Thank you for the question, Mr. Chair.
Nothing persuaded me to give him a work visa because I didn't give him a work visa. I learned about the fact that he had obtained a work visa from media reports last week. Normally I wouldn't comment on a particular case, but all these facts are in the public domain, so I will go ahead and comment on the facts as they've been publicly reported.
Because of a court decision two years ago that stayed his deportation pending another pre-removal risk assessment and the requirement that the government furnish certain assurances with respect to his prospective treatment in China, he's here in Canada. He cannot be removed. He is, therefore, according to the law, eligible to apply for a work permit in Canada. And neither the department nor I have negative discretion to deny someone such a permit if they otherwise qualify.