Citizenship and Immigration Committee on Nov. 22nd, 2018

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Yes.

[Michele Klein Solomon]

There is no requirement for Canada to make any changes as a result of the global compact on migration—none. There is no requirement.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Fair enough, but you just said there would be areas where you would like to see change, based on the agreement, and there are certain principles that Canada doesn't implement right now, so would the United Nations then perhaps...?

We often have rapporteurs write reports about Canadian policy. Would that be something that you would envision happening, UN pressure on Canada to change policy in the future if it wasn't in alignment with the definition of the UN on this issue?

[Michele Klein Solomon]

I'll speak only to the global compact for migration, not to the global compact for refugees. In the migration context, the expectation is that there will be a review forum once every four years, but that the kind of review will be determined by the member states, so it would be—

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

In the review forum, Canada's policies would then be subject to review and scrutiny—

[Michele Klein Solomon]

No, in fact—

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

—in the typical UN rapporteur process that we all know and love.

[Michele Klein Solomon]

No, it's not a rapporteur process at all. There's no new special rapporteur that's foreseen with respect to this compact, and in fact right now there is not a rapporteur but a special representative for international migration appointed by the Secretary General and—

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

So it's not binding and there's no requirement to implement it by anybody at all, and there's really no process. You're saying the UN wouldn't push anyone to do it. Then why did we spend a lot of money doing it?

[Michele Klein Solomon]

I was going to say to you that the review process is meant to be completely voluntary by states deciding what they would like to share with each other in terms of practices and learn from one another, and identifying what works and what doesn't work, and it's—

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

I've sat here with the UNHCR and I've asked for reviews on selections of IDP and how Yazidis weren't referred to Canada as part of the Syrian refugee initiative, and I heard that, no, we don't need any change, it's fine, everything's great, but yet the UN has spent a lot of time, and ostensibly money, putting together an agreement that you say doesn't really require anyone to do anything.

[Michele Klein Solomon]

The decision that these compacts are non-binding were decisions taken by member states. In September 2016, in the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, which was taken by the General Assembly, all member states of the UN said that they wanted to create non-legally binding compacts. That was a member state decision.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

I'll ask you one question. In the compact it says member states should educate media professionals on migration-related issues and terminology and invest in reporting standards. What would those standards be?

[Michele Klein Solomon]

That will be up to each country and the news media.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

What would you say?

[Michele Klein Solomon]

Do you mean about reporting standards, media standards? It's fair and accurate reporting.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

But what does that mean? In the UN's bailiwick, what would that look like? If we were reviewing it, what would be a big check box on that?

[Michele Klein Solomon]

It would be actual statistics, data, tracking of trends, tracking of labour market—

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

It's the terminology. I'm just wondering if it would be like checking an X in a box.

[Michele Klein Solomon]

No, every context is different. Each state has a different definition. Each state has a different set of reporting and statistical databases. There is an international definition of a refugee—

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Some countries would be able to report on some stuff and other countries would not be able to report on stuff.

[Michele Klein Solomon]

It will be up to each country to decide how it reports. That provision you were talking about is designed to encourage more evidence-based discourse and evidence-based policy.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

What's the lack in discourse right now?

[Michele Klein Solomon]

Oftentimes there are assumptions or myths about migration or about refugees.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Like what?