Citizenship and Immigration Committee on Sept. 28th, 2017

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Can that information be provided to us?

[Paul MacKinnon]

Certainly. We can provide that later today.

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Thank you.

To the CBSA, could you provide some more insight into what background and security checks are performed on irregular crossers making an asylum claim, before they are released? Is there any evidence that these irregular crossers, if not intercepted at the border, are not reporting to authorities to make an asylum claim?

[Jacques Cloutier]

I will defer to my colleague from the RCMP to begin, and I will complete the answer afterwards.

[A/Commr Joanne Crampton]

In terms of someone crossing the border between the ports of entry, the RCMP would intercept the person or persons. We then advise them that they are breaking the law under the Customs Act by crossing the border between ports of entry. The persons are then detained. Their possessions are searched to ensure there is no contraband or other illegal items. Their person is searched, because they are under arrest under the Customs Act. We then verify their identification. We do background checks and local indices checks, as well as international indices checks. If there is no noted criminality or concerns for national security and, once we have interviewed them and had a lengthy discussion as to where they came from and what their intentions are, if nothing negative comes as a result of that, we pass the individual over to Canada Border Services for further processing.

[Jacques Cloutier]

At this point, for the CBSA, we receive the individual from the RCMP, as well as the information collected by the RCMP. We proceed with fingerprinting, taking of biometric information, and a cursory interview to elicit additional information. We verify identity. In those cases where we are satisfied that there are no immigration-related issues from an admissibility perspective, these individuals would be released on the terms and conditions and given an appointment to complete their eligibility interview. In cases where issues are discovered, several actions are taken immediately, including completing the interview for eligibility in its entirety, or proceeding with detention if the person is deemed to pose a risk to the public.

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

My last question is for the IRCC officials. I understand that a lot of misunderstandings and bad information are circulating in the Haitian and Hispanic communities, among others, which has fuelled the irregular crossings by leading to the false impression of an easy asylum claim in Canada. Could you provide some detail on what is being done to get better information to these communities specifically?

[The Co-Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Regrettably, you have only about 20 seconds to do that. Perhaps you could answer very briefly, and then maybe work it into some other response. Thank you.

[Louis Dumas, Director General, Domestic Network, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration]

A number of outreach activities have taken place in both the United States and Canada. Currently in Montreal we are reaching out, especially to the Haitian community, through a variety of different channels, including social media. We're reaching out to refugee organizations and to the regular media.

So things are well under way. We're passing on the message that individuals should come to our dedicated service counter at Guy-Favreau to avail themselves of the possibility of doing their eligibility process.

[The Co-Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Thank you, Ms. Zahid and Mr. Dumas.

Ms. Rempel.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Since the beginning of 2017, what percentage of asylum claims made by people illegally crossing the border between Canada and the U.S. has been processed?

[Michael MacDonald]

I don't have the exact percentage for the entire year being processed. It often is moving with the volumes that are coming through.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

I am going to interrupt, just because of time. Can you please table that number with the committee? Can you also please table the percentage of claims that have been rejected? Thank you.

Similarly, can you please table with committee the following information? With respect to border crossings occurring at unofficial points of entry since the beginning of 2017, can you please provide a full breakdown of costs associated with asylum claims made by people illegally crossing the border; for winterized trailers installed at the U.S.-Canada border; perimeter fencing and lighting for winterized trailers; the use of Montreal's Olympic Stadium to house border crossers; the tent village built to house asylum seekers along the Canada-U.S. border; any other temporary accommodations used to house asylum seekers crossing the border; any other costs associated with housing and supporting asylum seekers, including food; any relevant transfers made to provincial governments related to the increase in asylum seekers crossing the border; any relevant transfers to municipal governments related to the increase in asylum seekers crossing the border; any transportation provided to asylum seekers crossing the U.S.-Canada border; all costs associated with opening and operating the new floor and reception room at the Peel Street joint processing centre that you alluded to; the number of staff reallocated to the Peel Street processing centre; the streams of processing that those staff have been reallocated from; and similar information for the processing facility that has been opened at Complexe Guy-Favreau?

Can that be tabled with the committee?

[Michael MacDonald]

Yes, it will be.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Thank you. When?

[Michael MacDonald]

I'd have to look to the department. That's a lot of data, but we will do our best to do that as fast as possible.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Thank you.

An IRCC official stated: “We are taking a number of pro-active measures—both in Canada and abroad—to counter misinformation that has been circulating and ensure that everyone is aware of the facts about Canada's asylum system.” This was IRCC spokesperson Hursh Jaswal.

Does a formal plan exist? Is there a formal departmental plan that has been written to communicate this information?

[Michael MacDonald]

There is. We have a communications and outreach plan—

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Can you please table that with the committee?

[Michael MacDonald]

—that we are following.

I will take that back; yes.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Thank you.

Earlier this week there was a CBC article stating that Nigerian asylum claims were wanting to come to Canada because they're aware of the “pipeline”. What additional measures is IRCC taking to outreach into the broader international community that the asylum claim system is not a, quote, “free ticket” to Canada?

[Michael MacDonald]

We did several things. The first was to look at our communications and outreach plan and determine the best way to reach the Nigerian diaspora population here as well as in the United States as well back in Nigeria itself.

Second, we are also liaising and working with our American colleagues. We have a mission overseas, as do other allied partners, so we've also gone back to our immigration program overseas to try to look for ways and ideas to reach populations

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Thank you.

Over to Mr. Maguire.

[Larry Maguire, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Thank you.

I have a couple of quick questions. Just because of the time frame here, perhaps I'll get you to table some of these answers as well.

What's the average full cost per failed asylum claimant to the Government of Canada? I don't know if you can provide that off the top right now.

[Michael MacDonald]

It varies with the individual case, but overall, as a general estimate, one can look at anywhere from $15,000 to $20,000. I think we'll give you a more precise response, but it very much does vary.