Evidence of meeting #126 for Public Safety and National Security in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was crime.
A video is available from Parliament.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
But what does success look like? Is it zero? Is it 10,000? Is it 20,000? What are you managing to?
3:50 p.m.
Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction
Success would be that all people coming to this country would cross at a regular border point.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
So zero—you don't want anybody to illegally cross the border from the United States into Canada.
3:50 p.m.
Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction
We're going to do everything we can to encourage people to cross regularly into our borders.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
How many are you going to allow? What is that number?
3:50 p.m.
Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction
We are going to deal with everyone who comes to our border according to Canadian law and international convention.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
If you don't have a mandate to stop people, what are you going to tell the Secretary of Homeland Security in the U.S.? What's the number that you're going to tell him you'd like to get to? Is it zero?
3:50 p.m.
Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction
It's actually a “her”. It's Secretary Nielsen.
3:50 p.m.
Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction
What I am going to say is that I believe there are opportunities to negotiate and enhance a safe third country agreement that will operate more effectively to the mutual benefit of both countries.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
But you can't negotiate that without understanding if you want to stop this phenomenon. Are you going to the negotiating table with the Americans saying, “We would like to stop this from occurring and get to zero”?
3:50 p.m.
Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction
The original intent of the safe third country agreement, when it was signed in 2004, was to more effectively manage the migration of people through regular border points. I am aim towards working with the Secretary in the United States to ensure—
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
So you don't have a number that you're trying to reduce it to.
3:50 p.m.
Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction
As I've said, ideally we will—
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
3:50 p.m.
Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction
—encourage everyone who comes to Canada's borders to cross at a regular border point.
3:50 p.m.
Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction
We will encourage everyone who comes to Canada to cross into the country at a regular border point.
3:50 p.m.
Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction
Success is getting everyone who comes to this country—
3:50 p.m.
Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction
—to cross into the country at a regular border point.
3:50 p.m.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Well, that is frightening.
Your government said that you would be agreeing to pay for hotel rooms until September 30 for the illegal border crossers who are currently in the greater Toronto area. Will you be continuing to pay for hotel rooms after September 30?