Evidence of meeting #113 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 42nd Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was funding.
A video is available from Parliament.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Thank you very much.
It is inappropriate, I believe, Mr. Chair, for committee members to mislead the committee. At no time did I make any assertions about asylum seekers being illegal. At no time did I make any assertions about asylum seekers in any way skirting the security measures. I have always and consistently said that they follow exactly the rules as under Canadian law and that in fact they are not illegals. I would ask the member to withdraw that comment, wherein he referenced me.
Liberal
Liberal
Gary Anandasangaree Liberal Scarborough—Rouge Park, ON
Assertions are made, Minister, with respect to those who come to Canada, whether as visitors, as refugees, as immigrants. They cast aspersions on them and sometimes on their whole community and whole group of people.
Can the minister advise us how dangerous it is for us to be making those claims and generalizing, just based on one two incidents; how it affects our reputation, how it affects the ability of individuals from particular communities to live in this country equally and without indignity, without being chastised?
Liberal
Conservative
David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
The comments that have been made, certainly by the Conservatives, and I expect by the New Democratic Party as well, have been made about those individuals who have crossed into Canada illegally, and the minister has acknowledged that those people are crossing illegally.
My colleague on the Liberal side is indicating we're casting aspersions on all those who were seeking asylum. He can't just make stuff up, and that's what he's been doing.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Rob Oliphant
Thank you, Mr. Tilson. I believe you're now engaging in debate. You may disagree with the member opposite. However, I would ask the member to continue. A vein of questioning would be helpful, I think, for the committee, as opposed to—
Liberal
Gary Anandasangaree Liberal Scarborough—Rouge Park, ON
Mr. Chair, I've asked a question. I'd like to get a response from the minister, please.
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
The first priority we have as a government is the safety and security of Canadians. That will never be compromised. Second, as a government we are proud to continue to meet our international obligations when it comes to asylum seekers, to make sure that those who claim asylum are given due process. They're given access to a fair hearing in front of the Immigration and Refugee Board. Anyone who presents a risk to our country is detained and is not released into our community.
However, it's very dangerous to generalize and cast aspersions and smear an entire community, which is why, for example, in my travel to Nigeria as well as my engagements in Canada, I've made it very clear that the vast majority of people who come to this country come regularly. For example, Nigerian nationals form a large percentage of the successful applicants under express entry. They form a big percentage of those who enter through the provincial nominee program, international students, 6% growth in tourism, so again, we can't let the good work of—
Liberal
Conservative
Larry Maguire Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'll make the point that my colleague was making. We have legally set-up border crossings in Canada, and we have points between them where there are no personnel. Once a person comes into Canada they are allowed to fill out forms for asylum in our country, but when they cross the border between those points, according to the safe third country agreement that we have, they cross illegally.
I'm wondering if the government can tell me now how many removal orders they've issued since the beginning of 2017 for these asylum seekers who have entered our country. Can they give us the number of illegal entrants?
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
Mr. Chair, I would encourage the honourable member to follow up that question with the Ministry of Public Safety, which is responsible for removals.
Conservative
Larry Maguire Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB
Mr. Chair, can the minister table the number of Romanian asylum seekers since December 1, 2017, broken down by age and gender?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic and Program Policy, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
We can do that, Mr. Chair.
Conservative
Larry Maguire Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB
Can you make that available to the committee?
Mr. Chair, given the question I've just asked, I know the Minister of Immigration is working closely with the public safety minister. Has Public Safety never told him how many of these people have entered our country illegally, and how many removal orders they have had?
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
The issue of removals comes under the responsibility of Public Safety.
Conservative
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
The Minister of Public Safety was here on Tuesday testifying before this committee, and he offered to provide that information to the committee.
Conservative
Conservative
Larry Maguire Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB
Mr. Chair, in his opening remarks the minister went on about the costs of different programs. I'm wondering if there's any other way to process the illegal border crossers in a more timely way, other than just hiring more people and costing more money.