We have a problem with this provision because we have no idea what it means. Right now there is a huge amount of power being given to the minister to designate parts of countries, classes of people, and particular countries, without our having any sense of what the criteria are. When the Refugee Lawyers' Association started doing some advocacy work on this bill, we asked that Parliament send it to committee before second reading so that there could be a really careful review of exactly what the minister is proposing here. We still don't know what the minister thinks he's going to use that provision for. What kinds or classes of nationals will be affected, and what are the criteria he is thinking of using in their regard? We have no idea, so it's very hard to engage in a debate. It's a vacuum right now.
As a lawyer, a vacuum in the law is a very serious problem, because it prevents the courts from reviewing it and it prevents parliamentarians from knowing exactly what they're passing into law. Then we end up with an act where a minister can do anything he wants. Again, that is a core problem for us.