Evidence of meeting #8 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 subamendment.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:25 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
Thank you.
We now have an amendment proposed by Mr. Genuis on the floor, which we will debate.
Go ahead, Ms. Kwan.
12:25 p.m.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
I support the amendment for visa-free travel for Ukraine. This is something New Democrats have been calling for since 2018. Unfortunately, the government has not acted on it. Had the government acted on it back then, perhaps some of the people who are in Ukraine at this moment might have made it out already.
The visa application of one of my constituents was rejected by the government two years ago, and now they're absolutely frantic because of the situation. Making travel visa-free for Ukraine would be absolutely essential.
I certainly support it, and then, at the appropriate time, I'd like to move my other amendment.
12:25 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
Thank you.
We now have Mr. El-Khoury, and then Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe.
Go ahead, Mr. El-Khoury.
12:25 p.m.
Liberal
Fayçal El-Khoury Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Everyone knows that “travelling without a visa” means arriving in Canada without being subjected to biometrics or a security check. We are in Canada, where the safety and security of every Canadian and every person who lives in Canada is an absolute priority. In the event of infiltration by Russian agents who might be terrorists among the Ukrainians, and they were to arrive in Canada, what would be our government's position if there happened to be a security problem?
Some people are wondering why these immigrants are not required to provide biometrics when arriving in Canada. As you know, Madam Chair, Ukraine is now considered a war zone. Under our temporary suspension of removals program, when someone is in Canadian territory, that person cannot be deported to a country that is considered a war zone. We are therefore stuck with them.
Others have asked why we don't do what other neighbouring countries or European countries do. They can go there without any problems, without a visa, because they are already integrated into a system that gives them these privileges.
To return to what I was saying, security is an absolute priority for us. We can't endanger the lives of our fellow citizens, and we would like people to be subject to biometrics and security checks before arriving here in Canada.
Thank you.
12:25 p.m.
Bloc
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I would like to point out to my honourable colleague that at the moment, people who arrive by Roxham Road get their biometrics done in Canada. If this were really a priority for my colleague, the situation would have been remedied a long time ago. There is a country at war at the moment and people want to get out as quickly as possible. I believe that there is consensus among the opposition parties for us to request that visas be suspended.
I would also like to put forward an amendment in support of my friend Mr. Genuis.
My friend, I very humbly propose adding after “(c) implement visa-free travel from Ukraine to Canada”, “including by the rapid issuance of an electronic travel authorization”. In French, the acronym is AVE.
I don't know whether Mr. Genuis is willing to agree. If so, I'm prepared to vote in favour of his motion.
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe, are you proposing a subamendment to the amendment proposed by Mr. Genuis?
12:30 p.m.
Bloc
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
Yes, I would add, “including by the rapid issuance of an electronic travel authorization”. Is Mr. Genuis agreeable to that?
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
Let me consult the clerk for a second.
Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe, you can propose a subamendment if it is within the scope of the amendment. Can you please read your subamendment so that the clerk can get it and we can see whether it is within the scope of the amendment?
12:30 p.m.
Bloc
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
Yes, all right.
The wording is as follows: “implement visa-free travel from Ukraine to Canada, including by the rapid issuance of an electronic travel authorization”.
It's what Ms. Kwan was talking about earlier.
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe, can you please repeat your subamendment so that the clerk can get it?
12:30 p.m.
Bloc
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
Yes, I'd be happy to repeat it.
The wording would be as follows: “implement visa-free travel from Ukraine to Canada, including by the rapid issuance of an electronic travel authorization”.
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
Can you repeat it again? The clerk is trying to type it. Please go slowly.
12:30 p.m.
Bloc
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
That's what my father always asked me to do.
I would add the following: “implement visa-free travel from Ukraine to Canada, including by the rapid issuance of an electronic travel authorization”.
Would you like me to send it to everyone by email, Madam Chair? I think that would be easier.
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
Please go one word at a time—a bit slower. We have not been able to get it. Can you please repeat it and go very slowly?
12:30 p.m.
Bloc
12:30 p.m.
Bloc
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
That's what I've been saying, Madam Chair. You might be having some trouble hearing, but I have repeated it three times and I could send it by email.
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
Please email it to the clerk of the committee.
We will wait while you email it to the clerk.
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
Thank you, Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe.
Clerk, please go ahead and read the subamendment.
March 1st, 2022 / 12:35 p.m.
The Clerk of the Committee Mr. Paul Cardegna
Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe's amendment would add, at the end of the motion, the following words: “including by the rapid issuance of an electronic travel authorization”.
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Salma Zahid
We now have a subamendment to the amendment proposed.
Mrs. Lalonde, go ahead.
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
Marie-France Lalonde Liberal Orléans, ON
Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
With the circumstances of what's going on, we're trying hard to find a way to come up with a consolidation of goodwill.
My only concern regarding the amendment and the subamendment is that we're still not addressing the security overall. For my colleague from the Bloc Québécois, I do not think the eTA he's proposing as a subamendment actually requires biometrics. So, we still have the same perspective, where individuals.... I know from a government perspective that we have welcomed and processed more than 4,000 individuals from Ukraine who were looking to come to Canada.
That's my only concern. I don't know if Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe wants to elaborate on that, but it still doesn't, in my view, address some of the concerns expressed by my colleague about security here within Canada.