I want to thank the minister for the history lesson to show that both the Conservatives and the Liberals really went out to delete the files of people who not only applied to come here but played by our rules, the rules we made, and we not only deleted their files but we did shatter many people's dreams and aspirations.
But moving on, Minister, as you and I are both keenly aware, Maricon Gerente became a Canadian permanent resident this past Tuesday.
For the benefit of the committee, I will give a brief synopsis. Ms. Gerente was granted permanent residency while comatose in a hospital bed in Oakville. She is brain dead and will die soon. Only life support is maintaining her. In lieu of a signature, officials went to the hospital and took a fingerprint, and I want to recognize those officials.
Ms. Gerente came to Canada in 2008 through the live-in caregiver program. She applied for permanent resident status in 2011.
Minister, Ms. Gerente's dream was cut short. She dreamt of becoming a permanent resident so she could give her daughters the opportunity for a life in Canada. Now she has been granted permanent residency within hours of her death. This will not help her daughters because, just hours old, the permanent residency will die with her.
Minister, the wait times are long—in this case, tragically long—and we know the program as it currently stands needs improvement. Even you have said as much, even in your opening statement today.
What are your plans to improve the live-in caregiver program—namely, to curb the abuse we know some nannies are encountering; to process permanent residency applications more quickly, and preferably not on someone's deathbed; and to prioritize family reunification?