Citizenship and Immigration Committee on Oct. 14th, 2020

[The Clerk]

I will call a recorded vote.

(Motion agreed to: yeas 6; nays 5 [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

The motion is adopted.

Go ahead, Ms Dancho.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I wish to move a motion. This motion is in consideration of the overturn of the entire immigration system in the world and how many human lives are impacted by that both at home and abroad.

In that context, I move:

That, pursuant to standing order 108(2), the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration commence a study on examining the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on Canada’s immigration system, and that this study evaluate, review and examine all issues relevant to this situation, including the following: 1. application backlogs and processing times for the different streams of family reunification and the barriers preventing the timely reunification of loved ones, such as denials of temporary resident visas because of section 179(b) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations and the ongoing closures of Visa Application Centers; 2. examine the government’s decision to reintroduce a lottery system for the reunification of parents and grandparents; to compare it to previous iterations of application processes for this stream of family reunification, including a look at processing times and the criteria required for successful sponsorship; 3. temporary resident visa processing, authorization to travel to Canada by individuals with an expired Confirmation of Permanent Residency; use of expired security and background checks for permanent immigration;

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

I have a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

One second, Ms. Dancho. We have a point of order.

Go ahead, Mr. Regan, please.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

I understand this is challenging for the interpreters, so I simply ask that Ms. Dancho slow down.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

I'll slow down, thank you—

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

It becomes a real problem for our interpreters.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

—and I will try again. I appreciate that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Ms. Dancho, speak a bit more slowly so that it's easier for the interpreters.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Okay. The clerk does have a copy of this, so he can distribute it immediately.

I will go more slowly, thank you.

It continues:

—use of expired security and background checks for permanent immigration; 4. to expedite and facilitate the issuing of visas and study permits for international students and that this study pay particular attention to the difficulties encountered by certain groups of international students (such as students from francophone Africa) and to the usual administrative delays and additional delays caused by the COVID 19 pandemic; 5. refugee resettlement program, meeting the Government of Canada’s international commitments to settle convention refugees in Canada, work of Canadian civil society groups to bring privately sponsored refugees to Canada and to extend a life boat to the people of Hong Kong facing persecution under the new National Security Law; 6. severe and long-term economic impact of reduced immigration to Canada in 2020-2023; 7. administrative costs and delays related to Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and consideration of possible solutions, including granting open work permits on a sector-by-sector basis to facilitate labour mobility; that LMIAs be biennial; that the duration of work permits be extended; that three-year work permits be extended annually; 8. technological capability of the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada and Passport Canada to work remotely or virtually, meet service standards and enforce applicable laws.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

I'm sorry for interrupting, Ms. Dancho. Can you go a bit more slowly so that it's easier for the interpreters?

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Slower? Okay. My apologies.

It continues:

—and Refugee Board of Canada and Passport Canada to work remotely or virtually, meet service standards and enforce applicable laws. 9. that all testimonies received during a study pursuant to this motion be deemed included in further studies; 10. the two pilot projects for Caregivers introduced as of June 18, 2019: (1) Home Child Care Provider Pilot; and (2) Home Support Worker Pilot; that the study examines the criteria and its effect on the caregivers who are trying to qualify under these programs toward the path for permanent status; that the Committee report its findings to the House; and that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the government table a comprehensive response thereto. 11. that this study begin no later than October 27, 2020, that the Committee table its findings in the House upon completion and that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the government table a comprehensive response thereto.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Thank you, Ms. Dancho.

I have a speaking list. Next is Mr. Serré.

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you for the motion, Ms. Dancho. There is a lot of information there, and I missed a large portion of what was said.

Would it be possible, with the clerk's assistance, to submit our motions to the subcommittee for consideration?

I want to make sure to have a French version of this motion, as well.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Madam Chair, I'd like to respond.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

We have a speaking list, so....

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

I just want to reiterate that the clerk did have the motion as of early this morning. He can email it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Thank you, Ms. Dancho.

We have a speaking list, so we will go by that.

However, I think the members have not been provided with a copy of the motion.

Next on the list we have Ms. Normandin, and then we have Ms. Kwan.

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

I had raised my hand to talk about another motion. I just wanted to move my own motions without putting them to the vote. I will still use this opportunity to speak to this motion.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

[Technical difficulty--Editor]

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

May I continue?

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Yes, Ms. Normandin.

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Thank you.

You will notice that the motion as such takes up a number of study topics we ourselves proposed as motions, and that's good. It also states that testimonies can be reused in other studies. That's also very good.

I have one or two questions, as I have a few concerns. First, how will we establish the priority of various topics to be studied? After all, there are several of them. So, if the motion is passed, what will we start with and how will we decide? Will we start with family reunification or with foreign workers? There are a number of issues to discuss.

Second, how much time do we want this study to take up? I think it's worthwhile to have a general study that will help us prioritize what we want to study in more depth afterwards, but the general study should not take so much time as to leave us none for that in-depth study.

So that is something I would like to raise.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Thank you, Ms. Normandin.

Ms. Kwan, please.