Evidence of meeting #3 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was application.
A recording is available from Parliament.
9:35 a.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
In answer to your question, somebody can go wife-shopping. The first wife sponsors them, and if that fails they can have a second wife who sponsors them. We want to make sure this is a “true” marriage for us to go on. That's why this is only for the first sponsorship application. There are definitely individuals out there--I've seen them with my own eyes--who go wife-shopping. That's why it says the “first in-Canada” application.
If I may, Mr. Chair, I'd like to move to the subamendment, in which she wants to say “30 days for the government to respond”. I'd like to propose the following wording on that: “and the government ceases immediately deportations until the government does respond”.
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
Just give me a minute here.
Mr. Karygiannis, I'm going to rule that you can't amend a subamendment. We'll vote on the subamendment, and then I guess it's fair game for you to see what you can do at that time.
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
Alice Wong Conservative Richmond, BC
A point of clarification. So we're voting only on number 2? I mean, we're working on number 2?
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
We're not even voting. We're still in debate, unless you've had enough.
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
9:35 a.m.
Liberal
9:35 a.m.
The Clerk
The way I understand it, the committee has agreed that this motion be divided. So Ms. Chow's first motion, which is largely from paragraph 2, would read as follows:
That the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration reaffirm its previous position on spousal sponsorships in Canada and resubmit the following motion to Parliament: The Committee recommends that the government allow any applicant (unless they have serious criminality) who has filed their first in-Canada spousal or common law sponsorship application, accompanied by a permanent residency application, to be entitled to a temporary work permit and an automatic stay of removal until a decision is rendered on their application.
Mrs. Wong has proposed that the motion be amended by adding, after the words “following motion to Parliament”, “and allow the government the opportunity to respond”.
9:40 a.m.
Conservative
Alice Wong Conservative Richmond, BC
Then there should be one motion now, so you won't say “following motions”, right?
9:40 a.m.
The Clerk
Then there's Ms. Chow's subamendment to your amendment that reads, after the words “government to respond”, “within 30 days”.
9:40 a.m.
Conservative
9:40 a.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Mr. Chair, just a point of clarification. Does that mean we report this to the House, and once we report it to the House, then the government has 30 days before we're allowed to debate this in the House?
9:40 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
I'm just up here with a gavel. It's up to you people to make your motions appropriate. I don't interpret what you're saying.
9:40 a.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
No, but with this 30 days, we're saying to submit this to the House. Once it's submitted to the House, do we allow the government 30 calendar days for them to respond before this is debated?
9:40 a.m.
Conservative
9:40 a.m.
Conservative
Rick Dykstra Conservative St. Catharines, ON
That's actually not our jurisdiction. The House leaders debate and decide how things come up in the House and when they will be debated. All we're asking for is an opportunity to respond. If the debate comes up in the House in less than 30 days, we'll obviously be prepared to debate the motion. If it comes up in 45 days, we'll be prepared. What we wanted to be able to do is issue a report on the motion.
We want the committee to acknowledge that the government has the responsibility to respond to the motion. That's all we're asking for. This is not complicated.
9:40 a.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Mr. Chair, then why don't we give the opportunity to the government to come to this committee within 30 days and report, and then we just move it the House after that?
9:40 a.m.
Conservative
