Thank you, Mr. Chair, and members of the committee. My name is Caitlin Imrie, and I'm director general for the transition office at CIC.
Thank you for the invitation to speak to you today about Bill C-4, A second act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 21, 2013 and other measures, specifically part 3, division 4, related to passports. Following my opening remarks, my colleague Maia Welbourne, Senior Director, Strategic Policy and Planning, will speak to part 3, division 16, related to the expression of interest system.
My remarks outline the technical amendments for the transfer in responsibility for Passport Canada from Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada to Citizenship and Immigration Canada, which came into effect July 2, 2013.
There are two clauses in division 4 that relate to passports: clause 174 and clause 175. Both of these provisions are technical amendments that reflect the transition. The decision to transfer these responsibilities was the result of analysis that showed the passport program was better aligned with the mandate of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, given that citizenship is at the core of the passport program.
As part of the transfer in responsibilities, Employment and Social Development Canada now provides in Canada delivery of passport services, while the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development continues to provide service delivery overseas.
Changes to the legislation that are included in the budget implementation act include updates to provisions of the Criminal Code and the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act which reflect the transfer in responsibility between departments. The Criminal Code will be amended to link it to the interpretation section of the Canada passport order which now defines passports as documents issued by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
The Department of Foreign Affairs Trade and Development Act will also be updated to reflect the fact that travel documents are now issued by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.
I will now turn the floor over to my colleague Maia Welbourne, who will speak to the clauses in division 16 on the expression of interest system.