I'd like to continue along the same lines as Borys. The will of the committee is that these persons be recognized as refugees. The committee had unanimously endorsed a motion to that effect. I don't see a problem with our drafting and tabling a motion that could be debated next week. We could hear from individuals like Rick Herringer and Charles Godfrey. I don't see in the material the letter from Rick Herringer who was the official in Manila at the time. However, there is no reason why the committee can't hear from these officials. As you pointed out, the minister can exercise his discretionary authority and issue a ministerial permit.
I don't think anyone here would hold it against the minister for issuing 188 permits to persons seeking refugee status. Mention was made of delays they encountered and of the overall time it took for them to make their way to this country. We know of two cases where the applications had already been processed and it still took at least a year.
Perhaps I could table a detailed motion reiterating the will of the committee to see ministerial permits issued to these individuals. This would give the minister, or a departmental official, an opportunity to come here and explain why the provisions of section 25 could not be invoked.