Citizenship and Immigration Committee on May 29th, 2019

[Dr. Harpreet Kochhar, Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration]

In terms of the service standards, we in IRCC have around 78 services that we give, and we have 39 service centres for different purposes, but in terms of the call answer rate and what we need from the call service centre, that establishment of the standard has not been done, because of the fact that it is in consultation with the clients and based on the Treasury Board policy.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Yes, of course it hasn't, because I can tell you that just yesterday my staff was on the phone for close to half an hour waiting to talk to a real person. This is the case on multiple occasions. That was actually fast. A half-hour turnaround was fast.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Chair, I'd like to respond to this.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

I just want to be very clear that, as has been indicated by your official, Minister, there has been no service standard. This is a real problem. I know this from all of the folks around the table, all the MPs. When you phone or your constituency assistants help your constituents in phoning, you often just have to wait and wait and wait. If our offices are enduring that kind of situation, imagine what it is like for the constituent on the ground.

This information has been verified by the Auditor General's report. I would urge the minister to actually get on with the service standards for these call centres. It's not acceptable, the situation as it stands right now.

I want to ask a question with respect to—

[The Chair, Liberal, Nick Whalen]

You have a little less than 50 seconds.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Okay, I will ask a quick question.

The minister said, “I'm happy to use 'illegal' if—To answer your question quickly, I have used the word 'illegal' and I have used the word 'irregular' and I think both are accurate”.

The minister uses this interchangeably. I've asked the minister to retract that word “illegal” in describing asylum seekers. Will he do that?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

You're referring to one appearance I had in front of this committee. The fact is our government has doubled the number of resettled refugees—

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Sorry, I'm asking a specific question with respect to your term.

[The Chair, Liberal, Nick Whalen]

I'm sorry, Ms. Kwan. The time to ask the question and the time to give the answer should be about the same.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Of course you wouldn't answer, hence you allow for this.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

We have more than quadrupled the number of privately sponsored refugees. We have had an increase in the number of people who are able to sponsor refugees privately. We're very proud of our refugee program to settle survivors of Daesh atrocities. I am very proud of our government's record when it comes to refugees and providing asylum to the most vulnerable.

[The Chair, Liberal, Nick Whalen]

Thank you very much.

That comes to the end of the testimony from the minister. I'd like to thank you and your officials for making yourselves available, especially in light of the very difficult voting and other interruptions.

We will now move to committee business in adopting the estimates, or not, with some routine motions.

Under the main estimates 2019-20, we have votes 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 under Department of Citizenship and Immigration, and votes 1 and 5 under Immigration and Refugee Board.

DEPARTMENT OF CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION

Vote 1—Operating expenditures.........$797,460,552

Vote 5—Capital expenditures.........$22,242,541

Vote 10—Grants and contributions.........$1,775,345,121

Vote 15—Enhancing the Integrity of Canada's Borders and Asylum System.........$160,430,000

Vote 20—Improving Immigration Client Service.........$18,000,000

Vote 25—Helping Travellers Visit Canada.........$24,384,000

Vote 30—Protecting People from Unscrupulous Immigration Consultants.........$11,250,000

Vote 35—Providing Health Care to Refugees and Asylum Seekers.........$125,120,000

(Votes 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 agreed to on division)

IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE BOARD

Vote 1—Program expenditures.........$148,584,137

Vote 5—Enhancing the Integrity of Canada's Borders and Asylum System.........$56,850,000

(Votes 1 and 5 agreed to on division)

Shall I report the main estimates 2019-20 to the House?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

On division.

[The Chair, Liberal, Nick Whalen]

Thank you, all, for your co-operation today, especially unanimous consent to allow these meetings to proceed and end on time.

The meeting is adjourned.