Citizenship and Immigration Committee on Dec. 4th, 2025

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Okay.

Minister, this is extremely important. It's not a rhetorical question. There may be a third referendum coming up in Quebec.

I have to know how principled you are. It's important for me to know whether or not you found that acceptable. If you're unable to answer this question, you're going to leave doubts about your principles when it comes to what may lie ahead in the electoral process.

I'll repeat my question. Do you find it acceptable that Jean Chrétien ordered Mr. Marchi to speed up the processing of citizenship applications so that more people would vote for “no”?

Do you find it acceptable that Mr. Marchi carried out that order?

If you're unable to answer this question, you're going to leave room for doubt.

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

There's absolutely no doubt. I'm working to ensure that our immigration system continues to have integrity—

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Do you find that acceptable, yes or no?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

As I said, I wasn't there at the time—

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Minister, there's a point of order.

Mr. Fragiskatos, go ahead.

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, London Centre, ON]

I'm sorry, Madam Chair, but the topic of today's meeting is the immigration system of the present and the future, so the topic—

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

To speak to the point of order, in my question, I—

Madam Chair, this isn't part of my speaking time.

Right?

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

We've stopped the time, so you still have 30 seconds left.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Okay.

To speak to the point of order, I was talking about the future in my question.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

No. Please continue with your time.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Do you find what happened acceptable, yes or no?

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Procedurally, on that point of order—

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Do you have a point of order?

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Well, you haven't ruled on that, so I'm just making—

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

I said it's not a point of order.

Now I'm going back to the time.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Okay. They are asking for unprecedented powers to extend visas, so it's kind of material.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

It's not a point of order.

Your time starts now, Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

For one last time, do you find that acceptable, yes or no? That will give us an idea of what will happen in the future.

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

I agree to work toward sustainable and honest immigration here, in Canada, Quebec and all the provinces, for all Canadians.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

You've just made it so that people will have doubts at the next referendum, if we're lucky enough to have one, because you're unable to answer a simple question of principle. That, to me, is serious.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Thank you, Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe.

Thank you, Minister Diab.

To finish this round, we are going to Mr. Connors for five minutes.

[Paul Connors, Liberal, Avalon, NL]

Thank you.

It's certainly nice to join the committee today to ask some questions about immigration and not about people and not about past comments on people's capabilities.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Mr. Connors, I'm sorry. I'm going to stop you for a second.

I missed Mr. Davies. I don't know how I did that, so I apologize, Mr. Davies, and I apologize to you, Mr. Connors.

I'm going to begin five minutes with Mr. Davies, and then we'll proceed to Mr. Connors.

Please go ahead.

[Fred Davies, Conservative, Niagara South, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Minister, you rejected all of the amendments this committee duly approved in the legislation. You rejected reasonable amendments related to citizenship tests, background checks and language requirements, all related to chain migration.

Why did you reject these amendments? Why do you think it's unreasonable for new Canadians in a chain migration model to have to speak one of our two official languages, understand our history and prove they're not criminals?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

If you still have any doubt, I appreciate you giving me the opportunity again.

I didn't reject anything. These things were discussed in committee. The committee made decisions. The bill went to the House of Commons, it went to the Senate and the Speaker made some rulings. It proceeded. I am one person in the overall scheme of things.