Evidence of meeting #19 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was alberta.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
[Inaudible--Editor]...Toronto for a full hour.
Whoever wishes can make a comment.
4:40 p.m.
Immigration Consultant, As an Individual
It's not something, quite frankly, that I really thought much about, so I really don't have anything to add to that.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Okay. Let's go to Mr. Komarnicki.
Did somebody else have a comment, who I just slipped by?
4:40 p.m.
Immigration Consultant, Commissioner for Oath, Immigration Plus, As an Individual
I would love to see somebody oversee that society. Otherwise we have no recourse, whatever we say or whatever we do. I hope something can be done.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
Thank you for your presentation and comments.
As Mr. Veress indicated earlier, we heard the union's position; we hadn't heard from the employer. I think it's important to hear both. I'm pleased that you're filing your presentation before us, because we'd certainly like to have a look at it. But by the same token, as we hear some of the issues you have with respect to representation, membership on the board, and so on, it is important for us to hear from the other side and the society itself to see what they have to say on this issue. There are usually two sides to the story, and we are keen to hear both sides of that.
With respect to Ms. Gaudet, I gather you're a lawyer. That said, you wouldn't necessarily have to have a membership in CSIC to proceed with immigration matters.
4:40 p.m.
Immigration Consultant, As an Individual
Yes.
In my personal situation what happened was I got out of the practice of law and developed another career. I'm also a power engineer. I eventually had a job at the refugee board. It was just easier. It was available. But, yes, it's open to me as a personal option to become a member of the law society and to practise immigration law.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
That wasn't my key point.
The law society is a self-governing body. Its membership elects a board of directors who actually conduct the business on behalf of the law society. There are fees, and some of them are fairly extensive. When you were practising with the law society, I gather you would have paid some of those fees yourself. Is that correct?
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
Similarly, this should be a self-regulating body for its membership. Does the membership have any input into the election of the board of directors?
4:45 p.m.
Immigration Consultant, As an Individual
The system was set up in the initial bylaws, and the effect of the system is that although members get a vote every year, there are two factors that make it impossible for the members now to elect a new critical mass of members, shall we say, who would take a different direction for the society.
In the bylaws, the system is set up so that you go from vice-chair to chair to past chair, for several years running. So we have a system in which the same individuals are going to be there for many years. Secondly, only two consultants can be elected in each election. Even if you had one or two progressive voices, we have seven others who have made and built this system, so....
4:45 p.m.
Immigration Consultant, As an Individual
It's possible, yes, through elections to get different people elected.
4:45 p.m.
Immigration Consultant, As an Individual
Yes, for sure. We have a vote every year and we can vote for two.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
Did the membership approve the bylaws that were initially set up?
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
Those are the kinds of things that happen in a maturing of an organization. It needs to be beefed up or fixed to work better. But would you agree that it's a good idea, fundamentally--the principle of having a body that oversees consultants?
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
Secondly, in order to protect members of the public from unscrupulous consultants, those who are not competent, you would need some fairly stringent rules or requirements for consultants to meet. Would you agree with that?
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
It would seem that whatever the organization, you would have to have a professional standards component. Would you agree with that?