Citizenship and Immigration Committee on Oct. 21st, 2025

[Sameer Zuberi, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Madam Chair, do I have the floor?

It was an imputation on me as a Liberal member.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Okay. Mr.—

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

Can I actually raise a point of order on that question?

Madam Chair, at every meeting, when I ask questions—tough questions—to officials on the Liberal government's failures on the immigration policy, my colleagues in the Liberal Party interrupt me—

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Ms. Rempel Garner, that's—

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

Every time—

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

That is not a point of order, and you know it.

We're going to give another 10 seconds—

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

It is. It's on decorum. It's actually on decorum. My Liberal colleagues continually interrupt me.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Ms. Rempel Garner, that's not a point of order.

Mr. Kochhar, you have 10 seconds to finish up your answer, please.

Then we go to Ms. Zahid.

[Harpreet S. Kochhar]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

What I was mentioning was that, yes, we actually focus our attention first of all on those who are domestic workforce, so that we can retool them so that they can fill in those job market gaps—

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

You're still bringing in hundreds of thousands of temporary workers, aren't you?

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Ms. Rempel Garner, please do not overspeak. It's very hard for the translators.

You have five more seconds, Mr. Kochhar.

[Harpreet S. Kochhar]

What we are planning, as such, is, again, bringing in those skill sets that are not available in Canada.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Thank you so much.

Ms. Zahid.

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

Madam Chair, I rise on a point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

I am listening, Mr. Brunelle‑Duceppe.

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

You referred to this briefly, Madam Chair, but I just want to remind the committee that our wonderful interpreters, who perform outstanding work that is absolutely essential to ensure compliance with the Official Languages Act, have a hard time when everyone is speaking at the same time. I know unilingual anglophones understand each other, but people watching at home are trying to follow the discussion, and unfortunately they can’t. Furthermore, to ensure the health and safety of our interpreters, I kindly ask that each person press their small button when it’s their turn to speak. Let us try not to talk over each other—it will be easier on our ears and support the health and safety of our wonderful interpreters.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Thank you for that reminder, Monsieur Brunelle-Duceppe.

Ms. Zahid, you have six minutes.

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre—Don Valley East, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

Thanks to the witnesses for appearing before the committee.

My first question is for the officials from IRCC.

I would like to talk about the temporary resident pathway for Palestinians in Gaza with Canadian family ties. This program, when it was launched, was launched with great promise and hope, but very few people have gotten out to Canada under this program. Some people who were able to reach Egypt have been stalled there. They have not been able to get out of Egypt.

With a ceasefire in place, what is your department doing to facilitate the safe passage to Canada for qualified extended families of Canadians seeking temporary refuge?

[Harpreet S. Kochhar]

There was one key thing on this one. We created a program that would allow almost 5,000 individuals to apply through the special program in order to come to Canada. The unfortunate part of that was that we had to go through levels of scrutiny and security with COGAT, which is the controlling agency that is part of Israeli defence. It would actually vet those names and, accordingly, release them through the Rafah border.

There were only two borders that were open, Kerem Shalom and Rafah. Since then, Rafah has been closed for many months, so the people have not been able to come out of the Rafah border. However, for those who have made their way by other means—for example, consular cases and others—we have been processing them in Cairo, Egypt. We get the biometrics done and bring them here.

We have some data showing that we have brought almost 700 people to Canada, but they are a combination of consular cases as well as those who have made their way out on their own.

The last point I would make is that the Kerem Shalom border was never actually meant for passage by individuals. It was more like a supply place. We have been able to facilitate the passage of some of them with the help of Israel and Amman, Jordan. We had some who had high medical needs, emergencies, or people who needed immediate attention, for example, vulnerable children and families. That has been accomplished.

Since the ceasefire, we're still waiting for them to actually give us a clear signal, so that we can move forward with our plan, as we did for the 5,000 people.

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre—Don Valley East, ON]

Yes, there is a lot of concern. I have been hearing from constituents about many who are paying for their relatives in Cairo to stay in hotels, just waiting for their cases to be updated, so that is a very big concern for many constituents.

I have also met with representatives of the Hong Kong, Iranian and Sudanese communities who speak of lengthy processing times for programs from these countries.

What is your message to members of these communities who want to be reunited with their families? I heard from a number of Sudanese communities that for some cases in that special program, 99 months of processing time is coming.

[Harpreet S. Kochhar]

For this particular aspect, this was a special program that we launched in such a way that it did not have an upward cap. We have facilitated the program based on the levels that are available to us in the yearly immigration level plan.

The yearly immigration level plan actually sets up a fixed capacity model as to how many people we will need to bring in on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, through a crisis response, as well as for economic and family reunification. That is where we have the constraint. We can accommodate the processing and approval only of those people who fit in that level; hence, the forward-looking processing time looks a little longer.

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre—Don Valley East, ON]

Thank you.

I think all members here agree that a lot of our immigration casework is stalled due to lengthy delays for security screening. Some cases have been pending for years and years. I agree with the importance of a thorough security screening, but the process seems to be a black hole, with no accountability or transparency.

I will also put this to CBSA and RCMP officials in the next hour, but to IRCC, are there any reforms you are planning to improve this process?

[Harpreet S. Kochhar]

We work very closely with CBSA, CSIS, RCMP and other security colleagues in terms of determining risk indicators. These actually determine how much of a security screening or comprehensive security screening is done.

CBSA colleagues are going to be available to answer your question. We have a permanent body of senior officials who work together and readjust the risk barometers so that we can actually facilitate or look at the risk indicators in case we have to tighten those things. This lies squarely with CBSA, RCMP and security partners.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Thank you very much.

Mr. Brunelle‑Duceppe, please proceed.

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

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I thank the witnesses for their appearance today as part of this important study.

My question is for the deputy minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Do you know Mr. Pierre Guay? Does that name sound familiar?