Evidence of meeting #64 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 chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
I understand the briefing was requested for Thursday of last week, which is very short notice.
Conservative
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
Having said that, I think it is a government piece of legislation, and the subcommittee should understand that it deserves its attention to schedule appropriate hearings as soon as they're able to.
Bloc
Meili Faille Bloc Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC
I would just like to know what happens to the briefing book on undocumented workers. The department was supposed to have send us that three weeks ago.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Can we deal with this first, and then we'll talk about the briefing books and where we are on that?
I think the suggestion is that we wait until fall. We'll have a steering committee meeting. Quite naturally, we'll have briefings on Bill C-57, and we'll have a steering committee meeting to determine the number of meetings and witnesses who might be called in that regard. That's the suggestion, and I think it's a good one.
All in favour of that?
Liberal
NDP
Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Mr. Chair, on a point of order, we didn't get a response to Madame Faille's question about the briefing books.
Conservative
NDP
Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
But before we go on to something new, can we have an answer on that?
NDP
Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Madame Faille's questions seem to get put off all the time in committee, Chair, and I insist on a response to her question before we move on to another topic.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
I'm sure we will, but Mr. Karygiannis has the floor for a question.
Was it with relation to the briefing books?
Liberal
Conservative
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
What's the specific question? Perhaps you could refer what you're—
Conservative
Bloc
Meili Faille Bloc Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC
We had planned a meeting on the issue of undocumented workers. We had a discussion at the committee, and it was decided that the department would prepare a document setting out the statistics on what has happened in recent decades in the case of undocumented workers, what the budgets were, and so on. This document was supposed to give us data and summarize the issue for us. Some departmental officials were supposed to come to a briefing meeting. The meeting was cancelled, but in any case the department was supposed to prepare a briefing book for us with all of these details. We are still waiting. We agreed to cancel the meeting, provided the briefing book would be sent to us. We have been waiting for it for three weeks.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Okay, I think the clerk has some information that he can give you, Madame Faille.
The Clerk
As Madame Faille mentioned, CIC and other departmental officials were invited to present on undocumented and temporary foreign workers on May 31. As you know, the meeting was cancelled.
On Thursday, after our steering committee meeting, I requested that the officials be reinvited to appear today—however, they declined—and if they could not appear, that they provide their prepared presentations, including all the detailed statistics regarding the issue.
I was informed that no document has been prepared.
Conservative
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
I don't recall a request being made for briefing books. It's news to me.
Bloc
Meili Faille Bloc Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC
I spoke about this very specifically. And, as you know, this was not the first time. Every time I have the floor, I ask for more detailed information, because when the departmental officials come, they often bring more general statistics. We specifically asked that they come to provide us with information and to prepare a non-partisan document. We wanted a summary of the issue of undocumented workers since the time of the last amnesty, about 10 years ago. We wanted to know what programs were implemented earlier, what the statistics were, and how much money had been set aside to deal with this issue, so that we could have a detailed discussion with the departmental officials. This is not the first time. This time, you called me at my office to cancel the meeting, and I agree to that, provided we got a briefing book.
