Evidence of meeting #7 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 iraqi.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:40 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Will your dealing with these Iraqis increase the intake from Iran or any other cases or countries that the Damascus office covers?
3:45 p.m.
Director, Operational Coordination, International Region, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
It's for Iraqis sponsored under the family class, where the relatives of the people in Canada are in Syria, Jordan, or Lebanon.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
What's your inventory right now at CPC Mississauga?
3:45 p.m.
Director, Operational Coordination, International Region, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
I can tell you the inventory in Damascus of family class cases. I'm afraid I don't have an inventory number for CPC Mississauga, but I can tell you that what we're essentially doing in Mississauga is to expedite sponsorship applications for Iraqis when they are received. In other words, these are being decided right away. They're not going—
3:45 p.m.
Director, Operational Coordination, International Region, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
They have to be identified. We ask people to write Iraqi—
3:45 p.m.
Director, Operational Coordination, International Region, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Yes.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
3:45 p.m.
Director, Operational Coordination, International Region, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
The inventory of family class cases in Damascus—
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
3:45 p.m.
Director, Operational Coordination, International Region, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Well, I have the figures for all family class cases.
3:45 p.m.
Director, Operational Coordination, International Region, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
I'll have to provide you that breakdown later, but there are a total of 246 persons, constituting 180 applications presently in process at the office in Damascus. Those are family class applications.
3:45 p.m.
Director, Operational Coordination, International Region, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
For Iraqi citizens, yes.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Would you be kind enough, please, to provide this committee with your numbers for Mississauga?
The other thing I want to ask you is what steps are you taking to advertise this program within the community? Are you advertising in the Arabic papers? Are you advertising in the Iraqi papers? Have you reached out to the CAF, the Canadian Arab Federation, to the Iraq federation? Have you reached out to those groups?
3:45 p.m.
Director, Operational Coordination, International Region, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
I haven't been involved in communicating with stakeholders on this issue.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Did anybody else among the panellists deal with that?
3:45 p.m.
Director General, Refugees Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
A media release was issued by the minister.
3:45 p.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Can I suggest, Ms. Aucoin, that you take that media release and communicate it to the Arab papers and to the Muslim papers, as well as to the community itself?
3:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Norman Doyle
We're out of time, but answer if you wish. Then we'll go on to Madame Faille.
3:45 p.m.
Director General, Refugees Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
We will take this proposal back to the department.
3:45 p.m.
Conservative