Citizenship and Immigration Committee on May 4th, 2026

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

As I said, of the 153,000, 78% were already eliminated, because we know who they are and whether they have status, including the 14% who have claimed asylum. Yes, the department would know. On the 22%, work is ongoing to determine how many have left the country.

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

It's a little hard to believe that on March 23 the Auditor General found 153,000 people and then, boom, magically, within a month or so, the problem seems to have been resolved on your end. Still, there are 21,420 people you're looking into, and there's concern about people being in our communities.

Astoundingly, Mr. Gallivan testified that there was no entry/exit system in place in your department. The question is why. The government has been in power for 11 years now. This is the 11th year. Canadians want to know, and we want to know, why there would be no entry/exit system in place.

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

Well, that's a good question. I wondered the same thing. But that's how Canada has been throughout its history. This is nothing new. Canada has never, ever had that, ever since Canada was created.

I agree with you. We should have it. We are working toward it, which is the good news. I agree with you.

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

You let in record numbers of people—millions and millions of people—over the past 11 years with no control, no record and no way of having an entry/exit system. I'm glad you agree with me, because it's obviously a major failure of the government over the past 11 years. That's who you're representing here today.

I'll pass the rest of my time to Mr. Ho.

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

Minister, according to the AG report, 549,000 study permits expired in 2024, and 39,500 people appeared to have no status, with only 16,000 confirmed departures. Do you know where the rest of them are?

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

Again, that is exactly why we've implemented what we have, in order to determine each case in terms of where they are. Those who have departed are gone. Those who have not will have their cases flagged with CBSA for deportation—

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

You weren't tracking them, then.

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

—but also with IRCC so that if they apply for anything at all, it will be there. They would be subject to deportation—

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

So you weren't tracking them at all.

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

—and non-entry to Canada for five years.

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

Basically, you weren't tracking them at all.

How many of the 23,500 people remaining, who are still in Canada with no status, as found in the AG report, have ties to any terrorist-linked entities?

[Ted Gallivan]

Madam Chair, may I answer that?

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Please go ahead.

[Ted Gallivan]

These applicants are security-screened before they enter into the country. While imperfect, that screen would have been applied for people coming in. To the extent that the security screening apparatus is effective, that is the control.

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

So there's none, then.

I'd like to get the answer from the minister.

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

Please ask your question again.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

You have one minute.

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

How many of the 23,500 people have ties to terrorist entities?

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

They were all security-screened prior to entering Canada in the first place.

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

Minister, your department used a blanket light-touch approach to study permit extensions, even when the AG said a few weeks ago that it should not have used it for high-risk countries. How can Canadians know that terrorists, like the one you let in just last week, didn't slip through the cracks?

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

There are a lot of checks and balances in our immigration system. Pre-arrival, before people land, when they are at the border, the system is being enhanced—

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

Are the checks and balances working?

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

They are. They are working.

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

Oh, is that right? Of the 153,000 non-compliant study permits, you said earlier that 14% have claimed asylum, so about 21,000 people. How many of these are IRGC or regime-linked individuals? Are you tracking that?

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

Again, as I said before, these students, or former students, were all screened prior to being admitted as students on student visas, prior to entry to Canada.