Citizenship and Immigration Committee on May 29th, 2019

[The Chair, Liberal, Nick Whalen]

Thank you very much, Minister.

We now move to Mr. Tilson.

Before we start the clock, I just want to thank you, Mr. Tilson. I know that you served as chair of this committee in the 40th and 41st Parliaments and, seeing as this is very likely the last televised session of this committee, I'd just like to thank you for that service and for the excellent work you have done in this 42nd Parliament.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

You're very kind, Mr. Chairman. I guess that means I have to be nice to the minister. I'll try to be.

I have a question with respect to the visa issue of Mexico, and I realize there's a gray area between the three ministers, but you are in charge of visas. The media is reporting that there may be hundreds of Mexican nationals in Canada with ties to drug cartels, particularly in Quebec. I appreciate that the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness challenged that, but there is no question, whether the media has the right figure or Minister Goodale has, that they're here.

This is the result of the government's visa lift in 2006, which I believe the minister's own officials recommended against. The result of that is we've been flooded with, really, thugs and criminals. My question for you as the Minister of Immigration is: what do you intend to do about this alarming situation, other than to pass it on to the Minister of Public Safety?

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

Mr. Chair, I would respond by saying that the security, safety and health of Canadians is of paramount importance to all the ministers in our government, and to suggest that is not the case is completely not true.

I will submit to you that our security screening—our independent visa officers and others who make these decisions on who enters Canada—is based on a first analysis of making sure that the health, safety and security of Canadians is protected.

Having said that, on Mexico, the decision has significantly benefited Canada. We have seen a huge expansion of trade, investment and tourism as well as business travellers and students coming to Canada.

Since we lifted the visa requirement for Mexico, we have welcomed over 860,000 travellers from Mexico.

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

I understand that, Minister, and good for you. Encouraging trade is a good thing. The problem is, unless the media is wrong—and I can't believe you're going to say the media is wrong—there are criminals who have come from Mexico under drug cartels, according to the media, who are here, and the government knows they are here. Minister Goodale didn't deny that. The only thing he denied was the numbers.

On the fact that they're here, what steps are you taking to deal with that issue to give confidence to the public that these types of people...? I'm sure they are not all bad people, but there are some who are bad. How can we create confidence in the government that this issue is going to be resolved?

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

First of all, when you refer to the media, my understanding is that you're really referring to one report that has unsubstantiated numbers based on an unnamed source.

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

I've read three newspapers, Mr. Minister. I don't want to get into that. It's been alleged and the Minister of Public Safety has not denied it.

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

Well, no. I have been in question period when he has responded to this question. The minister has responded, effectively, to the numbers that we have, based on the volumes that our government has dealt with. Out of all the Mexican nationals who have visited Canada since January 2018, inadmissibility reports have been prepared for 190 Mexican nationals.

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Yes, but you're admitting that some of these people—

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

Could I just finish the answer?

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

I'm sorry, go ahead.

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

This represents 0.04% of all Mexican travellers to Canada. Those folks have been dealt with by our security services. My understanding is that the system is working the way it is supposed to work.

[The Chair, Liberal, Nick Whalen]

One final brief question, Mr. Tilson.

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

We're not going to come to the same accord. I think there's generally a problem that the government has to resolve.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer predicts that the cost to taxpayers for illegal border crossing will be $1.1 billion by March 2020, which is under a year from now.

Do you concur with the Parliamentary Budget Officer with respect to these border crossers? If you do not concur, what is the estimated amount?

[The Chair, Liberal, Nick Whalen]

Perhaps we will get an answer to that question with the next member or perhaps the member will choose his own questions.

Mr. Arseneault.

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Very briefly, Minister Hussen, can you continue to answer the previous question asked by Mr. Tilson?

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

I would suggest to you that.... The fact is, based on the volumes that we've seen this year—from the beginning of this year until now—we've seen a 48% decrease compared to last year in the number of folks crossing our borders irregularly and then claiming asylum. That's the first point.

The second point is that both the Parliamentary Budget Officer and the Auditor General have shown the costs of underfunding the system and making sure that the system is starved for the resources it needs to deal with the volumes it was receiving over the last number of years. We have taken steps to ensure that's no longer the case by funding the asylum system for the numbers that it actually receives and by appointing, through a merit-based process, qualified individuals from diverse backgrounds to fill vacancies in the IRB. Budget 2019 numbers and 2018 investments will result in 700 new staff being hired at the IRB.

That will ensure that the processing time comes down and that they can deal with the volumes that are coming in. It will ensure that we are treating the asylum system as a system, as opposed to just focusing on one aspect of the asylum system and forgetting that it's an entire system that needs continuity and line of sight from reception to removal.

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Thank you, Minister Hussen.

l have only about three minutes left.

I'd like to move away from the subject of refugees and asylum claimants.

I'm now the only one who can ask questions and who comes from Atlantic Canada, since the chair can't participate in the discussions.

As a member of Parliament, I attended the launch of the pilot project on immigration in the Atlantic provinces three years ago. It's no longer a pilot project. It's almost a successful project.

Three years later, can we measure the impact of the pilot project in Atlantic Canada?

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

Thank you, Mr. Arseneault.

The Atlantic immigration program pilot project has been so successful that we've extended it by a further two years. It's now a five-year pilot program. Part of the reason for that success has been the great work that we've been able to accomplish with employers and provincial governments in that part of Canada.

It's a program that has really set the standard in terms of working towards retention of immigrants and not just their attraction to Atlantic Canada. It's the first employer-driven immigration program in Canadian history. The lessons we've learned from the Atlantic immigration program have been used to craft the rural and northern immigration pilot program.

It has had a huge impact. In my numerous engagements with employers and provincial officials in Atlantic Canada, I have seen how the Atlantic immigration pilot program has done exactly what it is meant to do, which is to address the unique demographic, labour market and skills challenges in Atlantic Canada, but also the retention piece, in making sure that the employers attract not just the skilled worker but also their family and put together a settlement plan to ensure retention. The retention rates are climbing. The population increase is a testament to the fact that the Atlantic immigration program has been a very big success.

In fact, as recently as two days ago, I met with one of the major employers from Atlantic Canada. They want us to double that program because it's been so good for them in terms of growth, filling unfilled jobs and bringing much needed skills to Atlantic Canada.

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Thank you.

I have one minute left.

What overall goal should be achieved within five years?

The project will have run for five years after the two-year extension. Is there a specific goal, or a number of immigrants accompanied by their families?

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

Yes, the allocation for the Atlantic immigration pilot program for the whole region is 3,000 principal applicants plus their families. That is on top of the provincial nominee program that Atlantic Canada has access to, which we've increased by 33%, and also the federal skilled worker program. Also, for temporary foreign workers, for some of them, we have an obligation to provide pathways for permanent residency.

One of the great aspects of the immigration pilot program in Atlantic Canada is to offer a pathway for international students studying in Atlantic Canada to have access to permanent residency in Atlantic Canada through a program called “Study and Stay”.

[The Chair, Liberal, Nick Whalen]

Thank you very much, Minister.

Ms. Kwan, for the final three minutes.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I'd like to ask about the call centres. As you know, the Auditor General came up with a report basically indicating that 1.2 million people—70%—were prevented from reaching an agent. The minister, I know, has since responded, so I have some very specific questions.

Has there been a service standard established? If so, what is it?

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

We have seen, since 2016 and 2017—

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

I'm sorry, but I only have three minutes. I just want those questions answered, please.