Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'm not on this committee, as you know. I've only been an MP for one year, but my impression, having worked with the immigrant communities for years before as a lawyer, is that during the last four years there has been a significant increase in denials of visitors' visas. I personally think there is a crisis in this country with respect to treating immigrants fairly and allowing their friends and family to come to visit.
In July, at an event called the World Punjabi Conference, which was a thinkers' conference to promote Punjabi culture at which Minister Kenney and I spoke, it came to light that of these thinkers and academics who were trying to come into Canada to speak and participate at this conference, 12 out of 12 people from Pakistan had been denied visas, and 50 out of 75 from India had been denied visas. I called at that time for public review by the minister of these visa requirements; it was in the press. I've been ignored by the minister. I think this motion needs to be adopted so that we can consider this fully.
As well, I have written confirmation from the minister's office now—because with the number of denials in the countries of origin, what next occurs is that people apply for minister's permits—that they will not accept and consider applications for minister's permits for special occasions any longer, for weddings, anniversaries, and those sorts of things. In circumstances where the minister will no longer take the time to consider special occasions, it is imperative that we consider and make sure that the visa requirements at the ground level in the countries of origin are fair and transparent. We must be considering this.