Citizenship and Immigration Committee on May 10th, 2006

[Monte Solberg, Conservative, Medicine Hat, AB]

I don't know the answer to that. I know that, depending on where you are coming from, it's longer or shorter, based on backlogs and particular admissions, and it depends also on classes.

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

So which countries take a disproportionately longer time?

[Monte Solberg, Conservative, Medicine Hat, AB]

India.

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Okay.

You don't have a median for the time spent. Do you have a percentage? What percentage would be over two years, what percentage over three years, and what percentage over five years?

[Monte Solberg, Conservative, Medicine Hat, AB]

I think the best way to answer that is by category. Right now, when we're unifying spouses and children, those are given priority. They tend to take a year or a little bit more. The categories of grandparents have taken longer. The previous government, to their credit, put money into that, but even at that, the waiting lists are unacceptably long. At one time, I think the waiting list was 17 years.

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

No, the question was different. What percentage of the backlog would be over two years? What percentage would be over three years? What percentage would be over five years?

[Monte Solberg, Conservative, Medicine Hat, AB]

I'm not sure whether we have that information, but if we do, we'll get that to you.

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

It would be great, with the next report. With the next double-spaced report, there would be some tables with some actual hard numbers. You stated that you're a fan of the department; perhaps the department could prepare the minister a little better before he testifies before the committee the next time.

[Monte Solberg, Conservative, Medicine Hat, AB]

Pardon me, I have to respond to that, because you've sat on this committee for some time and--

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

No, actually I haven't. That's incorrect.

[Monte Solberg, Conservative, Medicine Hat, AB]

--you don't seem to have any knowledge of this issue either. But I am quite prepared to do that, and I'm prepared to work with the committee, if people are willing to work. But if you want to turn this into a partisan exercise, it makes it very difficult.

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Actually, I was about to compliment you on something--and I haven't sat on the committee for a long time.

I actually want to congratulate you on the decisions on the international student off-campus work permits. A lot of these students, as you are well aware and as I'm sure the department has informed you, were put into a situation where they were in fact working. Now what you're doing is regularizing, and I'd like to laud you.

I liked your sentiments. You said you hoped these people, once they've received their work permits and work for a while, would decide to naturalize. This is a tremendous precedent that could be used in the case of undocumented workers, especially in those industries that require it. I look forward to working with you, and obviously the department, because a precedent has been set.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Do you have any final comment on that, Minister?

[Monte Solberg, Conservative, Medicine Hat, AB]

I would just say that I know what we're getting at here is the issue of undocumented workers, and I appreciate the concern. We all wish we had seen the same concern when the previous government was in power. But I thank you for your intervention on that, and I can assure you that one thing we won't do is make promises that we have no intention of keeping.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Thank you, Minister, for your presence here today. I thank your deputy and the committee, of course, for its probing questions.

We have a little bit of business to do before people go. We have a notice of motion from Bill that states:

(1) That the government of Canada develop skills and competence-related criteria for all government appointments, including Board Members and senior Officers of Crown Corporations and other government agencies, for which the standing committee has reviewing responsibility; and that these criteria specifically address the non-partisan nature of these appointments. (2) That the government then submit these criteria to the Standing Committee for consideration, and approval with amendment if necessary. (3) That the Government of Canada publicly release, including publishing in the Canada Gazette, the committee-approved criteria for each appointment. (4) That the names and background of each nominee for appointment be referred to the Standing Committee prior to the date of their appointment, with an explanation of how each nominee has met the established criteria; and, that the Committee, unless it unanimously decides otherwise, shall have at least one full meeting every two months (while the House of Commons is in session) to review the nominees.

That's the fourth report adopted by the committee last Parliament. That's the notice of motion.

Bill, do you want a word on that? It will be debated and discussed on Monday.

[Bill Siksay, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

You will remember that we stayed the consideration of the order in council appointment motion in the routine motions that we did the other day in light of this motion, which had passed through the committee in the last Parliament. It seems to me this relates to that routine motion, and we might want to consider this as well as that motion at our next meeting.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Okay, thank you.

The next meeting will be on Monday, May 15. The purpose will be to set the agenda for the committee. On May 17 there will be an overview of departmental officials.

This is Mr. Dolin's last meeting with us. He's going to be moving on.

Thank you very much, on behalf of the committee, for your great service to it.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

We sincerely hope you enjoy your new responsibilities. I think you're off to the Department of Justice.

[Benjamin Dolin, Committee Researcher]

That is correct.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Good. Thank you.

Thank you for your attention. We will meet again on Monday, May 15.

The meeting is adjourned.