Evidence of meeting #70 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
Hold on for one second.
Someone from the interpreters said they have not received it. The English version has not been received by the interpreter.
Can you send it?
Interpreters, have you received the English copy? It has been sent by email.
3:50 p.m.
Bloc
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
The staff interpreters have in fact received the email, but the interpreter today is a freelancer. He doesn't have access to the confidential documents and can't receive emails from the clerk. He definitely requires a sheet of paper on which the amendment is written in black and white.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
On a point of order, Madam Chair, I believe the bells are going.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
The bells have started ringing. The vote has been called.
Do I have unanimous consent to continue?
3:50 p.m.
Some hon. members
No.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Madam Chair, on a point of order, would there be unanimous consent to revert to the discussion of the motion on international students and discuss that during the bells?
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
I did not get unanimous consent to continue the meeting, so the meeting is suspended.
We will come back after the vote.
4:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
I call the meeting to order.
We have CPC amendment 11 on the floor.
Mr. Kmiec, go ahead.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
Thank you, Madam Chair.
To continue on this particular amendment, this is based on what has been said at committee regarding citizenship ceremonies. I believe that citizenship ceremonies are important, as I've said before, and that we should offer an opportunity for employers, since we regulate federally regulated employers in the federal jurisdiction, to accommodate persons who are going to the ceremony. They should provide one day of leave so people can do this. This would be a once-in-a-lifetime usage. I don't think it's a lot to ask employers to do this.
I will note that the Province of Manitoba—I'm surprised that my province hasn't done this, but Manitoba has—offers four hours of unpaid leave for citizenship ceremonies, which is pretty impressive. I think it should be a standard, for at least those we can regulate, that we do, in our jurisdiction, offer a day of leave for citizenship ceremonies.
Thank you, Chair.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
Brad Redekopp Conservative Saskatoon West, SK
I want to let you know that we have another amendment after this one.
4:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
Seeing no further debate, we will vote on CPC-11.
(Amendment negatived: nays 6; yeas 5)
The amendment is defeated.
Mr. Kmiec, go ahead.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
I will read CPC amendment 12 into the record.
I move that Bill S‑245 be amended by adding after line 18 on page 1 the following new clause:
1.4 Section 24 of the Act is amended by adding the following: 24(9) The Minister must disclose in advance to Members of Parliament the location, time, and date of all citizenship ceremonies that will be attended by their constituents, either in‑person or virtual.
The logic of this is simple. As parliamentarians, we should know when our constituents are becoming citizens of Canada. This is not done on a consistent basis.
I know that in my riding, I often get an invitation when there's a special occasion when it's being done, but this is not being done on a consistent basis. I remember one year when my pharmacist became a Canadian citizen, I wasn't made aware of when this was going to happen.
It would be good because sometimes, because of how large some of our cities are, there are people from different ridings being lumped together in some of these ceremonies. If all parliamentarians knew, we could make plans to attend. I think, as parliamentarians, we have a responsibility to be there and to participate in what is really a huge life milestone for many persons who are obtaining their citizenship.
I have never had a citizenship ceremony in person that I regretted attending. They are all terrific to attend. I'm hoping we can find consensus at the table here that it should be a requirement to tell members of Parliament when citizenship ceremonies are happening.
We already get a list of new citizens. It's not too much to ask the department to send us a list of all citizenship ceremonies where our residents are going to take the oath of citizenship. It would just be one little extra step. That way, we can make ourselves available to participate in this. We could help the department make sure there are good, strong showings at the citizenship ceremonies, as well.
Thank you.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
Brad Redekopp Conservative Saskatoon West, SK
I will just mention that we have yet another amendment after this one.
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
Okay. We will have a recorded vote on CPC amendment 12.
(Amendment negatived: nays 6; yeas 5)
Mr. Kmiec, go ahead.
4:55 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
Madam Chair, do you want me to start reading amendment 13 from CPC, or do you want me to just pause for a moment to allow it to be distributed?
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
Let me just check.
Give them a second. It's being distributed to the officials, so we can begin after that.
Okay, Mr. Kmiec. Please begin reading amendment 13.
4:55 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
All right, Madam Chair.
I move that Bill S‑245 be amended by adding after line 18 on page 1 the following new clause:
1.4 Section 24 of the Act is amended by adding the following: 24(10) A document of citizenship must be provided immediately upon completion of the oath of citizenship.
The logic of this amendment, since we're doing what I would call a statutory review of the Citizenship Act, is that at the citizenship ceremony, when you attend in person, and actually when you attend it virtually as well, the department has you cut your permanent residency card. The PR card is cut. Oftentimes they ask you to cut it visibly in front of these civil servants, because you can't have a PR card and citizenship at the same time, obviously.
What happens then is that they mail a document of citizenship. But they already know who has attended there. They can kind of check them off the list. There's no reason that you couldn't have them just print off the document of citizenship. I personally would much rather that we go back to the old way. I won't fish out my citizenship card from my pocket, but the old cards are much better. This is a big document of citizenship.
The reason that one is so important is that you need that to get your passport. You need that for your passport application. It's 30 days or however long it takes, depending on how remote you are. You may live in a remote community or in an apartment block where there may not be mail delivery every single day, depending on how the contractors work with Canada Post.
The logic of this is to just do it at the ceremony. It's just a process issue. Just give it to the persons as they're there. Because citizenship ceremonies may take an hour or two or three to complete, I think the department has enough time to check off who is there and check them off digitally in the database. Then they can just print off the document at the location, or have them ready to go. Whoever doesn't show up, the department can just bring it back to their offices.
I think it's a huge process improvement for new Canadians.
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
Thank you, Mr. Kmiec.
We have CPC amendment 13 on the floor.
Mr. Redekopp, go ahead.
4:55 p.m.
Conservative
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
We will now vote on CPC amendment 13.
(Amendment negatived: nays 6; yeas 5)
Yes, Mr. Kmiec.
5 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Kmiec Conservative Calgary Shepard, AB
Madam Chair, I have amendment 14. There will be amendment 15 after this as well, but I'll stop myself.
Do you need time to distribute the French and English copies?