Citizenship and Immigration Committee on April 29th, 2026

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Mr. Simard, your six minutes are up. Thank you.

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Sorry, Madam Chair. I have a quick point of order.

Since the beginning of the meeting, I haven't been able to hear the interpretation when you speak.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

I'm sorry. Can you hear me?

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

I can't currently hear you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

That's a problem.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Can you hear me?

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

I can talk like this all day, if you like.

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

No. I can hear the witnesses, but I can't hear you, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

We'll get IT to fix it.

Your time is up.

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

I can't hear you, but I understand that my time is up. I don't understand English, but I do understand sign language.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Ha, ha!

Thank you, Mr. Simard.

We are now going to our second round, where people will have five minutes.

We will start with Ms. Rempel Garner for five minutes.

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

Thank you, Chair.

I'll direct my question to Ms. Maulfair.

You have criticized recent Canadian measures in Bill C‑12 aimed at faster processing and eligibility rules. Can you point to any other major resettlement country that grants unfettered access to asylum claims filed more than a year later or made from irregular crossings? Could you explain why Canada should have a different standard than a country like Australia?

[Tracey Maulfair]

Thank you.

I'd just like to clarify. We have not criticized the measures. We have offered ways that we thought they could be improved on, moving forward, and I would respectfully say so.

In that—

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

Okay. I have very little time.

The other question I wanted to ask is.... Your organization has been very vocal about the need for...about your organization wanting Canada to take on more refugees. I'm wondering why the UNHCR has been far less vocal about asking wealthy non-western states such as the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, which host virtually zero refugees under the 1951 convention. I know they're not part of it, but why haven't you advocated for more refugees for them, given their significant resources?

[Tracey Maulfair]

We actually advocate for the right to asylum to be recognized worldwide and for people who are fleeing from persecution and conflict to be accepted—

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

Do you think the GCC countries should take more than they do right now?

[Tracey Maulfair]

We think everybody should take refugees who show up at their borders. It's part of international humanitarian law.

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

How come the UNHCR hasn't been more aggressive about asking the GCC countries to take more refugees? I don't see any statements calling on them. You frequently ask Canada to take more. Why not the GCC?

[Tracey Maulfair]

We advocate with all different governments. It's not something that we do publicly in the paper. It's working with governments, like we work very closely with Canada, with the IRCC and the IRB—

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

Right, but you do publicly for Canada, though. I mean, you come to committee and.... I've been on this committee for many years, and UNHCR has always publicly advocated for increased numbers. I'm just wondering why there's a dichotomy there.

[Tracey Maulfair]

There actually isn't a dichotomy. Wherever we advocate, we ask for refugees to be received in the country they're coming to. Refugees who come here, we ask to be received. Refugees who go to GCC countries, we ask to be received.

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

Just to be clear, the UNHCR's position is that GCC countries should take more refugees from you.

[Tracey Maulfair]

We think that refugees should be accepted wherever they show up, at anyone's border: GCC, Canada, Australia.

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

Do you think the U.S. is a safe third country for people to make refugee claims in?

[Tracey Maulfair]

The safe third country agreement is an agreement between Canada and the U.S. that UNHCR was not actually involved in. We don't pronounce upon bilateral agreements. It's not really our place to make a pronouncement on that.