Evidence of meeting #54 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 cases.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Mark Davidson  Director, Legislation and Program Policy, Citizenship Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Clark Goodman  Acting Director, Citizenship and Immigration Program Delivery, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Rose Anne Poirier  Manager, Program Support, Case Processing Centre - Sydney, Nova Scotia, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Rosemarie Redden  Manager, Citizenship Case Review, Case Management Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Eric Stevens  Legal Counsel, Legal Services, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

4:25 p.m.

Acting Director, Citizenship and Immigration Program Delivery, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

Clark Goodman

Thank you.

4:25 p.m.

Liberal

Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON

What's the number for the case processing centre in Sydney, if people want to call from overseas?

May 2nd, 2007 / 4:25 p.m.

Acting Director, Citizenship and Immigration Program Delivery, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

4:25 p.m.

Liberal

Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON

People want to call CPC Sydney.

4:25 p.m.

Acting Director, Citizenship and Immigration Program Delivery, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

Clark Goodman

I'm not sure.

4:25 p.m.

Liberal

Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON

Is it 902-564-3300?

4:25 p.m.

Acting Director, Citizenship and Immigration Program Delivery, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

Clark Goodman

I believe that when people have questions about their status, they should be going to the missions.

4:25 p.m.

Liberal

Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON

But if they want to call from overseas, is the number 902-564-3300?

Okay.

The last question that I have, Mr. Chair, is why is Melba Heffron not responding to faxes and e-mails that are sent by clients, and why is she not here? She's the person who looks after these cases. A fax was sent to her by Joe Taylor years ago, and I sent her a copy of his fax. Why is she not responding?

4:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle

A very brief response, please; we're at the six minutes here.

4:25 p.m.

Acting Director, Citizenship and Immigration Program Delivery, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

Clark Goodman

To respond to why Melba isn't here today, Melba is the primary caregiver at home and she was unable to travel to Ottawa.

4:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle

Okay, thank you.

4:30 p.m.

Liberal

Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON

But that's—

4:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle

Order, please. You're over six minutes, so you'll have to pick it up on the next round.

Mr. Gravel.

4:30 p.m.

Bloc

Raymond Gravel Bloc Repentigny, QC

I have a question and a comment.

Mr. Davidson, in your document, you say that we cannot stand in judgment of legislation enacted in 1947; those were the laws. Although what you say may be true, we know that they make no sense today for Canadians who are lost because of marriage or parents.

So, why is it taking so much time to resolve these problems? If these people lost their citizenship because of such legislation, could we not bypass the system and restore their Canadian citizenship to them? This would save time and avoid unnecessary expenses and drama. We're talking about human beings.

My comment is that you may speak in French. We have interpretation in both languages, and you are public servants in a country that is supposed to be bilingual.

4:30 p.m.

Director, Legislation and Program Policy, Citizenship Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

Mark Davidson

Mr. Chair, the reason why these cases are out there is because of decisions that were made by Parliament for the 1947 act, and also in 1977. As bureaucrats, our responsibility as civil servants is to implement the legislation that we have. The minister had indicated to the committee that she was looking for advice from the committee on how to solve those legislative problems. And obviously, as civil servants as well, we're looking forward to any advice the committee may give to the minister on how to resolve those problems.

We are taking advantage of the mechanism we do have that Parliament has given to the minister and the Governor in Council to resolve these cases. That mechanism is contained in subsection 5(4) of the Citizenship Act.

4:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle

Thank you.

4:30 p.m.

Bloc

Raymond Gravel Bloc Repentigny, QC

If I were a lost Canadian and I came to your office, would you speak to me in English, if I spoke to you in French?

4:30 p.m.

Director, Legislation and Program Policy, Citizenship Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

Mark Davidson

Yes, but what can I say? I can understand and respond in English and French. It's a question of choice.

4:30 p.m.

Bloc

Raymond Gravel Bloc Repentigny, QC

I wouldn't know that to listen to you, sir.

4:30 p.m.

Bloc

Roger Gaudet Bloc Montcalm, QC

First, do you have a legal department at the Department of Citizenship and Immigration? A legal department is a group of lawyers with the mandate to advise public servants and the department, who in turn advise the minister. Is there one?

4:30 p.m.

Director, Legislation and Program Policy, Citizenship Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

Mark Davidson

Eric, would you like to address this?

4:30 p.m.

Eric Stevens Legal Counsel, Legal Services, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

We certainly have a legal service unit within Citizenship and Immigration, Department of Justice lawyers there who can provide advice to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration on citizenship matters.

4:30 p.m.

Bloc

Roger Gaudet Bloc Montcalm, QC

The legislation goes back to 1945 and 1977. I find it difficult to believe that your legal experts are not able to eliminate this problem and draft new legislation.

4:30 p.m.

Bloc

Raymond Gravel Bloc Repentigny, QC

That was done.

4:30 p.m.

Bloc

Roger Gaudet Bloc Montcalm, QC

If it was done, it was done badly. I have not attended all the meetings, but I fail to understand why no one in your legal department is able to advise you. If the Department of Justice is involved, we will ask the Department of Justice questions.