Evidence of meeting #150 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 safe.
A video is available from Parliament.
Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction
I'm aware of that. I'm not familiar with the rationale for doing it. I'm just aware that the cut was made.
Conservative
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Okay, Mr. Minister, we got it.
I want to go back to the safe third country agreement between Canada and the United States, which you talked about in your speech. For us, it has been a major problem for two or two and a half years, You say that you are currently in negotiations with Ms. Nielsen, the United States' Secretary of Homeland Security, and that progress is being made.
What are your intentions, and what are the Americans asking for in the safe third country agreement between Canada and the United States? What are the objectives, the intentions and the demands. What is the progress?
Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction
Since 2017, people have been crossing at irregular border points in order to be exempt from the terms and conditions of the safe third country agreement, which has been in place between Canada and the United States since 2014. It's a bilateral agreement, as you know. It's an agreement that we cannot simply change unilaterally.
We have gone to the United States and we have explained to the Americans some of the challenges we are facing as a result of people crossing irregularly in order to avoid the safe third country agreement provisions. We believe there is an opportunity for the modernization of that agreement, to the mutual benefit of both countries, to deal with issues that have arisen on both sides of the border in a more effective way.
Conservative
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Do you agree, as the Department of Homeland Security has stated, that the United States is a safe country? Do we agree with that?
Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction
The United States is a country that is governed by the rule of law, and it is a safe country.
Conservative
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
You did not answer my question. We are all aware of the safe third country agreement between Canada and the United States and the rules associated with it. We are also aware of the problems caused by the fact that migrants are crossing at places other than official ports of entry. You say that negotiations are going well, but what are you negotiating? What are you asking for from the United States in terms of amendments to the safe third country agreement between Canada and the United States?
Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction
I'm hoping that we will be able, in our discussions and further agreements with the Americans, to ensure that people do not cross irregularly, and that there is no incentive for them to cross irregularly.
I would also like to avoid a situation where people may try to enter the country without being subject to being stopped by the RCMP and CBSA, because that is one way in which our officials are ensuring the safety and security of the country. It's perhaps more complex than some might have suggested.
Conservative
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
I understand that it may be complex, but do you not have a specific proposal, like the ones the Conservatives have, which states that crossing the border anywhere is the same as crossing at an official port of entry?
Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction
Regardless of how anyone enters the country, if they make a claim for asylum, they are entitled to due process under Canadian law and by international convention. We have been taking a number of measures that have been effective, and we believe more can be done to encourage people to enter the country at a regular point of entry to discourage them from coming in irregularly.
Conservative
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
I see that we are not going to be finding out about that today. Perhaps next time.
Let us go back to the budget and the migrants who have crossed the border illegally. Currently, the bill comes to $1.6 billion. That's $1.1 billion directly for federal organizations, but Ontario and Quebec are asking for $500 million.
Do the supplementary estimates contain $500 million for the provinces?
Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction
I would like to clarify, if I may. When a person enters this country, regardless of whether they do it at a point of entry or irregularly, and makes a claim for asylum, their presence in the country ceases to be illegal. I wanted to clarify that for you, because you kept referring to them as illegals once in the country, but the reality is that once they've made an asylum claim—
Conservative
Conservative
Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction
Under our law, they are present legally.
February 25th, 2019 / 4:55 p.m.
Conservative
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
This debate has been going on for two years. I know; I understand completely. But I am talking about the budget, the bills. You may say that these people are crossing the border irregularly, but I use the word illegal for the 40,000 people who have crossed the border and arrived on our doorstep. We know that is costing $1.1 billion over three years in federal government services and that Ontario and Quebec are asking for $500 million to pay their bills for social services. Do the supplementary estimates contain $500 million for those two provinces?
Mr. Chair, this is clearly about the budget. But the minister has no answers.
Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction
Actually, I do. I was just getting some additional information.
First of all, with respect to that money, it is in IRCC's budget and it would be more appropriately addressed at the CIMM committee. However, I'm happy to tell you that people who have come to this country as refugees have historically been a responsibility of all three orders of government, including municipalities, provinces and territories. We have made an effort, for many generations, to ensure that they are appropriately housed and have access, more recently, to medical services and other services while they undergo our legal due process in determining their eligibility to stay.
As a result of an increase in the number of people who have arrived recently, not unlike what we experienced in previous years, we saw that there was an impact—a cost impact—particularly on municipalities. Therefore, we have been working to provide assistance and support to municipalities, which have really stepped up and done an excellent job of providing those individuals with temporary housing.
As you're aware, there are ongoing discussions with the provinces of Ontario and Quebec and with other provinces as well. We see this as very much a cost-sharing partnership among all three orders of government, and we're working hard to make sure that it's done in an appropriate way.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
Thank you, Mr. Paul-Hus. Thank you, in particular, for those questions on the estimates.
Mr. Dubé, you have seven minutes, please.
NDP
Matthew Dubé NDP Beloeil—Chambly, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you for being here today, Mr. Minister.
My first question is about Bill C-415, sponsored by my colleague Murray Rankin. It provides for the removal of the judicial records of those convicted of simple possession of marijuana.
I would like to know whether the government has changed its mind and intends to support this bill. If not, when can we expect the introduction of the bill we were promised the moment the act was passed, a bill that, in a way, would suspend criminal records?
Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction
I'm happy to tell you, Mr. Dubé, that, first of all, I'm very proud of the fact that, as a result of legislation we brought forward on October 17, 2018, we stopped criminalizing Canadians, particularly young Canadians. It was an acknowledgement and recognition that the consequences of a criminal record for simple possession of cannabis were disproportionate to that offence and they were lifelong consequences. We also recognize that it was disproportionately affecting poorer, marginalized and indigenous communities. That ended on October 17.
We've also made a commitment that we will take the steps necessary to deal in an appropriate way with the existing criminal records for simple possession of cannabis. The government has undertaken to do that, and I expect that we'll be moving forward on that in the near future.
Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction
I'm only able to tell this committee that we remain committed to dealing with them in an appropriate way. We are making pardons for that offence accessible to Canadians by addressing the issues of cost, which was prohibitive for some, and the timelines, so that it would be readily accessible to those who seek that pardon.
NDP
Matthew Dubé NDP Beloeil—Chambly, QC
Let me move to another subject. Money laundering is a subject that gets a lot of reaction, especially in British Columbia. Does the RCMP have sufficient resources to investigate the matter properly and for investigations to be duly conducted in the future? Are you able to update us on the situation? From what we read in the news and according to the report that has been tabled, something is definitely missing.