Thank you.
In the over six years—it's about six and half—that the society, which is of course the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants, has been in existence, they've made tremendous strides, as Ms. Adam has correctly stated.
They have taken their work very seriously as a professional regulatory body of all people who are not members of a provincial law society. They have put forward very comprehensive and detailed rules of professional conduct, for example, which all of us, as licensed members, are required to adhere to. It can be seen on their website, which is csic-scci.ca.
The rules are very sensitive for consumer protection; that's the primary mandate of the society. The rules require all of us as members to act professionally at all times and to be knowledgeable and skilful. For example, they forbid us to take on work that we're not experienced or skilful at. They define what improper conduct or professional misconduct means. They require all of us as members to prepare retainer agreements, for example, so that clients know what professional work they're getting from us and what the fee is. There are even advertising sections in the rules, which require us to advertise honestly and properly to the public.
Providing professional immigration and refugee services must be done properly and professionally and that's the main mandate of the society: to protect the public. They are vulnerable and need protection.
The society also has continual professional development seminars, which is part of the rules in that we are required as members, sir and committee members, to rack up a total of 40 professional points every two years. We must attend seminars or online videos and answer skill-testing questions, which keeps us up to date in all changes and amendments to the immigration regulations of Canada as well as the refugee regulations.
There is a strict complaints and discipline committee, and that is in order and is working very properly at the society's office in Toronto. There have been well over 200 immigration consultants who have required disciplining because they have run afoul of and have violated one or more rules of professional conduct, or they have run afoul of the act—by the act, I mean the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act of Canada. This committee—complaints and discipline—takes its very work very seriously, and if people need to be suspended, fined, or have their licence revoked, it has been done, and it continues to do so. The public is aware of this, and certainly complaints can go down to the society.
We are very strict about the public money as well. Any money given to us as licensed consultants is required to go into a designated bank account, called a client's account—as I call it—and all clients's moneys must go there. Moneys must not be touched or taken out until the professional services are rendered and invoices are prepared and sent to the client. Only then are we allowed to take any money from the client's bank account.
The society also has a compliance audit, whereby auditors who are employed by the society will do random spot checks—which is very important, as it is in any profession, whether it's lawyers or engineers or doctors—to make certain that we run our practice in a proper way. They will check our files and make sure that our backup files are done properly and that our bank accounts are in good order. The society has just set up a compensation fund recently, whereby if a consultant is convicted of a criminal conviction and there was a monetary loss to the client, a compensation fund is there and available and a monetary loss can be compensated to the client.
This is a fulfillment of conditions that the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration has required the society to do. The society has fulfilled every single condition that the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration has required them to do.
There is also errors and omissions insurance, sir. If there is negligence, we are required, of course, to own up to that. We pay membership fees every year and we pay errors and omissions insurance premiums every year to cover any negligence on our part. Negligence can occur from time to time.
Any amendments to the immigration and refugee laws are sent to us immediately by e-mail. I get e-mails on a regular basis, as I'm sure all licensed members do, advising us of changes to Citizenship and Immigration Canada operational policy and proposed changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act so we can render a very proper, professional service to the public. That is most important.
Sir, annual meetings are held by the society, which we all attend regularly online. Financial statements are given to us every year and they've been audited by outside auditors. Every year, the auditors have given a positive, clean record that the financial statements of the society are proper and everything is done properly.
Membership in the society is not given willy-nilly, sir. We now have to pass a designated comprehensive immigration practitioner course--