Mr. Chair, I'm just going to make one very quick comment, so that we're all very clear on the question around illegal versus irregular. It's true that there is signage which says that crossing the border at the unofficial points of entry is illegal, and that is in the case where you cross over without the intent and the purpose of making an asylum claim.
If I crossed over to the United States today with no intention of making an asylum claim whatsoever in the United States, it would be illegal and I would be arrested. However, if I was seeking asylum for whatever reason, the Canadian law, under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, states very clearly that it is not a criminal act.
When we call those individuals who seek asylum and cross over from the United States at the irregular border crossings “illegals”, we are vilifying those asylum seekers in a way that is detrimental to humanity. That is my point, Mr. Chair.