Citizenship and Immigration Committee on May 2nd, 2007

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

It looks like we'll probably hold more than one set of hearings on this issue, because this issue is of great urgency, and I sense absolutely no sense of urgency from the department.

One thing that really struck me was the comment made that not many people came forward despite widespread attention to the issue. Well, the answer for that is very simple. If you happen to have a job that involves being a Canadian citizen, you can end up losing the job if you are found not to be a Canadian citizen.

This committee heard witnesses on the question and the cost. The case was the Mennonites and their circumstances. I think Mr. Teichroeb told us it cost him $100,000, and I detected absolutely no urgency on the part of the department.

I have a series of questions, and I want very quick answers.

Does your department keep a genealogical file specifically targeting Mennonites in Sydney, yes or no?

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Who are directing the question to?

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Mr. Goodman.

[The Chair, Conservative, Norman Doyle]

Mr. Goodman.

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Is the answer yes or no?

[Mark Davidson]

We have Rose Anne Poirier, from our Sydney office, and perhaps she'd like to answer the question.

[Rose Anne Poirier, Manager, Program Support, Case Processing Centre - Sydney, Nova Scotia, Department of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Chair, at the case processing centre in Sydney, in the program support unit, which is the unit that deals with these types of applications, we have a series of family trees. If you want to refer to them as a genealogical tool, we have an in-house system that we use on a regular basis to help us facilitate applications coming from people from the Mennonite community.

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Okay. Quickly, how many do you have on file?

[Rose Anne Poirier]

At this moment, I really could not answer that question. However, it is information that we could provide to you at a later time.

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Okay. We'll stop there and have you send us the information to the committee.

My next question is this. How many people were affected by the Taylor decision and are being held up right now?

[Clark Goodman]

As I indicated, we have about 400 active files that we are looking at.

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

How many cases are held up because of the Taylor decision before the court? A lot of people are being told they're not proceeding until the Taylor decision is settled.

[Clark Goodman]

Oh, it's the ones on hold. Excuse me.

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

That's right.

[Rose Anne Poirier]

Perhaps again, Mr. Chair, I could provide a response.

Currently, at the case processing centre in Sydney, we have some cases that are held in abeyance as result of the Taylor case. Of course, as this case is in front of the court of appeal, we cannot go into too much detail. But I can assure you that applicants whose cases have been affected by this stay of motion have been notified and have received the proper information concerning their cases.

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

I want a number. Please, if you don't have the number—

[Rose Anne Poirier]

It's approximately 400.

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Four hundred cases by the Taylor decision.

[Rose Anne Poirier]

Yes.

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Okay, that's what I wanted to know.

Next question: Why did the department ignore the order in council specifically granting war brides and their children Canadian citizenship?

[Mark Davidson]

Mr. Chair, presumably Mr. Telegdi is referring to an order in council that came into effect in the mid-1940s. This matter is before the Federal Court of Appeal in the Taylor case. So because it's before the court, I would find it difficult to answer that question.

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

The direction was ignored.

Why did your department suddenly decide not to honour a unanimous Supreme Court decision in the Benner v. Canada case?

[Mark Davidson]

The Benner case you're referring to was a case that was a decision of the Supreme Court of Canada in 1997. We certainly have been implementing that decision since that date.

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

You have been implementing that decision since that date?

[Mark Davidson]

The Benner decision, yes; it dealt with a certain group of individuals who were covered under the 1977 act. And yes, we certainly implemented and took into consideration the Supreme Court's ruling in that case.