Evidence of meeting #35 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 pool.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
Thank you.
I know you're doing a good job, Mr. Shory, but the time's up.
Mr. Aspin.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
Jay Aspin Conservative Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON
Thank you, Chair.
Welcome to our guests this afternoon.
The supplementary estimates include a transfer of $234,000 from Shared Services Canada to Citizenship and Immigration for cyber-authentication. Can you explain this cyber-authentication and how the money from Shared Services is to be used by CIC for these purposes?
4:20 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Cyber-authentication, Mr. Chair, is a unique electronic credential that includes a user name and a password. It allows individuals to communicate securely with online government services with the Government of Canada, and it's done through something called GCKey, which is a Government of Canada managed service that issues these credentials. That activity is in fact managed by Shared Services Canada as a centralized function for the Government of Canada.
When Shared Services Canada was created to do this as a horizontal initiative across the Government of Canada, resources were transferred to Shared Services Canada to cover the range of services that Shared Services would be providing to government departments. This transfer really reflects an adjustment as we refine the resources in terms of the actual expenditures required for cyber-authentication. It really just reflects an adjustment to previous transfers with Shared Services Canada for the provision of this service.
This is really all about Canadians being able to communicate in a secure manner with the Government of Canada in terms of access to services and benefits.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
Jay Aspin Conservative Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON
Okay. Thank you.
The supplementary estimates also include a transfer of $271,850 from CIC to Canadian Heritage for a monument to victims of communism. What is CIC's role in this particular project?
4:20 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Chair, CIC is a partner in an initiative for a monument that is to be unveiled in the summer of 2015. The lead for this particular initiative is the Department of Canadian Heritage. Our department is transferring resources under our multiculturalism program to help with the design and the building of this monument.
The memorial will commemorate victims of communism, with the intention of teaching future generations about the circumstances that many individuals suffered under communist regimes.
The monument is going to be located on Confederation Boulevard in Ottawa between Library and Archives Canada and the Supreme Court of Canada.
We are a funding partner. Certainly the funding is consistent with the terms and conditions of the multiculturalism program, and certainly the most appropriate vehicles for building a monument of this type are Public Works and Canadian Heritage. We are participating in the development of that monument. What's reflected in the supplementary estimates is the transfer of our resources to be able to complete the design and building of the new monument.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
4:20 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
My understanding is that it is.
As I say, the intention is that this monument will be unveiled in late summer 2015. I understand that the design work has been progressing, and, to the best of my information, things are on track.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Tilson
Thank you.
You have an extra minute if you want to say a few words.
4:20 p.m.
Conservative
Jay Aspin Conservative Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON
This is really a one-time project in which you're a partner and you don't envision ongoing costs or any ongoing associated expenses?
4:20 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Certainly the transfer is a one-time transfer towards the overall design and build of the monument.
We certainly aren't aware that there are any cost overruns associated with this, nor is there an obligation on the part of our department in terms of any additional funding for this purpose. Our understanding is that at this point in time, the funds that have been identified overall are sufficient to meet the purposes for the design and build.
4:20 p.m.
NDP
Rathika Sitsabaiesan NDP Scarborough—Rouge River, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to our officials for being here again. You're becoming quite the regulars here.
My first question is going to be about debt writeoff for immigration loans. I know that more than $1.1 million is being put towards debt writeoff. I'm wondering who qualifies to have their debts written off and how, if it's not already predetermined, an individual can apply to be part of the debt reduction?
4:25 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
As I indicated in my opening comments, our department has a long-standing immigration loans program for refugees who've come to Canada with few personal financial resources. In many respects, they've had to access funds either for the costs of medical examinations for coming to Canada or to cover their travel costs.
There are terms that are worked out—
4:25 p.m.
NDP
Rathika Sitsabaiesan NDP Scarborough—Rouge River, ON
Pardon me, Ms. Biguzs, but I'm going to interrupt you there.
So the answer to my question is that people who have been accepted as refugees are the ones who qualify for this.
4:25 p.m.
NDP
Rathika Sitsabaiesan NDP Scarborough—Rouge River, ON
Okay. Thank you.
If someone in my constituency came to this country as an asylum seeker and has now become accepted as a refugee, can they apply for loan forgiveness or debt reduction? How does that work?
4:25 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
The program applies only to resettled refugees—refugees who are overseas and who are approved as refugees and authorized to resettle in Canada.
4:25 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
For the most part, the expenses that they have incurred are for their travel to get here or for their medical expenses, so it's their initial one-time cost when they first arrive in the country.
4:25 p.m.
NDP
Rathika Sitsabaiesan NDP Scarborough—Rouge River, ON
Thank you.
The reason I ask is that there is a constituent of mine who is dealing with that right now, and I wanted to know if I could help that person.
Another issue that comes up consistently is inland spousal sponsorship. I didn't see in the estimates any appropriation of funds to support inland spousal sponsorship and to reduce the delays.
Do I have a few minutes, Mr. Chair?