Evidence of meeting #29 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 csic.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
Tim Uppal Conservative Edmonton—Sherwood Park, AB
Those provisions are in the bill.
Can you tell me how these unregistered consultants affect your business?
5:15 p.m.
Immigration Consultant and Member, Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants, As an Individual
Well, as for affecting my business, what they can do, if they're unscrupulous enough, is that they can offer to do a professional service for half the price or a quarter of the price that I do it for. I have an office and I have expenses, but they can work out of a pick-up truck if they want to. They'll take $500, maybe even in cash, with not even a proper cheque.
They take away work from those of us who have worked hard to get where we are. We pay membership fees. We pay errors and omission fees and compensation fund fees. They pay zero, except if they have an office, which I doubt. They're taking away business from people who deserve to represent persons who need immigration advice or work or are before the Immigration and Refugee Board. This is what they're doing.
They're not rendering a proper service, which makes me very upset and frustrated. They're charging low fees, undercutting all of us who are licensed, and they're doing an improper service. Some of them are not doing any service. I've heard of cases where people in Pakistan and other countries are taken advantage of. The money goes into an unlicensed person's pocket and they never see the person again. They've paid $10,000, an exorbitant amount of money, which I do not charge--we all have to charge reasonable fees--and the money is gone. These people are victims and they can never recoup their money.
It's a very sad situation to have unlicensed people in this profession.
5:15 p.m.
Conservative
Tim Uppal Conservative Edmonton—Sherwood Park, AB
Absolutely.
Can CSIC do anything about the unregistered consultants?
5:20 p.m.
Immigration Consultant and Member, Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants, As an Individual
I think they've had meetings with government bodies, Mr. Uppal. Possibly--
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
Tim Uppal Conservative Edmonton—Sherwood Park, AB
What I'm getting at right now is that there is provision in the bill for unregistered consultants. First of all, this bill would require them to be registered. If they are not, there is jail time or serious fines. I want to get your viewpoint on the fact that they would have to be registered.
5:20 p.m.
Immigration Consultant and Member, Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants, As an Individual
Right, I agree. It's trite to say this, but they have to be registered. They have to meet the standards that I and Ms. Adam have met and that the rest of our 1,850 or so members have met. I don't see the jail or fine, but I don't have Bill C-35 in front of me. As long as it's there, that's important.
I think that maybe a government body should be set up, some investigative body that should try to find these unlicensed persons and have them charged. I would like to see the government take a very serious step in this direction. As I said, there are many people out there who didn't take any courses and who don't pay money. I think there should be more proactive work done by the government, by Immigration Canada, possibly, together with CSIC, to work against these unlicensed, unscrupulous people.
5:20 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
Thank you, Mr. Tencer.
We've come to the end. I want to thank you, Ms. Adam and Mr. Tencer, for your contribution to the committee this afternoon. Thank you very much.
We will now suspend so that we can go into in camera.
[Proceedings continue in camera]