Citizenship and Immigration Committee on June 1st, 2026

[Catherine Scott]

Both provinces have used a job fair model with employer participation. This approach enabled asylum seekers to see the employment and housing opportunities available in those two provinces. I think it was a fairly easy approach.

[The Vice-Chair, Bloc, Alexis Deschênes]

It's understood, then, that if the other provinces also agreed to sign an agreement with the federal government, the department could apply the same formula and achieve the minister's objective, which is to distribute asylum seekers equitably among the provinces.

[Catherine Scott]

As I mentioned earlier, these two agreements have been in place for barely a year. It's a model that we obviously want to try to replicate elsewhere. For the time being, I think it's an interesting model that seems to be working quite well.

[The Vice-Chair, Bloc, Alexis Deschênes]

Thank you, Ms. Scott.

I'll give the rest of my time to Mr. Menegakis.

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

Thank you very much.

I would like a simple number on the question of the 74,000 failed asylum claimants getting luxury benefits. What is the total cost to taxpayers for health coverage for the failed 74,000? Do you have a number?

[Catherine Scott]

I do not have that number. What I can say is that the Parliamentary Budget Officer—

[Natilien Joseph, Liberal, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Vice-Chair, Bloc, Alexis Deschênes]

Go ahead, Mr. Joseph.

[Natilien Joseph, Liberal, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

My colleague may have been right. I'm also having trouble hearing the interpretation.

[The Vice-Chair, Bloc, Alexis Deschênes]

I'm going to ask you to turn up the volume on your earpiece, Mr. Joseph, and pay close attention.

[Natilien Joseph, Liberal, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

I am.

[The Vice-Chair, Bloc, Alexis Deschênes]

You have two minutes left, Mr. Menegakis.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

You don't have a number for me. We wouldn't, for example, be able to determine what the cost per person is for the luxury benefits these people are getting. These are 74,000 people who don't have a right to be in Canada. They don't have asylum seeker status, but they're getting benefits.

You indicated earlier that they will continue to get benefits until they leave the country. Why?

[Catherine Scott]

Failed asylum claimants are eligible for IFHP coverage until their claims have been fully and finally assessed and they're found not to be in need of Canada's protection.

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

Why would that be? A Canadian citizen who leaves the country for more than six months and comes back loses their benefits. In Ontario, they have to wait to get their OHIP card. It can take up to three months to get it and to get services.

These people don't have a right to be here. It's a failed asylum claim, yet they will get luxury benefits that Canadians don't get. Do you think that's fair for Canadians?

[Catherine Scott]

The IFHP is aligned closely with provincial and territorial health programs that are provided, for example—

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

It's not aligned with logic. I'm talking logic.

[Catherine Scott]

—to social assistance recipients or disability program recipients.

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

I think you would be hard pressed to find a Canadian who would agree with you on that point. It's not aligned with any kind of logic that someone who does not have a right to be in the country gets luxury benefits that Canadians don't get.

Is that it for my time?

[The Vice-Chair, Bloc, Alexis Deschênes]

You have five seconds left.

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

Thank you very much for being here.

[The Vice-Chair, Bloc, Alexis Deschênes]

I want to give a heartfelt thank you to Mr. Hollman and Ms. Scott for being here today.

I also want to thank all the other witnesses who have taken part in this important study on the distribution of asylum seekers among the provinces.

That concludes this study. I'd like to wish you a great day.

For committee members, we will be meeting on Wednesday, June 3, to start a new study.

The meeting is adjourned.