Evidence of meeting #42 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 backlog.
A recording is available from Parliament.
6:25 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
I'd like to challenge that, and I'll tell you why, Mr. Chair.
If you go according to the rules, everybody can go--
6:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
We've had this discussion today already, with Mr. Bevilacqua and others. We agreed that it is the party and that the party can pass it over.
6:25 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Well, have you asked the other two people if they would want to speak, before you go there?
6:25 p.m.
Liberal
6:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
If we had more time, I'm sure he would.
Order.
Mr. Komarnicki, you have a couple of minutes.
6:25 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
I hadn't finished my comments, but I will just say this: the minister's instructions will be open and transparent, and certainly she will consult with the provincial and territorial governments and stakeholders, as Mr. Pang has said. As a practical kind of thing, instructions will be published in the Canada Gazette. They will be reported annually to Parliament and published on CIC's website.
Parliament sets targets and goals every year. Ultimately it goes back to the government.
Really, when you put all the rhetoric aside, the Liberal members who are pretty noisy about this and have a lot of rhetoric...we'll see where they stand when the bill comes before the House. They'll be able to vote it down and support the opposition or not. They have not lined up with their talk. If they're really serious about wanting to defeat this legislation, they should do it.
6:25 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
I think the parliamentary secretary is making a political speech. He's not asking a question to the--
6:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
That's no point of order, Mr. Karygiannis. You know that's not a point of order.
Mr. Komarnicki.
Order, please!
6:25 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
Let me cite something that was said in the Winnipeg Free Press:
What the Conservatives propose is common sense...This is good policy...For the Liberals to exploit this, however, not only ignores the national need for the party's own political advantage, but also ignores the ugly truth that it was the Liberals who created this problem. In the years 1993-2006, the immigration backlog grew from 50,000 to 800,000.
There is a problem. It needs to be addressed, and we're addressing it—not in a long-term way but on an immediate basis.
The Vancouver Province editorial said:
But it makes no sense—and is unfair to applicants—to go on adding names to a waiting list that just grows longer and longer.
There are going to be 1.5 million people. It's unmanageable.
Under the new legislative proposals, the immigration minister will be able to speed up immigration procedures, both in cases of family reunion and to get needed workers into the country.
6:30 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Mr. Chair, a point of order.
The parliamentary secretary is reading from a document. He either tables it or—
6:30 p.m.
Conservative
Nina Grewal Conservative Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC
It's his time. He can utilize it the way he likes.
6:30 p.m.
Conservative
May 12th, 2008 / 6:30 p.m.
Conservative
Ed Komarnicki Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
—in here faster, family reunification faster, refugee protection that will not be affected by Bill C-50, and it will be carried on as it is. It's a question of policy, and policy is something that is set by government. The parties will have their opportunity to decide whether they support it or oppose it, and that's the bottom line.
Thank you.
6:30 p.m.
Conservative
6:30 p.m.
Conservative
6:30 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
For somebody to grandstand and say about the vote.... We're here, as a committee, to do a report.
6:30 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Obviously the parliamentary secretary forgot the word “democracy”.
6:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
Order.
Please give Mr. Komarnicki some courtesy, please.
Are you finished, sir?
I want to thank you, Mr. Jovel, Mr. Tan, and Mr. Pang, for your presence here today. We will be doing a report come Thursday, so we will try to take your recommendations into account as well.
Thank you.