Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I move that Bill C-12, in clause 56, be amended by replacing lines 17 and 18 on page 24 with the following:
56 Subsection 168(1) of the Act is replaced by the following:
(1) A Division must determine that a proceeding before it has been abandoned if the applicant is in default in the proceedings, including by failing to appear for a hearing, to provide information required by the Division or to communicate with the Division on being requested to do so.
This is what I'd like to call a “show up and give us information” amendment.
Colleagues, further to changes that the Conservatives presented earlier tonight, we would like to direct the IRB to determine a proceeding to be abandoned if the applicant is in default.
As is the case in a fair and transparent process, if an applicant is a no-show to a hearing, that claim should not move forward. If an applicant does not provide the required information in a hearing, that claim should not move forward. If an applicant does not communicate as directed by our immigration officials, that claim should not move forward.
There needs to be some onus on the applicant to actually move along with the process. Canada's immigration system should serve co-operative applicants, applicants who are there and are responding in a timely manner to make the system function. It shouldn't be chasing people who don't bother to show up for hearings. Those willing to come to Canada and follow our laws should take our application system seriously.
Thank you.