Evidence of meeting #90 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 chair.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Marta Morgan  Deputy Minister, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Greg Kipling  Director General, Policy, Planning and Corporate Affairs Branch, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Paul MacKinnon  Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic and Program Policy, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Harpreet Kochhar  Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Dawn Edlund  Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Daniel Mills  Assistant Deputy Minister, Chief Financial Officer, Finance, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Michael MacDonald  Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic and Program Policy, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

8:55 a.m.

Liberal

Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON

The honourable member should know that what we are doing is what you didn't do, which is consult experts on what should go into the citizenship guide. That's what we're doing.

8:55 a.m.

Conservative

Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB

Mr. Chair—

8:55 a.m.

Liberal

Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON

When the citizenship guide comes out, you'll see what's in it and what's not in it.

8:55 a.m.

Conservative

Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB

Mr. Chair, I'm asking a very simple question. There has been a lot of debate in the House of Commons on this issue. I would like an answer from the minister. Was the draft that was leaked to the media, which did not include female genital mutilation....

Do you know what? I'm going to direct it to the deputy minister.

Deputy Minister, was the draft of the citizenship guide that was leaked to the media earlier this year developed by your department?

9 a.m.

Deputy Minister, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

Marta Morgan

We are in the active process on consulting, and there have been multiple drafts of the citizenship guide as we've consulted with various stakeholders. I can't comment on any particular document that was unofficially provided.

9 a.m.

Conservative

Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB

Is female genital mutilation included in the most recent draft that the department is working on?

9 a.m.

Deputy Minister, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

Marta Morgan

We are in the process of consulting on that document, and it will be released when the document is final and ready for....

9 a.m.

Conservative

Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB

Deputy Minister, have there been groups that have advised the department to remove female genital mutilation from the citizenship guide?

9 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Rob Oliphant

Please answer very quickly. We're at the end of the time.

9 a.m.

Deputy Minister, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

Marta Morgan

We are consulting with a very wide range of groups on a whole range of issues related to the citizenship guide. That consultation is active right now.

9 a.m.

Conservative

Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB

Thank you.

9 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Rob Oliphant

Ms. Kwan is next.

9 a.m.

NDP

Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, and thank you to the officials and the minister.

The LINC money associated under the federal government grants and contract line item for 2016 was $4,661,193. That amount has been reduced to $4,164,743 in 2017. That's a drop of $496,450 per year. The government has told providers to expect a drop of 18% over the three-year term of their contract.

Can the minister advise why that reduction has taken place?

9 a.m.

Deputy Minister, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

Marta Morgan

Could you provide more information on where those numbers are from? At the moment we're just having a hard time following what those are related to.

9 a.m.

NDP

Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC

This is from the federal government grants and contract line in the government's own documents. I'm not going to spend time waiting for an answer. I was expecting that we would have this information, given that this meeting is about supplemental estimates.

Would you undertake to look that information up and provide that information to us in writing after the fact?

9 a.m.

Deputy Minister, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

Marta Morgan

Absolutely.

9 a.m.

NDP

Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC

Within that undertaking, could you explain why this amount has been reduced, where it's being reduced, and where the impacts are of that 18% over three years? I know of at least one institution that is faced with that reduction, and they actually have a long wait-list of people trying to access the LINC program.

I'm going to ask another question related to the LMIA issue. Can the minister advise how many people were approved without the LMIA requirement under the international mobility program? Could I also get the breakdown under the different codes the government uses for the exemption and for that to be broken down by province and territory?

9 a.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic and Program Policy, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

Paul MacKinnon

Mr. Chair, I can give some of that answer, and on some we'll probably have to get back to you.

In terms of the IMP work permits, in 2016 we had just about 210,000 issued. Out of that 210,000, about 75,000 were employer-specific work permits and 133,000 were open work permits.

In terms of all the different NOC codes, the National Occupational Classification codes, Mr. Chair, we would have to look into that and get back to you.

9 a.m.

NDP

Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC

Yes, please do that. I am particularly interested in understanding and knowing how many people were exempt from the LMIA requirement and in the breakdown of that under the codes, divided up by province and territory so I know where they are coming from.

9 a.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic and Program Policy, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

Paul MacKinnon

Just to be clear, Mr. Chair, all of those work permits through the IMP would be exempt from the LMIA, but we'll have to follow up on the NOC code piece.

9 a.m.

NDP

Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC

Thank you.

With respect to the live-in caregiver program, the minister just talked about that. I have a very specific question.

Under the new program, the minister will know that the caregivers program is capped at 5,000 a year. I am wondering if the minister can advise whether that 5,000 cap has been met, and if not, what the number is at right now.

9 a.m.

Liberal

Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON

Just to give you the first response, it is no, the cap has not been met. In terms of the exact number, I'll let Dawn Edlund respond to that, or Harpreet.

9:05 a.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration

Dr. Harpreet Kochhar

I don't have that exact number here, ma'am.

9:05 a.m.

NDP

Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC

Can we get that number?

9:05 a.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration