Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I'd like to address a number of different points. On the issue of terminology, first off, I do think that both of my colleagues, Ms. Rempel and Mr. Tilson, are correct in what they have read into the record. I remember that meeting like it was yesterday, because I was genuinely upset at the fact that the minister capitulated and said on the public record that the use of the word “illegal” was the same as the word “irregular” to describe asylum seekers. I called on the minister to correct that terminology, to retract his misuse of the word “illegal” in this context. In fact, when we were dealing with the budget debate in the House of Commons, I subsequently raised that issue with the minister again. He ignored it and did not answer the question, but I did note that his terminology did change and he used the word “irregular” and has not used the word “illegal” since then.
I also note that in question period in the House of Commons, the Prime Minister himself used the word “illegal” to describe asylum seekers. I was very upset about that as well and rose on a point of order after question question to call on the Prime Minister to retract his use of that word and to apologize for it, which of course he didn't do.
When the government itself uses the wrong terminology, it does not help the situation because it allows people to talk about this very important issue as if it were somehow just about semantics. It's not just about semantics; these words have real meanings, and it is very different to call somebody “illegal” versus somebody who is doing something “irregular”.
I think we all know that. I am not an expert on the English language, by any stretch of the imagination. I am an ESL student, but I know the difference between “illegal” and “irregular”. It was inappropriate for the government to make that statement, both by the minister and the Prime Minister, and now we are caught in this situation. I do hope they will find the time to state very clearly on the public record a retraction of the use of these words so we can get on with the situation and deal with the matter.
I also heard Mr. Tilson say as well—and he is right—that there are a lot of people across the globe who are in need of resettlement support because they have been displaced for a whole variety of reasons. He is absolutely correct to say that.
However, let us not conflate the different streams of settlement and resettlement. The refugees who come under the stream of the government assisted program are entirely different from the stream of inland refugees. The levels plan actually indicates that. Inland refugees, who under the levels plan are called the protected persons in Canada and dependents abroad class, are in a different stream. Accepting more people under that stream does not take away from the stream of government assisted refugees, or the privately sponsored refugees for that matter. They are different streams, and I wish people would not conflate these different avenues for accessing resettlement support here in Canada, because when you do, you are creating confusion, misrepresentation, and fear in the hearts and minds of people, as though somehow one group of people is queue jumping over another, taking advantage of someone else when in fact that is not the case. That is not how Canada's immigration system is set up.
On the issue of the proposed amendment, I think it is important to look at the impact, absolutely. I also think it is important that when you look at the impact, you also look at the response to that impact.
If it is not generally accepted that the intent behind this motion—and perhaps I can get clarification from Gary on this—is to look at the government's response to the impact, then I do think we need to add those words in and, I would say, add, after “impact”, the words “and the government's response”, so that we can be clear. When you look at the impact, you are looking at the response as well. How else can you look at the impact if you don't look at the response?
Perhaps, just to be clear, in moving forward in an effort to address the concerns that Ms. Rempel has, that somehow this is meant to sidestep looking at the response, we can actually put those words in there. I would perhaps move this as a friendly amendment to this amendment to the motion, by adding “and the government's response” and the word “impact”.