I want to thank those who are here today via teleconference. I also thank the witnesses who have travelled here.
I heard Mr. Calandra speak in not very flattering terms of lawyers' role and work as consultants. I would like to have your opinion on the fact that the minister did not include regulations on immigration consultants.
According to one rule, a person who arrives in Canada will have eight days to tell his or her story and will not be entitled to appeal the decision. If that person happens upon a fly-by-night consultant or an individual who provides bad advice, that person won't be entitled to file an appeal. Eight days is not very much time when you have to find someone who is empowered to provide advice, who is accredited and who is not.
Don't you think the minister should have included guidelines on consultants, immigration consultants in the bill? We often hear about false claimants, that is to say claimants who file false claims, but people rarely talk about the fact that these people are sometimes poorly advised by consultants.