Evidence of meeting #20 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was residence.
A video is available from Parliament.
NDP
NDP
The Vice-Chair NDP Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe
Thank you, Mr. Harris. You can continue posing your questions to the witnesses.
NDP
Dan Harris NDP Scarborough Southwest, ON
Ms. Madawa, many people coming from Afghanistan have to be processed through immigration offices that have horrendous wait times. Islamabad often can be 40 months or more. Do you think any of those offices, based on what Mr. Shory said, might have any resources to provide people with the information beforehand, considering how long it takes them just to approve immigration applications?
Director, Maison Afghane-Canadienne (MAFCAN)
Through the Afghan community, I haven't heard of any cases where any information sessions were provided in the embassies. I don't think I have heard of anyone who attended an integration course or anything like that.
NDP
Dan Harris NDP Scarborough Southwest, ON
So they might only have recourse on this side. Again that's only if they know about services like the ones you provide, or in Richmond Hill like the ones that Ms. Herenda provides, or in my community, Dr. Roz's Healing Place or AccessPoint on Danforth, which are all providing immigration and settlement services and giving immigrants a place to come and join together and share each other's stories and learn about what's going on in their communities. What would be the single greatest thing that you think would help your community in addressing these issues of violence?
Director, Maison Afghane-Canadienne (MAFCAN)
As I mentioned earlier, a mandatory integration course, whether it happens pre- or post-immigration. They come out of isolation and they learn about their rights. Language classes should be mandatory as well, and they might be made aware of their employment opportunities and employment skills here in Canada.
NDP
Dan Harris NDP Scarborough Southwest, ON
Ms. Herenda, I have the same question for you. What would be the single greatest thing that would help you in servicing your community?
Executive Director, Yellow Brick House
In addition to having access to an orientation about their rights in Canada and the rights of their children and the fact that they have a right to lead a violence-free life, I think we also need to provide information in case they do have to leave that relationship down the line in six months or so. If they decide, “Okay, this is the way I have to go”, they need to know where to go. It has to be culturally appropriate, and it has to be accessible to them.
Giving a woman a phone number to a crisis line is not going to fill the bill in this case, because a new immigrant woman is likely not going to be making that call. So we have to be available and accessible to her.
NDP
Jasbir Sandhu NDP Surrey North, BC
Mr. Waldman, I have the same question for you, if you'd like to answer that yourself.
Barrister and Solicitor, Lorne Waldman & Associates, As an Individual
I agree with everything the co-witnesses have said. Access to information is vital. Women are extremely vulnerable, especially when they come from certain societies where they're in a position of complete dependence, and ensuring they get access to the information from my—
NDP
The Vice-Chair NDP Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe
I'm sorry, Mr. Waldman, I will have to interrupt you.
The bells are calling members to the House of Commons for votes, so I will have to put an end to our meeting.
Thank you very much to all of you for appearing in front of this committee and getting involved in this very important study.
I declare the meeting adjourned.