Citizenship and Immigration Committee on Feb. 15th, 2018

[Paul MacKinnon]

You could argue that. It's challenging to know if that trend will continue or if it's a blip because the visa requirement was quickly lifted, and they were trying to get in while it's lifted.

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

Ms. Morgan, did your department provide any advice to the minister or any rationale against lifting the Romanian visa requirement?

[Marta Morgan]

Advice and analysis is always done within our visa policy framework.

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

Were there any specific points that were raised with regard to potential issues in lifting the visa requirement on Romania?

[Marta Morgan]

When we look at our visa policy and our visa framework, we have a whole range of issues that we look at for any country regarding their travel documents: the management of their own systems, our level of collaboration with them, and their governance. There are a whole range of factors that go into the decision-making regarding visas.

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

We've seen nearly 300 Romanians claim asylum in Canada in a one-month period.

Minister, have you undertaken any efforts with the Romanian embassy or government to put in place preventative measures to stop this trend from increasing?

[Paul MacKinnon]

I can answer that. We've met with the ambassador here in Ottawa.

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

When?

[Paul MacKinnon]

Approximately two and a half weeks ago.

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

Okay, and what measures are being put in place to reverse this trend?

[Paul MacKinnon]

They're working very closely with us. They too, like us, want to see a sustainable visa lift with Romania.

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

Is there a number that you've set with them, in terms of how if we get to a certain point we will reinstate the visa?

[Paul MacKinnon]

There is a threshold in place.

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

Which is...?

[Paul MacKinnon]

That's not a public figure. Out of respect for the relationship with Romania, we've agreed that we would not share that figure, so that's not a public figure.

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

Is that within a calendar-year period?

[Paul MacKinnon]

It's within a 12-month period.

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

Okay. Why would you not share that with this committee?

[Paul MacKinnon]

As I said—

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

Minister, what is the number that you've set as an acceptable threshold for Romanian asylum claims? Was that included in the negotiating terms for CETA?

[Marta Morgan]

We look at a range of issues in terms of our visa policy, which includes numbers, but which also includes other factors.

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

Thank you, Ms. Morgan.

To the minister, what is that threshold and was it included as a bargaining chip with CETA?

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

When we make any decisions on visa lifts or visa reimpositions, there are a number of factors that have to be considered. Our visa policy framework is comprehensive. It's not just based on asylum claims, even though—

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

Mr. MacKinnon has said that there is a threshold.

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

—that is one of the categories. It looks at that. It looks at immigration violations. It looks at document integrity and so on.