Citizenship and Immigration Committee on Jan. 27th, 2021

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

I call meeting 13 of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration to order. Before we go further into the meeting, I want to talk about the public health precautions we all need to take.

Public health authorities have recommended the following practices for all those attending the meeting in person to remain healthy and safe. Please maintain a physical distance of at least two metres from others. Wear a non-medical mask when moving in the meeting room, and preferably, wear a mask at all times, including when you are seated. Maintain proper hand hygiene by using the provided hand sanitizers at the room entrance and washing your hands well with soap regularly.

As the chair, I will be enforcing these measures for the duration of the meeting. I thank members in advance for their co-operation.

Welcome, all, to meeting number 13 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, the first meeting for the year 2021. We hope and pray that this year will be a better year for all of us.

First on the agenda is the adoption of the report of the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure. The report was circulated to all the members in December. It has also been circulated to Mr. Genuis.

Can I have the motion for the committee to adopt the report in order to ratify the motions adopted by the subcommittee? Can I have a motion?

[Sukh Dhaliwal, Liberal, Surrey—Newton, BC]

Madam Chair, I bring the motion forward to adopt the report.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Yes, Ms. Dancho.

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

Madam Chair, I'd like to speak to that before we vote.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Go ahead, Ms. Dancho.

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

I would like to make the committee aware that since we met about a month ago in subcommittee to decide this report, there have been significant developments in Hong Kong.

Just in case the committee is not aware, we recently learned from John Ivison in The National Post that the Hong Kong government is forcing dual Hong Kong citizens to choose one nationality over the other. This brings considerable issues for those looking to renounce their Canadian citizenship if they so choose, limiting consular access to them. If they don't, that could jeopardize their livelihood and their right to live in Hong Kong.

The second thing we've seen is the arrest of 53 pro-democracy activists. Many of them were candidates in opposition parties and organizers therein. Both these matters have come to light in January, since we discussed this report.

In light of this increasingly dire situation, I believe that an amendment to this report is in order. I would like to move the following amendment. I would recommend that we amend section 1 of the report to include the following: That, regarding the study of special immigration and refugee measures for the people of Hong Kong, the committee invite government officials to appear for one hour, the minister to appear for one hour, and invite witnesses to appear for six hours. That is my amendment to the report.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

I see a hand raised. Mr. Genuis, go ahead.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I appreciate the opportunity to participate in the important work of this committee.

I just want to speak in support of my colleague Ms. Dancho's amendment. There's a real crisis in terms of the well-being of Canadians in Hong Kong, and the threats that exist. We have heard in other places in the House that the government is contemplating the possibility of having to put in place emergency measures to bring back hundreds of thousands of Canadians in a very short time.

I think three hours of study on that large issue, which affects the well-being of hundreds of thousands of Canadians, at a critical turning point in global human rights of whether the Government of China will be able to undermine Hong Kong's freedoms.... There are so many critical issues that go into that. I would hope that members of all parties are supportive of the principle of giving this proper study. I think what my colleague has proposed—having six hours instead of a mere three so that we can hear witnesses answer the important questions that are at play—is very much worthwhile.

I want to express my strong support for the amendment. I hope that other parties will agree that we need to properly study both the situation in Hong Kong as it relates to the rights of Canadians and the response in terms of immigration measures here in Canada. Thanks.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Ms. Kwan, go ahead.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

I too would like to support this amendment. Given the rapidly changing situation in Hong Kong, and the urgency of the situation, I do think that it would be worthwhile for us to spend time with respect to the study.

The other issue that I think is related to this, of course, is the issue around the VFS Global contracts. Members might have picked up this news as well. VFS is a company contracted by the Government of Canada to process immigration applications in visa application centres abroad. It has been brought to light that the parent company of VFS Global is backed by a subsidiary of the state-owned China Investment Corporation. The implications around this involvement and these investments raise, I think, serious concerns around the security of the information handled by VFS.

As members know, oftentimes immigration processes are detailed and extensive. They deal with a lot of sensitive information. It has been brought to light and reported that at least one major security breach has already occurred with respect to personal data. It was also noted in the media report that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has no record of the Government of Canada ever being notified.

The Canadian government at this juncture is, I believe, reviewing the extension of these contracts. I think it would be worthwhile for us to look into this as we proceed with this study, particularly for its implications for the people of Hong Kong.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Thank you, Ms. Kwan.

Madame Normandin, go ahead.

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

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

I have read my colleague Ms. Dancho's amendment. I would have liked for it to have been translated beforehand.

That said, I do not disagree with the substance of the amendment, as I think it is always good to get to the bottom of things and to have the time to discuss important issues, especially taking into account the developments that were just announced. However, I would have liked to be able to discuss the impact of this amendment on other studies, which are just as important. They focus on different matters, but they are still not futile. We also need to figure out when we will consider the reports.

Next Monday, we will return to the study on special measures for Hong Kong residents. I know we have lost some time because of the votes, but would Monday be a good time to discuss the amendment? We must have enough time to get to the bottom of things and to get an idea of the upcoming calendar. I would like us to spend a little time on it.

Would my colleague agree with us voting on her amendment next Monday?

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Thank you, Madame Normandin.

We have Madame Martinez Ferrada next.

[Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Liberal, Hochelaga, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I would like to endorse what my colleague Ms. Normandin proposed regarding the amendment moved by Ms. Dancho today. We all agree with getting to the bottom of things, given the latest news. However, there are already witnesses here who are waiting to speak.

We could take a moment to discuss it and vote on the amendment at the next meeting, on Monday. That would also give us time to discuss it. We will find common ground [Technical difficulties].

We are here today to hear from witnesses. Yet we are spending a lot of time on an amendment that could have been sent to us before....

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Excuse me, Madame Martinez Ferrada. There are some translation issues.

Mr. Clerk, can you please check?

[The Clerk of the Committee, Mr. Leif-Erik Aune]

Yes, I am checking now.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

We were not able to hear what Madame Martinez Ferrada said towards the end.

[Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Liberal, Hochelaga, QC]

Do you want me to repeat what I said, Madam Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Yes, can you please repeat? Sorry.

[Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Liberal, Hochelaga, QC]

I think all the committee members agree that it is necessary to study the special measures for Hong Kong residents. I would have liked this amendment to be proposed in advance so as not to take time away from witnesses who are already here and are waiting to speak to us.

I agree with my colleague Ms. Normandin's proposal that we vote on this motion next Monday. We could even find common ground by then, but for the time being, we are here to hear from witnesses who are already with us.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Thank you, Madame Martinez Ferrada.

Ms. Dancho, go ahead.

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

Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you to my colleagues for their comments.

I just have to rebut that a little bit. I don't see the amendment as being overly complicated. We're just adding one hour for the ministers and bumping up from three to six hours for witnesses. It's not overly complicated.

Given that we're on committee business now, we can vote on this right now. Members themselves have said they believe this is important, given the recent very alarming development. Really, I think we should vote on this amendment now while we're in committee business and get this done so we can get in more witnesses and move forward. It's not an overly complicated amendment.

I just want to say that if we do support the people of Hong Kong, if we do stand with Hong Kong and recognize the importance of the Department of Immigration regarding the 300,000 Canadians who are in jeopardy in Hong Kong and their family members, in my opinion this should be a no-brainer, particularly for the minister to come as well and to get more expert witnesses.

I would move to vote on the amendment.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Let me just check with the clerk.

We have a speakers list. A few people have raised their hands, so we will have to go through them.

Next we have Madame Martinez Ferrada, and then we have Mr. Serré.

[Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Liberal, Hochelaga, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I was actually just about to ask you to adjourn the debate on this motion until Monday.

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

Madam Chair, I did move to vote on it prior to her moving that motion.