Citizenship and Immigration Committee on June 17th, 2020

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Ms. Kwan, you can start again.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Thank you, Madam Chair. I hope I get extra time for this.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Yes, we will provide that to you.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Thank you.

My question was about the one-year window of opportunity for refugee claimants. They submitted their application and it has been in process for more than a year now. With the December deadline coming up, they're very worried that the application will be rejected because it has not yet been processed. I just want assurance that their application would not be rejected because of the deadline.

[Daniel Mills]

Madam Chair, at this time, no applications will be rejected as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We're currently looking at various options to ensure that the applications continue to be processed without delay and without affecting the applicant.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Maybe I'll follow up with the officials on this case and with the minister's office. This family actually submitted the application back in March of 2019, and it's still in process. This year's December deadline is coming up, so it's very worrying for them. I'm not sure if the delay has to do with COVID or something else. The application was submitted last year.

[Catrina Tapley]

We would be happy to look into that.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Thank you very much.

Madam Chair, I'll go on to another issue. This is an ongoing question I've been asking about exempting emergency benefits for people with immigration processes in place so that they would not be penalized for financial inadmissibility because of the support they're getting through the emergency benefits, aside from CERB.

The minister indicated that people would not be penalized for receiving CERB. I have not been able to get a response from the government or the minister to ensure that if individuals receive other emergency benefits, they would also be exempt from penalty as a result of COVID-19. Can I get confirmation from the deputy minister now, please?

[Catrina Tapley]

Madam Chair, for the purpose of family sponsorship, the Canada emergency response benefit—

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Sorry, I'm just going to interrupt for one second. It's not just for family sponsorship but for all individuals who have an immigration process in place.

[Catrina Tapley]

We do not consider the Canada emergency response benefit social assistance for any of our programs. For some programs, sponsors have to meet a minimum income threshold, and that's still expected of them, but no, we do not consider these benefits to be social assistance.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Sorry, it's not just for CERB but for all government emergency benefits.

[Catrina Tapley]

We're happy to get back again on this, but that is how we treat government response benefits.

Marian Campbell Jarvis, did you want to add anything to that?

[Marian Campbell Jarvis, Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic and Program Policy, Department of Citizenship and Immigration]

Yes. I think it would be helpful to know if there were particular benefits that Ms. Kwan was concerned about. The CERB has obviously been the focal point, and a few other benefits that Minister Qualtrough has—

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Madam Chair, on a point of order, I can't really make out the answer. I'm sorry.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

I will stop the clock.

Can you please repeat that? There is some disturbance coming through.

[Catrina Tapley]

Perhaps I can.

If there are particular benefits that the honourable member is worried about, we're happy to track down those particular benefits. However, the benefits that we have looked at that are being provided under the current situation by the government would not affect our immigration programs.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Okay. Then it would not be impacted by any government emergency support, whether provincial or federal.

[Catrina Tapley]

I think we would have to get back to you on provincial benefits. It would depend on the nature of some of the provincial benefits, but for federal benefits, no, they do not have an effect. We do not treat them as social assistance.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Okay.

Could I get confirmation on the provincial benefits? For example, in British Columbia, some people get a hydro benefit and some people get a rent supplement because of COVID. Those supports are all individualized from province to province. I just want to make sure that people will not be penalized for that.

I will go on to the question about urgent processing.

The government indicates on the website that it will be proceeding with urgent processing of five business days. However, I've had cases brought to my attention in which people have gone far beyond the five business days. This is deeply concerning for individuals who are stuck in a situation, faced with an abusive employer, yet their application for urgent processing is not being processed within five days.

Could I get a comment on that? How can we ensure that those individuals are protected?

[Catrina Tapley]

The honourable member is right to raise this point. We are looking hard at those provisions for vulnerable workers and trying to make sure that those time frames are brought down.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Concerning biometrics, on the government's website, it indicates that there is a provision whereby an automatic extension of 90 days can be granted to submit biometrics, instead of the 30 days, but this is discretionary.

Is there a reason that this measure is not applied unilaterally so that people can, in fact, have their automatic extension for 90 days?

[Catrina Tapley]

I believe that an extension is automatic for the 90 days.

Dan, do you want to comment on that?

[Daniel Mills]

Yes, thank you. The 90-day extension—

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Sorry, I have to stop you here. The interpreter is having a problem hearing, so we'll just have to hold on.