Citizenship and Immigration Committee on Nov. 27th, 2018

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

Thank you, Chair.

To any young women who might be listening, I would just like to say that one should never have to apologize for being exceptionally good at their job. Thank you.

Ms. Morgan, with regard to resources used to support inquiries coming in from members of Parliament or members of the public, would you be able to table with the committee the number of times that the minister has used his authority under subsection 24(3) of IRPA, or any other intervention, based on requests made by Raj Grewal, his constituency staff, Jagdeep Mann, any employees or associates of Jagdeep Mann Immigration Consulting, or Mr. Yusuf Yenilmez?

[Marta Morgan]

We have a number of ways in which the minister and MPs are able to seek information on individual cases. We have an MP line through which MPs may call and ask the department for information on particular cases that are brought to them by their constituents, and we provide information through that line. Often, when MPs call, they have information about a number of cases. We also brief MPs in order to give them information about the immigration system and issues that may arise, as we know that they receive many of these types of questions in their constituencies—

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

Thank you, Ms. Morgan. I asked a very blunt question: yes or no? Would you be able to table with the committee the information I just requested?

[Marta Morgan]

When we get requests through our MP line, we do not track which MPs are asking for requests, and when we deal with cases we address, we provide case information on a case-by-case basis. However, I do not believe that information is available or kept by the department.

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

Do you track when an immigration consultant or someone would be intervening on a person? Do you track that information at all?

[Marta Morgan]

No, we do not track information on that, unless we have reason to believe there are integrity concerns where we may have investigations under way. In general, we do not track that information. We deal with cases on a case-by-case basis.

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

Can you table with the committee any instances where you have noted integrity concerns on a case-by-case basis in this regard?

[Marta Morgan]

I would be happy to table information about how we address integrity within the system. Because of privacy concerns, I would not be at liberty to table information on individual and specific cases.

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

Just an aggregate....

[Marta Morgan]

As I said, we are not at liberty to disclose private information. However, I would be happy to provide aggregate information on how we address integrity within the system and the considerations around that.

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

Can I ask a question on process? If an immigration consultant called into one of these various tip lines, is there a consent process that the department undertakes to give information to somebody who's intervening for someone else?

[Marta Morgan]

An individual can elect to provide consent for a consultant or anyone else speaking on their behalf.

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

Like a member of Parliament...?

[Marta Morgan]

Yes, that would include members of Parliament seeking information on their cases.

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

Do you track those consent forms, Ms. Morgan?

[Marta Morgan]

Most of the information we provide directly is provided on the phone, and often when there are a number of cases. Sometimes a consultant may seek information on a number of cases, or sometimes—

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

How do you collect consent? When it happens over the phone, would you phone that person to ask if they would agree to let so-and-so intervene on their behalf, or is it done by email?

[Marta Morgan]

I would be happy to provide information to the committee on exactly how consent is collected. Often in the case of immigration files—

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

What you've just said is that in order to have somebody intervene, they require consent. I require consent as a member of Parliament. You've said that you ask for that. One would surmise that you have that information somewhere.

Would it then be accurate to say, based on that information, that you could provide the committee with the information I requested? You have to ask for consent, and you have just said that you track that.

[Marta Morgan]

I think the issue is what is actually tracked as data within our system. Certainly when a phone call is received—

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

Do you not don't track consent?

[Marta Morgan]

We track consent, but we don't necessarily add—

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

You do track consent.

[Marta Morgan]

We don't necessarily add up all of the calls and who made which call on behalf of whom, in a way that we could provide data on that to a committee.

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

How do you know when someone's intervening if you're not applying the consent to individual interventions?