Evidence of meeting #23 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was clause.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Mr. Chairman, even though clause 1 is reserved and even though the amendment of my colleague Mr. St-Cyr wasn't admissible, could we simply ask that the title be completely struck out?
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
Monsieur Coderre, first of all, Monsieur St-Cyr hasn't yet made an amendment. Second, as I've pointed out, pursuant to Standing Order 75(1), consideration of clause 1 is postponed until the end.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
Anyone else want to talk about anything?
(Clauses 2 and 3 agreed to)
(On clause 4)
4:35 p.m.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
Clause 4 deals with humanitarian and compassionate grounds. You probably heard me asking quite a few questions in the past regarding paragraph (c), which bars people from applying within 12 months of their refugee status determination. There is also the matter of the fees, etc.
I have a group of motions that deals with a series of things. One basically deletes the entire section; another talks about changing the word “must” to “shall”; another one says that people should not be deported while they are being reconsidered on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
4:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
Ms. Chow, we need to be clear which amendments you're speaking of.
4:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
You can do that if the committee allows you to speak to two at a time. But before you can start debating it, you should probably make the amendments.
4:35 p.m.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
Just to expedite the meeting, rather than making four separate speeches, what I'm planning to do is make one speech that deals with all the amendments relevant to humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
4:35 p.m.
Conservative
4:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
Finish what? We need to be clear that we know what amendment you're speaking about.
4:35 p.m.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
Let me finish. The reason I am withdrawing the motion.... You have to allow me to finish saying what I need to say, okay? I need to say it.
4:35 p.m.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
Thank you.
The reason why it is really important that the humanitarian and compassionate grounds stay--the reason why I'm not moving my amendment--is because later on there is a Liberal amendment that deletes the one-year bar on humanitarian and compassionate grounds. There is a Bloc amendment further down that actually talks about hardship. I had trouble with proposed subsection 25(1.3), “whether a person is a Convention refugee under section 96”.
Because of the other amendments coming up, I am comfortable in not moving those three recommendations in front of you. I would have preferred to exempt the applicants from paying the $500, but I'm not sure I can find the support in this room to do so.
I certainly hope that members will support the Liberal amendment and the Bloc amendment. Then women leaving domestic violence, or gays and lesbians, who may not completely fit into the convention refugee determination process, would have a chance to then file on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
Thank you for hearing me out.
4:35 p.m.
NDP
Olivia Chow NDP Trinity—Spadina, ON
And it didn't take too long, so I want you to give me that flexibility to say what I need to say.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
So the next proposed amendment is the Liberal amendment.
Mr. Bevilacqua.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
