Citizenship and Immigration Committee on Feb. 28th, 2024

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Miller, it may not be in this program, but there is a problem in general. It's a fiasco. As you've said, there has been exponential growth over the past eight years.

No one saw this coming, Mr. Miller. You were careful to say that it was a shared responsibility. What is the federal government's share in this catastrophic situation?

I want to share with you one case in particular. A student from India said after his efforts to find housing that his main fear is not being able to find housing.

How could the government let this happen? How could your predecessor let this situation reach such an improvisational level?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

With all due respect, when a foreign student pays $20,000, $30,000, $40,000 and has to show that they have sufficient financial resources, the responsibility to help them find a place to live, if there is one, lies with the institution that welcomes them and that sometimes charges them exorbitant amounts. Then the responsibility goes to the province and then to the federal government.

We have a shared role—

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Pardon me, Mr. Miller—

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

—when it comes to housing. There are a number of initiatives—

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Who grants the visa, Mr. Miller?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

—including by the Université Laval and the University of British Columbia, to make investments in student housing.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Miller, it's a simple question.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Honourable member, I will make sure that you get your time. Let the minister finish, and I will respect your time.

Minister, go ahead.

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

Frankly, the federal government is third on the list when it comes to student housing.

That's not to say we don't have a role to play. We can help the provinces make investments, but—

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Who is responsible for issuing visas, Mr. Miller?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

You're talking to me about the issuing of visas. It's very important. That's why we're taking on more of the responsibility—

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

No.

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

—but jurisdiction over education is largely provincial.

Look at your friend to your left. He will say so loud and clear.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Is the issuing of visas a provincial or a federal responsibility?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

It is the responsibility of the educational institutions that welcome people from abroad to Canada to replenish their coffers—

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Why can't you answer my question?

It's a simple question, Mr. Miller.

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

—to make sure there is housing for students. If they don't, we'll do it for them.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Miller, I know it's very difficult—

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

Honourable member, give me a sign so I can acknowledge you. Then it's easy on the interpreters, and I will respect your time. If you raise your hand, I will certainly acknowledge you.

Honourable member, go ahead, please.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Okay, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Miller, I have a simple question for you: Who is responsible for issuing student visas in Canada?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

The federal government is responsible for issuing student visas as part of an international education program. The provinces and educational institutions have a responsibility with regard to this program.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Who is responsible for the fact that the number of visas has gone from 350,000 to 1 million?

It's not Premier François Legault.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

The time is almost up. Minister, please be brief.

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

It's not the premier that concerns me the most, thank you, but we relied in good faith on the institutions and provinces that sent us these visa applications. Now, under the new measures, we're asking them to take responsibility for those applications.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sukh Dhaliwal]

There's time for a quick question and a quick answer, but no long questions.