Mr. Chair, the problem with smugglers has been more serious since the arrival of the MV Sun Sea last August. Obviously, the human smugglers problem has always been there in the background of immigration policies in Canada. However, it is clear to the government, and clearer still to the general public in Canada, that we have to have the tools to combat the threats presented by human smuggling rings because they are a threat to the integrity of our system.
I would remind you that as Minister of Immigration, I have responsibility for maintaining public support for our immigration and refugee protection systems. Since the arrival of the MV Sun Sea, we have seen a decline of about 20% in support for legal immigration in public opinion surveys. That is why I think we have to protect public confidence in our system. We therefore have to take action, and that is what we have done in Bill C-49.