Evidence of meeting #39 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 applications.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:25 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Once it approves them, it sends them to us.
4:25 p.m.
Director General, International Region, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
That is not our rule. Quebec is the one that chose the cut-off date.
4:25 p.m.
Liberal
Justin Trudeau Liberal Papineau, QC
Yes, it imposed a cut-off date. As far as we are concerned, the special measures program ended on September 1, but that is not the case for applications already approved and forwarded to you by the Government of Quebec.
4:25 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Precisely.
4:25 p.m.
Liberal
Justin Trudeau Liberal Papineau, QC
I received some figures from the Quebec government. Nearly 3,000 selection certificates had been approved as of December 3. You said that 464 visas had been approved as of November 26. Do you expect to receive 2,500 more applications? Does the system have the capacity to deal with that?
4:25 p.m.
Director General, International Region, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Yes. When Quebec issues a QSC.... The figures vary slightly, give or take a few hundred applications, because we do not have the same cut-off date. Out of the 2,700 selection certificates that were issued, we have received just 1,600. When Quebec issues a QSC, it is sent to the applicant. The applicant may then wait a few days, a few weeks or a few months before filing their application with us. So there is a delay, the 75 days we mentioned.
4:25 p.m.
Liberal
Justin Trudeau Liberal Papineau, QC
Why the delay? Does it take a lot of money to file an application? Does the person have to meet certain requirements within that 75-day period or go to the embassy in Haiti?
4:25 p.m.
Director General, International Region, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
No, that happens before the person applies. So they receive approval from Quebec. If the person is approved on September 1, the QSC is sent to them, and they get it on the 8 or whenever. Then the person can fill out the form—the same immigration form that every other candidate has to fill out—and send it to our office in Ottawa. Why does it take people an average of 75 days to do that? I could not say. It has nothing to do with any special requirements being imposed on them.
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
Thank you.
That's it, Mr. Trudeau.
The chair needs help from the committee on two items. If we wish the speaking notes of Madame Deschênes to appear in today's record, I need a motion.
Monsieur St-Cyr so moves.
(Motion agreed to)
If we are to sit past 4:30 I need a majority of committee members to agree. Do I have a motion to sit past 4:30?
4:25 p.m.
Liberal
Justin Trudeau Liberal Papineau, QC
Can we discuss that for a second? I have another five-minute round and would like to get a few questions in, but it depends what people....
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
There appears to be majority support.
Are you okay to sit for another 15 minutes, Mr. Gilbert?
4:30 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Yes.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
I should have asked you first. I also apologize for not introducing you, but you seem to be part of the committee, so I don't introduce you any more.
There seems to be majority support to sit past 4:30 until 4:45.
Finally I'd like to remind members that in the new year the committee will sit on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:45 to 10:45, so you'll have to get up early.
Yes, that's in the morning, Mr. Dykstra.
December 15th, 2010 / 4:30 p.m.
Conservative
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
The first Tuesday there will be no meeting. I'm going to suggest that the subcommittee meet at a time to be determined by the chair on the Tuesday to make suggestions on what's next.
Mr. Trudeau, you have....
Okay.
4:30 p.m.
Bloc
Thierry St-Cyr Bloc Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
I want to pick up on the point raised by Mr. Trudeau earlier. If I understand correctly, as soon as the person receives the QSC, they can apply that same day, if they wish. It is the person who decides to wait for whatever reason.
4:30 p.m.
Director General, International Region, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Precisely.
4:30 p.m.
Bloc
Thierry St-Cyr Bloc Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
Okay. We talked about the program in Quebec, which had an expanded family reunification program, broader in scope than that covered by the current definition. According to what you said, that program worked well overall; Quebec did a good job of administering it?
4:30 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
The applications that were approved by Quebec seem—
4:30 p.m.
Bloc
Thierry St-Cyr Bloc Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
I appreciate that you cannot make any political comments. The Bloc Québécois has long been calling for family reunification to be handed over to the Quebec government, such as first-level immigration decisions. That is a political issue, so it is not for you to comment on. But just answer me this: from a capacity and operations standpoint, based on the experience so far, are you aware of any specific issues with Quebec's handling of cases or dealings with the federal government?
4:30 p.m.
Director General, International Region, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Perhaps I should clarify that Quebec's cases are not considered family reunification cases, so the federal government does not verify whether the person is a family member.
