I think that's the case. The government has been very clear that it wants to welcome to Canada genuine refugees. That has been the case for this government; I believe it was the case with previous governments. That's not a matter for debate.
We are unable to see how the addition of the RAD is going to help this process. If Canada accepts a large number of refugees from abroad, we select them ourselves; they are actually taken from UN camps. If Parliament were to make some systemic improvements to IRPA and the refugee determination system, we believe that Canada could accept far more genuine refugees from abroad. Many of the people who make their way to Canada are not refugees. Many are, and they're accepted.
The point that is central to all of this is that we have probably the most liberal refugee determination system in the world. That is neither good nor bad except if you look at it in the context of what we're trying to deal with. Monsieur St-Cyr mentioned on a number of occasions the frightful thought of—he implied, he didn't say it—dozens of people being sent abroad to torture and death. Well, I defy anybody to give us a list of people for whom that's happened. In the three years that I've dealt with this file there was one mistake made. We brought the person back to Canada and we're going through the system again. Our system is very good. This RAD, which is a paper-based review--no testimony, no new evidence--is not going to materially help.
I'd take advantage of the opportunity to say something else. Mr. St-Cyr argued that the Federal Court isn't specialized. Of the cases before the Federal Court, 70% deal with immigration and refugee issues. If the Federal Court isn't specialized in refugee and immigration issues, I don't know what it is. Its jurisprudence binds the IRB in all of its components and it does guide the decisions of the IRB and the refugee protection division. To say that another body, which itself will be still subject to Federal Court review, is going to improve this process.... I'm not sure. It's going to add more time and effort.