Citizenship and Immigration Committee on March 19th, 2018

[Mike MacDonald]

We don't specifically track, but because of our desire to have a better understanding of the movement of individuals in this, as we develop operational responses—as well as to enhance our federal-provincial-territorial relations—we started to look at what's called secondary migration. It also depends on the nationality. What we found is, by and large, the Haitian individuals who were coming across were in fact staying in the Montreal area. However, other populations, Nigerians for example, are taking secondary migration.

In addition, there is one number that we do know for sure. We've been following those individuals who came into Quebec, into Montreal, regardless of nationality, and who have indicated to us that they'd like their eligibility decision in another province. That's a form of secondary migration. That number stood at 1,023 individuals who purposely moved out of Quebec and told us about it, and we were then able to process them in another location at one of our offices.

[The Chair, Liberal, Rob Oliphant]

Thank you.

Mr. Kmiec, you have five minutes.

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

The estimates have $300,000 for Citizenship and Immigration to fund a strategy to prevent and address gender-based violence, and that's in combination with different departments. What's that money being spent on?

[Paul MacKinnon]

That's part of a broader strategy led by Status of Women. We're getting $300,000 this year—a total of $1.5 million over five years—primarily targeted at settlement interventions for women across the country. We're talking about gender-based violence supports that exist. That's generally where the money's going.

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

Is it going toward existing programs or policies?

[Paul MacKinnon]

Do you want to jump in on the specifics, David?

[David Manicom]

Yes, there are existing ones being expanded and new ones being developed. We spend far more than $300,000 a year in our settlement programming on programs to help newcomer women who find themselves in situations of gender-based violence. This is an additional amount of money that will enable us to grow some of our programs. We have a number of them across the country—

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

Pardon me, but I'm reading it here. It has, “Funding for a strategy”, not “strategies”, and not to go fund currently existing programs. That's the way I read it.

Will any of it include condemnation of female genital mutilation, in any of the material provided to outside parties?

[David Manicom]

This program is to help women who find themselves in situations of gender-based violence. The programming is generally outreach support for women who find themselves in such situations. It's not in the business of condemning; it's in the business of providing support to women who are subject to gender-based violence.

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

It's not for a strategy, then; it's for support programs.

[David Manicom]

I'm not sure I follow your question, sir.

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

Was $300,000, as part of a mix that different departments are getting—

[David Manicom]

Right, and our portion in that is to provide support to newcomer women who find themselves in situations of gender-based violence, to provide them with access to the community supports they need. That's our role in that broader program.

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

That's your department's role in that, okay.

Just to change pace, then, your department is going through a review of the citizenship guide, redrafting it, rewriting it. When is that going to be complete? How much has it cost, to date, to do that?

[Paul MacKinnon]

In terms of completion, we're doing consultations now, including with parliamentarians, and meeting with a number of community groups and experts across the country. In the next number of months we'd be in a position to come out with the new citizenship guide.

In terms of cost, we have a small amount for contracting. I'm happy to share that with the committee. I don't have it in front of me, but it's a fairly insignificant amount, mostly for contracting services associated with the writing. We can come back to the committee on that.

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

Do you mean contracting for the writing, or contracting for the images to be used in the guide for the production of it, or...?

[Paul MacKinnon]

Yes, I should come back with specifics and I'll be happy to do that, to break out exactly where that money is going.

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

And you'll provide it to the chair and to the clerk?

[Paul MacKinnon]

I will.

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

Will any of that material have the condemnation of female genital mutilation?

[Paul MacKinnon]

Our minister has commented that the guide will have that term in it. It's yet to be seen exactly how that will be written, but he has stated that the guide will reference—

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

It will have the term, it will have a condemnation of the act?

[Paul MacKinnon]

I would need to look at exactly what the minister said, but he did state that it's certainly not going to be pro female genital mutilation when it comes out. We're still finalizing the guide, but it will be there.

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

Is the cost to rewrite, the consultation, and the production of this guide being done with the current funding from the department?

[Paul MacKinnon]

Yes.