Citizenship and Immigration Committee on March 22nd, 2018

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

You may not be able to respond to this either, but we'll try you out. The minister pointed out that in the budget there's $70 million of additional funding. Given the subject matter we're studying, what areas should these monies be put to, in your opinion? Obviously one is vacancies, but is there anything else?

[The Chair, Liberal, Rob Oliphant]

Be very brief.

[Chantal Desloges]

I would say a better training and appointment process.

[Raoul Boulakia]

Also, you can't only fill a vacancy at the board with a board member. You also have to have the support, because one of the problems the board has complained of is that sometimes you get funding to hire a member, but that member needs an office. You need actual support for that member.

[The Chair, Liberal, Rob Oliphant]

Thank you very much.

Ms. Kwan, you have seven minutes.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

To start off, would you agree that on the whole the IRB is doing a good job, that it's actually a good system that we have in place?

I'd like a quick answer from all three of our witnesses.

[Raoul Boulakia]

Yes, I do agree. I do think that the one outlier would be the immigration division and the problem of perpetual detention, but I do think that overall the board is doing a good job and that there has been an improvement in professionalism.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Ms. Desloges, would you comment?

[Chantal Desloges]

I agree 100%.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

On teleconference, Mr. Khan, what is your opinion?

[Bashir Khan]

I'm sorry; I didn't hear your question.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

It was just a quick question to see whether or not you would agree that overall the IRB is doing a good job, notwithstanding there are some issues that can be improved upon.

[Bashir Khan]

Absolutely, it is.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Thank you. Is it fair to say, then, that the government should not do away with the IRB?

[Raoul Boulakia]

Definitely not; I think that would be a completely backward step. It would be completely detrimental to having a proper system.

[Chantal Desloges]

I agree with my friend.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Khan, can I just get you quickly on the record on that question?

[Bashir Khan]

The IRB is a great institution, and it's one of the things that makes Canada great in the world.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Thank you.

Now I'd like to turn to the complaints process.

On the issue around complete independence, we've heard from the previous panel that it is lacking even in the new process that has been put in place. Even though the consultation process with the stakeholders recommended that they become completely at arm's length, that is not what the IRB has chosen to do. Would you say that this is the number one issue with respect to the complaints process that needs to be rectified?

Again, I'll just go through the rounds with folks.

[Raoul Boulakia]

Yes, that's exactly what all the speakers have put forward.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Ms. Desloges, what would you say?

[Chantal Desloges]

I defer to my friend on that.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Okay.

Mr. Khan, would you comment?

[Bashir Khan]

I have no comment on the complaints process, as I've never had dealings with it.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

I see. You've never dealt with it. Fair enough.

Now I'd like to get into the issue around the process we have in place right now—the old one and the existing one—whereby a complaint has been made and if the board member is no longer with the IRB, for whatever reason, the IRB's process is that it would just simply close the file and say that the complaint is dealt with.

Would you say that is a fair approach in dealing with complaints, or should the IRB institute a process to ensure that the completion of the complaint is carried through?