Citizenship and Immigration Committee on Nov. 25th, 2020

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

Is there anything specific you can think of right now that can be done for those 200 students in Taiwan?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

What I would say, Ms. Dancho, is that we are leading the world when it comes to upholding human rights on the strength of an asylum system that has been recognized by the United Nations as being top-in-class for two years in a row.

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

Thank you, Minister. We have to move on. I'm really not getting an answer from you, unfortunately, for those students, but we'll try another question.

You clearly said a number of times when we met last week at the China committee that no one charged under the national security law or convicted of attending a peaceful protest would be barred from coming to Canada, which I think is very good. However, there's a lot of uncertainty there, and it's been discussed in The Globe and Mail and in other national news, the questions that remain therein.

I'm just wondering if your declaration sort of includes these pro-democracy activists. In particular, I'm thinking about Joshua Wong, who was 17 when he started the Umbrella Movement back in 2014. I'm sure you're aware that just recently he pleaded guilty to the charge of unlawful assembly, which, as you know, is also a crime in Canada. This was in a Hong Kong courtroom. He pleaded guilty and is facing five years in prison for a crime that's, again, also a crime in Canada.

I'm just wondering what your Hong Kong announcement is going to do for Joshua Wong. Does it include something for Joshua? Is there some way that we can help him? I mean, he's exactly the type of person that your announcement should have served, but I'm not clear that it will.

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Ms. Dancho, we lead the world when it comes to upholding human rights around the world through our asylum system, and each of these cases will be evaluated on its merits. It ensures that people who have the skills, the experience and the talent to come to Canada, who wish to start that next chapter of their life...and it certainly does not foreclose those who are seeking safe harbour in Canada by virtue of having—

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

What should Joshua Wong do? What can he apply for? He might go to jail for five years, so is there anything he can apply for in Canada right now?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

I would say, broadly speaking, that the Hong Kong initiative speaks to the opportunities and the strength of the people-to-people ties between Canada and Hong Kong, and everyone who is eligible for this program will have an opportunity to apply for it.

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

So that's a no.

Thank you, Minister. We have to move on. I have to move on to my final question.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the Canada-China committee, stated that Chinese Canadians who are subjected to threats or acts of intimidation at home on Canadian soil by agents of the Communist Party of China should call their local police. I wonder if, for the committee and those watching, you can walk us through how the RCMP would handle that and how that comes back to your department. Presumably it would, since many of these are immigration issues.

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

What I can tell you is that we have an asylum system that is truly the best in the world. It has been recognized—

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

I'm sorry for interrupting, Minister, but the time is up.

We will now move on to Mr. Regan.

Mr. Regan, you have five minutes.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

Welcome, Minister.

My understanding is that it's been necessary during the pandemic to have some modernization of the department's system and that, in some ways, the pandemic has, on the one hand, shone a light on areas where more work is needed, and on the other, led government to revise or add to measures already under way to develop an update of the system, as large and as complex as it is.

What new processes and innovations to alleviate the strain on the system from COVID have brought about the most change that you've seen? What other methods are you considering to create a more efficient system, for this time and for the future?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

I thank you for the question. It allows me to again highlight many of the lessons we've learned throughout COVID-19, including our ability and our capacity to leverage technology and innovation as a means of becoming a more efficient immigration system.

Of the two that readily come to mind, one is citizenship ceremonies, which we have moved to digital, and that in no way takes away from the uniqueness and special quality of that moment. One of the best functions I get to exercise as minister is welcoming aspiring Canadians to our family of citizenship. We look forward to moving online the part of the process that requires testing, in very short order.

The other is the process of landing permanent residents. Here in particular we have taken processes that have been conventionally done exclusively on paper and through in-person meetings, and we are beginning to transition those processes into digital and virtual space. As a result, I'm very confident that, going forward, we will be even more efficient than we were prior to COVID-19.

At the end of the day, Mr. Regan, I envision an immigration system that will continue to be lauded as one of the most efficient and most integrated immigration systems in the world, as the OECD has recognized.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Minister, let me ask you about the issue of consultants. The supplementary estimates have seen an investment of $12.4 million for the initiative of protecting people from unscrupulous consultants. It was announced in 2019. Earlier this week, there was an immigration consultant who came before the committee as a witness, who lauded the changes to the profession this will create. This person sees the government's action as a welcome step in helping newcomers.

When will the new regulatory system for immigration consultants come into effect?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

This is one of the mandates I've been given. We're moving full speed ahead to ensure that enforcement is there. I will say that, as a former federal prosecutor, I am always concerned about bringing to justice those predators and unscrupulous individuals who would seek to take advantage of aspiring Canadians. That is why we've invested over $51.9 million to protect Canadians from this kind of fraud. It is an issue. It is one that we're moving with great alacrity on, and we will continue to bring them to justice so Canada continues to be a top destination of choice.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Minister, you spoke earlier about the plan to increase numbers over the next few years to make up for this year. I can tell you that Nova Scotia—and as you know, the Halifax area in particular—has been a great example of how immigration is good for our economy. I think the government has recognized we need more people, especially skilled young people, to overcome the demographic challenges we face as a country.

How do you plan to achieve these objectives?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

For one, I want to thank you for hosting me and taking me to your community to meet some of those immigrant business owners. It is their narrative and their stories that I think drive our agenda of growth through immigration forward.

That's why it's so important that we continue to invest in the Atlantic immigration pilot, where we are working so closely with local business owners who are driving solutions. It is through the collaboration of the AIP that we learn more about where those shortages are and about where the economic needs are locally. This is very important in Atlantic Canada, which is a part of the country that is aging a bit more rapidly than the rest of the country.

By having a plan that is focused on economic growth and on partnering with local business owners and chambers of commerce, so we can learn about where those shortages are, I'm confident we will be able to leverage the Atlantic immigration pilot so we are stronger than ever coming out of the pandemic.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Thank you, Minister.

I think my time is almost over, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

You have 10 seconds.

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

I think that's fine. Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Thank you, Minister.

Now we will move on to Madame Normandin.

You have two and a half minutes.

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

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

I'll come back to the labour shortage. There are businesses in my region that have slowed down, not because of COVID-19, but because of a labour shortage. In many cases, we're talking about low-wage employees. I just want the minister to tell me if he's going to refuse to stop processing work permits and LMIAs on the grounds of high unemployment.

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

This isn't correct. As I said, we are continuing to work with the Quebec government to address labour shortages. Immigration is one of the solutions right now, but we respect the skills—

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

I'm sorry for interrupting, Minister. We'll have to stop the clock. There is a sound issue. I think the translators cannot hear you properly.

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

Is it because the minister has EarPods instead of the mike?

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Mr. Clerk, what is the issue the interpreters are having?

[The Clerk]

They're not receiving audio quality that's high enough, either in the clarity or in the volume. I'm not sure what we—