Evidence of meeting #22 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was information.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:50 p.m.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
On behalf of the official opposition, I would also like to thank each one of you and your departments for the vital services you provide in helping to keep our immigration and security system functioning well.
Where I want to sort of probe is not in the things you're doing well, because I think that's good; I want to probe where we may be able to make improvements.
There was quite a comprehensive and I think somewhat critical report by the Auditor General that came out this fall. The Auditor General's report found what he called “disturbing weaknesses” in the way Canada's border and immigration officials issue visas. He noted that CBSA analysts in particular, in his view, were not getting the training they needed. He found that their work was rarely reviewed, in his view, and that he could find no evidence that mandatory checks were completed.
I wanted to give you a chance to respond, particularly you, Mr. Venner. I think you're from CBSA....
No, that's Mr. Leckey. Let us know what your response is to those points by the Auditor General.
3:50 p.m.
Director General, Intelligence and Targeting Operations, Canada Border Services Agency
Yes.
Thank you for that question, Mr. Davies.
We've prepared a comprehensive response to the recommendations coming out of the OAG's “Issuing Visas” report. There were four recommendations that touched on CBSA. The first one was that we should complete and update reference information that should be provided to visa officers in a timely manner. Coming out of that recommendation, there were three deliverables on the part of CBSA, and I can go through those in detail if you'd like, but I think the headline here is that we're on track to deliver on all those deliverables by the target date.
That first recommendation dealt with supports to visa officers overseas, making them better and more efficient at their job, and in particular at selecting the right people to refer for closer examination by CBSA and my colleagues.
The second recommendation was that CBSA should ensure that all information that can be obtained from security partners is relevant and is provided in advice to CIC. Essentially, that is about making CBSA, and how we do our work, more efficient.
Coming out of that were four deliverables. One of those has been completed and the other three are on track.
3:55 p.m.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Can I maybe just ask if a detailed action plan to implement those recommendations has been prepared? It sounds as if it has.
3:55 p.m.
Director General, Intelligence and Targeting Operations, Canada Border Services Agency
It has.
3:55 p.m.
NDP
3:55 p.m.
Director General, Intelligence and Targeting Operations, Canada Border Services Agency
Yes, absolutely.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
3:55 p.m.
Director General, Intelligence and Targeting Operations, Canada Border Services Agency
I will do that.
3:55 p.m.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Another item of concern, according to the Auditor General, was a lack of consistency in initial detention decisions. It was identified as a problem in reports of the Auditor General in 2003, when it was CIC's responsibility, but that concern was also re-expressed in 2008.
Can any of you give us any testimony as to whether or not that consistency has been addressed?
3:55 p.m.
Director General, Intelligence and Targeting Operations, Canada Border Services Agency
I'm sorry, that was a lack of consistency in initial...?
3:55 p.m.
Director General, Intelligence and Targeting Operations, Canada Border Services Agency
That's not my particular area of expertise. One of my colleagues was here on Tuesday, Mr. Peter Hill, and that was his area of expertise.
I'll just respond on his behalf by saying that I can't specifically address what's been done since 2003, but I'm confident that appropriate measures have been taken.
3:55 p.m.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Mr. Leckey, is the initial detention decision a CBSA decision? Would a CBSA officer make that decision?
3:55 p.m.
Director General, Intelligence and Targeting Operations, Canada Border Services Agency
Yes. It's initially a CBSA officer's decision. It's reviewed, as you know, by the IRB within 48 hours, within seven days, and then every 30 days after that.
3:55 p.m.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Okay. Would you be in a position at all to give us any kind of feedback on whether or not you think the initial detention decision process is working well?
3:55 p.m.
Director General, Intelligence and Targeting Operations, Canada Border Services Agency
I'd prefer not to venture outside my own particular area of expertise.
3:55 p.m.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Fair enough.
I want to just turn for a moment to biometrics. I will express some dismay. This committee decided to study security issues in the immigration system, and one of the specific items we wanted to discuss was biometrics. We commenced this study two days ago and are going to continue for the next eight meetings or so. Today, the government came down with a bill that already has committed to a biometrics program, which I think is regrettable, because I don't know how our committee is going to give meaningful impact at this point to a decision that's already been made. But I may as well ask you about biometrics.
The Privacy Commissioner has stated that biometrics can be used in at least two ways. One is to verify someone's information, their identity, to make sure that they are who they say they are, and the other way is to match that person's identity with entries in a database. The Privacy Commissioner has indicated that she much prefers the collection of fingerprints to be used for identity verification, not for comparison to a general database. It's my understanding that the biometrics program announced by the government is going to do exactly that: it will collect people's fingerprints and then match them to a database.
I'd like you to confirm that is the case, and, if so, tell us if you have any concerns about privacy in that regard.
3:55 p.m.
Assistant Commissioner, Federal and International Operations, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
From an RCMP perspective, I can say that I believe that was tabled this morning, and I'm not quite familiar.... I'd have do a little bit more research, I think, to give you a thoughtful answer. I wouldn't be able to venture into that area at this particular time.
3:55 p.m.
NDP
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Fair enough.
I have one last question.
On Tuesday, one of the assistant deputy ministers said that the biometrics program would be rolled out first with respect to certain nationalities, but was unable to tell us which nationalities have been identified.
Do any of you know which nationalities are going to be identified for the initial fingerprinting and biometrics program?
3:55 p.m.
Director General, Intelligence and Targeting Operations, Canada Border Services Agency
I don't think any of us are aware of whether that decision has been made, but that would be a decision for Citizenship and Immigration.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
Let me make it unanimous by saying that whether you're Liberal, Conservative, or New Democrat, we do think you do a wonderful job and we appreciate your efforts.
Having said that, biometrics is, generally speaking, a live picture and fingerprints. Is there anything else you would think would be beneficial to incorporate into the discussion that goes beyond that, in terms of biometrics?
4 p.m.
Director General, Intelligence and Targeting Operations, Canada Border Services Agency
The other possible biometric that has been proven to be reliable is retina scans. Of course, they're already being used in, for example, CBSA's NEXUS program, which speeds up or facilitates the crossing of the border. I'm not aware of whether retina scans were ever considered by CIC in setting up their biometrics program, or, if so, for what reason they might have been rejected.
