Evidence of meeting #40 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was ircc.
A recording is available from Parliament.
6 p.m.
Liberal
6 p.m.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I think earlier there was the notion of resettling or aiming to bring a thousand Yazidis here to Canada, as a suggestion. I heard from everybody that you could mobilize fairly quickly and be able to do that. I'm wondering if there is an upper limit to the capacity that your departments could handle operationally. If so, what is that upper limit?
Mr. Vinette, would you comment?
6 p.m.
Director General, International Region, Canada Border Services Agency
There is a limit. I don't think that I can actually give you a number. I know that the surge of 25,000 for Syria meant that we had to put certain activities in abeyance and cease them in order to repurpose our resources. We actually needed additional funding, as you well know. For us, there is only so much capacity in the machinery, notwithstanding that we have highly dedicated people who certainly stepped up for Syria and will step up for this. It's difficult right now to state the ceiling that we're capable of handling. Certainly it's within perhaps 120 days for this particular fixed number.
6 p.m.
NDP
6 p.m.
Director General, International Region, Canada Border Services Agency
It could be higher. I'd have to go back to my team and work out the logistics in terms of the capacity that we have in the machinery to be able to deliver right now.
6:05 p.m.
NDP
6:05 p.m.
Director General, Mission Security, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
I would say, just from an operational point of view, what is different from the Syrian operation is we were working with established, entrenched embassies in the other countries. When we're dealing with northern Iraq, we're dealing with a very small mission, so in order for us to advance and meet our expectations, we're not going to put a limit on how high we can go, but we have to be very realistic in our expectations in terms of what we can process safely.
6:05 p.m.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Can you give me an estimate of what would be realistic, or can you just simply not say?
6:05 p.m.
Director General, Mission Security, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
It's a new type of processing. It's a very precarious environment, as our colleagues from DND and CSIS are saying. It's an environment that is very fluid, so we have to be very measured in what we can do.
6:05 p.m.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Okay.
In terms of working collaboratively with NGOs on the ground, we heard from the German officials that they've been working with a number of them and that they've been very helpful to them in carrying out their special quota project. From your perspective, can you identify NGOs that your department can work with to carry out this initiative?
6:05 p.m.
Director, Gulf States Division, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
Certainly the IOM, I believe, has been identified, because they handle internally displaced people, as opposed to UNHCR. They've been identified as a credible partner. If or whether a partnership should be established, it's really for IRCC to determine.
6:05 p.m.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Your department has officials on the ground. Do they work with any NGOs there, in northern Iraq, aside from...?
6:05 p.m.
Director, Gulf States Division, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
Our presence there is very recent, as I explained, so they're in the process of developing those networks at the moment. The Canadians we have on the ground arrived just a few weeks ago.
6:05 p.m.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
I see. It was just a few weeks ago. That's the same with anybody else who has contacts there. That's a fairly recent undertaking.
6:05 p.m.
Director General, International Region, Canada Border Services Agency
I'll just mention that we're not on the ground. The closest we are is in Jordan and in Turkey.
6:05 p.m.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
I see.
With respect to intelligence, Mr. Burt, I'm wondering, with this initiative, whether there are any concerns with respect to a reaction, if you will, in northern Iraq from Daesh or any of the other folks who would want to resist operations such as ours.
6:05 p.m.
Assistant Chief of Defence Intelligence, Canadian Forces Intelligence Command, Department of National Defence
There are many security concerns with regard to northern Iraq. Whether or not this operation would be targeted specifically, as opposed to other operations, would depend on a variety of factors: where it is, how big it is, how attractive it is, and how well secured it is. What the threat level will be is going to depend on what type of operation rolls out.
6:05 p.m.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
You can't carry out your work until you have a target from IRCC and the minister to say how many people we want to resettle within this timeline. Until you have that information, you're on standby, right? Maybe you could just give a yes or no.
6:05 p.m.
Assistant Chief of Defence Intelligence, Canadian Forces Intelligence Command, Department of National Defence
From my perspective, assessing what is happening in northern Iraq is an ongoing activity. This particular operation will not change the level of effort we put into that in a significant way one way or the other, because we are already so engaged.
6:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Borys Wrzesnewskyj
Thank you.
Before we adjourn, I have one quick question, Mr. Burt.
Has there been an assessment made of the security situation inside the camps in northern Iraq, as opposed to a general assessment in the actual camps?
6:05 p.m.
Assistant Chief of Defence Intelligence, Canadian Forces Intelligence Command, Department of National Defence
Are we talking about refugee camps?
6:05 p.m.
Assistant Chief of Defence Intelligence, Canadian Forces Intelligence Command, Department of National Defence
I would have to go back and look. I'm not aware of any off the top of my head.
6:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Borys Wrzesnewskyj
If there is one, could you provide that information to the committee?
Go ahead, Ms. Lamoureux.
