long time, it also points out the difficulties families face when somebody's coming to the airport and all of a sudden an immigration official chooses to, let's say, incarcerate you for a month, two months, three months. So you will hear a dire straits situation of what's happening to a family, and how that's tearing the family apart.
I am sure the parliamentary secretary cares about joining families and making sure that families, especially in the Canadian immigration system, are together and are productive citizens working--
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
10:55 a.m.
Liberal
Andrew Telegdi Liberal Kitchener—Waterloo, ON
You have me, and I care, and I'm sure the parliamentary secretary cares. But I'd like to move the agenda, because we have to get out of here.
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Okay, I'm trying to complete the list here.
Did you have a follow-up point, Madame Folco?
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
If Andrew moves the agenda, my sense is to say we should move it for some further consideration at our next opportunity, so we can discuss some of the issues that have been raised here. The agenda's not bad, and I'm going to ask that we move it forward, but continue with--
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
We have to contact these witnesses, and that's the problem in delaying the agenda. We just can't delay it.
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
I wonder how it's connected to refugees. Nobody's answered that question, and Mr. Siksay seems as if he's able to, but....
10:55 a.m.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
Thank you, Chair.
When we have these titles, study of detention centres or refugee issues, it would be very helpful if we had a descriptive paragraph, a very short resumé of four or five lines at the most, that would say what we are looking at on refugee issues on November 21 and how that fits into the whole concept of refugee issues. Because the first day, November 30, private sponsorship, is not clear to me. If I had three or four lines saying this fits into that in this way, then it would be clear to me.
Obviously it's too late for this one, but the next time we discuss the calendar, I would very strongly suggest we have some kind of description that says this is where we're going and these are the parts and how they fit into one another, so we don't need to spend time discussing it in this committee. It will be clear.
Thank you.
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Okay, the motion is before us, Mr. Siksay, that the subcommittee's report and the agenda be adopted. All in favour? Those against?
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
All those in favour of the subcommittee's report and the agenda, please raise your hands. There are five for and five against.
Okay. I was chair of the subcommittee report, and it was agreed by one of our members and it was agreed by me to bring this agenda forward, so I would have to vote in favour of moving the agenda forward.
(Motion agreed to [See Minutes of Proceedings])
This meeting is adjourned.
