Citizenship and Immigration Committee on Feb. 12th, 2009

[The Clerk]

The motion hasn't been amended yet; we're just on the amendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

We're voting on the amendment. I'm just trying to make everybody happy.

All those in favour of Ms. Chow's amendment?

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

Could we have a recorded vote, please, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

A recorded vote, yes.

(Amendment agreed to: yeas 6 ; nays 5 )

Madam Mendes has the floor.

[Alexandra Mendes, Liberal, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

I have a further amendment, where I would replace the wording “deport no one” with “declare a moratorium on deportations to Sri Lanka”. It's the first sentence, the first line.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

The words “deport no one” would be deleted, and the words “declare a moratorium on deportations” would be inserted.

[Alexandra Mendes, Liberal, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Exactly.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Do you wish to comment on that, Madam Mendes?

[Alexandra Mendes, Liberal, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

It's just that it makes it—

[A voice]

Stronger.

[Alexandra Mendes, Liberal, Brossard—La Prairie, QC]

Not just stronger, but time limited, if you wish. A moratorium can be one year, two years, or three years. I would leave that open to whoever is going to work on this.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

On the amendment, Mr. Karygiannis.

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

I'd like to move the amendment and call for a vote.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

You can do that.

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

A recorded vote, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Yes, here we go.

(Amendment agreed to: yeas 6 ; nays 5 )

Well, we have a list now for the motion as amended.

I have Mr. Calandra, and then Mr. Karygiannis.

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'm concerned. I have a large Tamil population in my riding, and I hosted a town hall meeting recently in my riding to get some of their feelings as to what's happening back home. One of the things that happened at the town hall meeting, unfortunately...and to truly understand the conflict.... But I'm certainly not going to get into that. But there were obviously Tamils, and there were some Sinhalese who showed up, and it became a very difficult and hostile environment. One of the dilemmas with a motion like this is that it makes no differentiation as to what's happening there.

Now that a moratorium is being proposed, how do we deal with people who may be seeking refugee status in this country who are clearly people we do not want to have in this country? We now no longer can deport them. What if there are individuals--and I'm not making any suggestion that there might be--who we then come to discover have committed horrible atrocities back in Sri Lanka in this conflict? They're going to stay here and live within the same community as the people we're trying to protect. It's one of the things that just completely astound me.

I understand the intention of this motion, because many of us who have large Tamil populations in our ridings, in particular, have been listening to the stories of what is happening back home, and they are terrible stories. We've seen videos. We've had letters as to the situation. For me to now go back into my community and meet with the Tamil people, who have been so hurt and are so confused and upset by what's happening in their homeland, and tell them that....

I know Mr. Karygiannis doesn't really truly care about the Tamil people, as he would suggest, because if he did, Mr. Chair--

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

On a point of order, Mr. Karygiannis.

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

For Mr. Calandra to judge if I care or I don't care is beyond him. For Mr. Calandra to make any suggestions as such--

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, St. Catharines, ON]

It's a matter of opinion. That's not a point of order.

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

--maybe he should look at himself in the mirror before he even speaks.

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, St. Catharines, ON]

That's not a point of order.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Tilson]

Mr. Calandra, carry on.

Let's try not to--

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Oak Ridges—Markham, ON]

Please, Mr. Chair, this is a very important--