Sorry, we've heard actually from other witnesses as well that the lucrative benefits here in Canada, for health care and welfare, are really a draw factor for many people to come here and abuse the system. We're not quite sure of the exact number of weeks it takes someone to actually start receiving cheques, but I can tell you that on average it takes 20 months for someone who comes here as a refugee claimant to have their first hearing at the IRB. So 20 months is just shy of two years. Yes, we want to make sure that the people who are legitimate refugees receive our assistance, and this bill seeks to address that because it's going to be done with a much quicker method, in a much more timely fashion.
But at the same time, we want to make sure those who are simply coming here to collect the benefits, and in some cases.... For example 95% of the claimants from the European Union, amounting to some 25% of the people who actually come here as refugees, actually abandon their claims or withdraw them. So for an average of two years, they're eligible for benefits and I think that is absolutely unacceptable here in Canada.
On behalf of the Canadian taxpayer and myself as a government member of Parliament, I thank you for coming to this committee to bring light to this. I really do appreciate it.
Now speaking of welfare, obviously it's a provincial jurisdiction. Do you think that provincial governments have a role to play to make sure that we're helping to deter bogus refugee claimants from receiving welfare? Obviously we need to help people when they arrive, but do you think that there's anything the provincial government can do to benefit taxpayers? We are footing the bill after all.