Welcome, Minister, and thank you for taking the time to appear today before our committee.
As you know, Surrey Centre welcomes up to 40% of all refugees who come into the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. We have learned, through the media, that the previous Conservatives were slow to roll out their response to the crisis in Syria.
Incredibly, we learned that there were some reports that the government hand-picked refugees before allowing them entry into Canada. My constituents and others across the country are alarmed to hear that in 2015 refugees were chosen, not based on vulnerability or need but rather which faith group or ethnic group they came from.
Are you able to speak to this and confirm if this was true?