Evidence of meeting #37 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 english.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:50 a.m.
Liberal
Alexandra Mendes Liberal Brossard—La Prairie, QC
I submit them to you. Thank you, minister.
I am sharing my allotted time with Mr. Karygiannis.
10:50 a.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Thank you.
Minister, the waiting numbers have gone sky-high for spousal partners and dependent children from African source countries. For example, in Accra it went from 18 months in 2006 to 20 months, an increase of 11%. In Cairo, the increase is 57%; in Nairobi, 92%; in Pretoria, 20%; in Rabat, 42%, in Kingston, Jamaica, 75%; and Port-au-Prince, 12%. That's for spousal.
10:50 a.m.
Conservative
10:50 a.m.
Liberal
Jim Karygiannis Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
When it comes to children, in Accra it's 29%; in Nairobi it's 73%; in Pretoria it's 114%; and in Kingston it's 50%.
Minister, you talked about a wall of shame. I'm just wondering if this is your wall of shame.
10:50 a.m.
Conservative
Jason Kenney Conservative Calgary Southeast, AB
Mr. Chairman, since this member likes to politicize things, I'm required to point out that when the government of which he was a part took office in 1993, the overall inventories for immigration were well under 100,000. When they left office in 2006, it was up to nearly a million cases. The processing times that he talks about, in any stream and in any mission, largely developed under the government of which he was a part. So I'm not going to take that kind of politicization.
Our officials do their very best, in tough circumstances--
10:50 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
No, no, you've made your shot, Mr. Karygiannis.
Are you finished, Mr. Minister?
10:50 a.m.
Conservative
Jason Kenney Conservative Calgary Southeast, AB
I'll just say that our officials do their very best in tough circumstances to maintain our goals for acceptable processing times, and that they're constantly innovating to improve processing.
10:50 a.m.
Bloc
Thierry St-Cyr Bloc Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
Thank you.
Minister, I have focused on the language issue in immigration because an important message is being transmitted to immigrants through government policies. The message that your department is currently sending, and perhaps that of Public Safety as well, is that immigration matters are being dealt with in English and that French is the exception, not the rule.
We've talked about the citizenship guide. In my opinion, that would have been the perfect opportunity to talk to immigrants about Bill 101 in Quebec and the fact that children must be registered in French-language schools. The House of Commons has moreover unanimously passed a motion stating that, in Quebec, immigrants are expected to learn French first and foremost. This guide would have been the ideal opportunity. Several passages concerning the Queen could have been suppressed. I agree that we should talk about her, but glorifying her to this degree may be a bit excessive.
I'm going to change subjects, since we won't be agreeing on that today in the context of this committee. We may do so later perhaps. I would like to know what follow-up there has been regarding the citizenship frauds reported by journalists on the Enquête program. It was shown that these frauds were being committed in Quebec, among other places, and that people were living outside the country while claiming that they were in Canada in order to obtain citizenship. To my knowledge—and you'll correct me if I'm wrong—formal charges still have not been laid in this matter. The citizens I represent and the public wonder how it is that journalists can conduct investigations and discover very troubling cases using hidden cameras but that no charges have been laid to date in this matter.
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
Jason Kenney Conservative Calgary Southeast, AB
I will not comment on any specific cases, but I can tell committee members that the Border Services Agency and the RCMP are investigating immigration and citizenship fraud. The reports are obviously a concern to us, and that is why we are considering imposing more serious penalties on false consultants who have committed fraud as such.
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
Mr. St-Cyr, we have to conclude the discussion because we have to vote on the estimates.
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
I'm sorry, but we're running out of time. So the discussion has come to a close.
Colleagues, shall votes 1b, 5b, 7b, and 10b carry?
CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION Department Vote 1b--Operating expenditures..........$43,404,571 Vote 5b--The grants listed in the Estimates and contributions ..........$90,000,000 Vote 7b--Pursuant to section 25(2) of the Financial Administration Act, to write-off from the Accounts of Canada 3,013 debts due to Her Majesty in right of Canada amounting to $828,006 related to immigration loans issued pursuant to section 88 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act – To authorize the transfer of $492 from Citizenship and Immigration Vote 1, Appropriation Act No. 2, 2009–10 for the purposes of this Vote and to provide a further amount of..........$827,514 Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Vote 10b--Program expenditures..........$23,666
(Votes 1b, 5b, 7b, and 10b agreed to on division)
10:55 a.m.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
I want to indicate my opposition to one vote—the $32.5 million towards establishing visa offices in Mexico.
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
Did I see another hand up? No more hands? All right, that's it.
Ms. Chow, thank you.
Shall I report the supplementary estimates (B) to the House?
10:55 a.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
10:55 a.m.
An hon. member
On division.
10:55 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
Thank you, Minister and your colleagues, for coming and talking to us. I know you'd like to talk some more, but that's what happens when you have a great committee—we run out of time.
Thank you very much.
We're adjourned.