Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to speak on third reading of Bill C-35.
First I want to thank all members of the House for their co-operation and goodwill in seeing the bill through. Although the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Act is essentially a housekeeping measure, members from all parties have offered some very thoughtful and helpful comments.
The bill has a straightforward and clear purpose: to provide a standard legislative basis for the Department of Citizenship and Immigration. The department now exists by virtue of Order in Council. For all its brevity and clarity the bill is significant for several reasons.
One of the Prime Minister's first decisions-perhaps the hon. member for Beaver River would like to listen-on assuming office last fall was to create the new department. All members know why he gave it this priority.
During the election campaign the Prime Minister spoke vigorously on the issue. Continuing to include immigration within a department of public security would send precisely the wrong message to Canadians and the international community.
The bill carries through on the principles of the red book where we called for a dynamic approach to immigration, balancing humanitarian considerations with our demographic and economic needs.
Under Bill C-35 the structure of the department will reflect that balanced approach. Joining citizenship with immigration has a compelling logic. It is a natural fit. To acquire citizenship is a significant step in integrating newcomers into Canadian society. It means making a personal commitment to Canada and understanding the requirements, privileges and responsibilities of becoming Canadians.
Citizenship completes the process begun by immigration. The department believes that citizenship and immigration spring from the same common values and aims. My hon. friend from Hamilton-Wentworth put it rather well in the House the other day. He said that immigration is the body of this country and citizenship is the soul. So the department makes good common sense in the way it brings together the operational policy and promotional aspects of both citizenship and immigration.
The new department was created from parts of three others. Forging a common sense of purpose is not something that can be done overnight merely by order in council. Nearly 20 years ago the distinguished novelist and physicist C. P. Snow said that Canada has the finest civil service in the world today. I suspect that most Canadians do not realize it but it is a fact recognized by civil servants everywhere in the world. I hope that hon. members agree with me when I say that we want to be able to say that again, and sooner rather than later.
With a legislative basis staff can concentrate on even more efficient delivery of services, knowing that their careers can progress on the same terms as in any other department. More important, as the minister said in the House on second reading, the legislation modernizes and streamlines the government to meet the needs of Canadians and gives us the tools we need to deal effectively with the myriad complex issues of citizenship and immigration.
By taking programs, resources and responsibilities from several different departments and consolidating them in one department we make the government more accountable and more open.
The department has a clear and logical continuum of responsibilities, stretching from the time someone applies to come to Canada to the time she or he takes on the obligations of being a citizen. These responsibilities include immigration applications, immigration levels and selection, federal-provincial relations on immigration, visa requirements, refugee matters, enforcement, settlement, citizenship applications and registration, and citizenship promotion.
Of course, citizenship does not end with swearing an oath and acquiring a document. In some ways it is only the beginning. That is why the new department will take a lead role in strengthening the values, identity and commitment required of all citizens, those who are born here and those who choose to come here. Citizenship, like immigration, is a two-way street.
This week marks the 125th anniversary of Canada's immigration service. Indeed, today is the day. This bill marks one more step forward in our country's evolving and progressive history of citizenship and immigration legislation. This legislation will establish the integrated and simplified framework we need to address the challenges and the tremendous opportunities offered by immigration and citizenship.
All members of Parliament recognize the need to overhaul our immigration policies and to consider the long term role of immigration and nation building. All of us recognize the need to improve the system. All of us know the importance of redefining and reinforcing our citizenship policies. All of us understand the profound effect that migration issues are having upon the world today.
This government has moved actively on these important matters and we will continue to move actively. We are doing so, I believe, with a real sense of co-operation from all sides of this House. As Canadians we need to think about immigration in a bigger way. We need to get a clearer sense of where we are going and what kind of country we are building for the future. We have to clean up the problems with our immigration system, to stop the small number of abusers who undermine the overwhelming majority of hard working and honest newcomers.
A Canadian author once said that the refugee is the every man and every woman of our time. We have to push even harder to ensure that the international community comes to grips with the problems confronting 20 million refugees every year, and especially the question of protecting women who are fleeing gender-based persecution.
The government has acted on this and it will continue to act and we do so with the co-operation of everyone in the House of Commons. With the legislation to establish the Department of Citizenship and Immigration, we will have the integrated and simplified structure that is essential for solving problems and taking advantage of the tremendous opportunities for immigration and citizenship.
This legislation establishes a modern, efficient and intelligent structure. With this structure we will be better equipped to introduce and carry through on fair and open policies to reunite families, offer safe haven for refugees, use immigration as a building block for economic growth and promote the concept and principles of citizenship.
The legislation is obviously not designed to lay out specific details of immigration and citizenship policies. What Bill C-35 does do is create a contemporary department that is best organized to carry out the policies we eventually agree on.
Madam Speaker, I began by saying that the legislation is short and straightforward and it is important.
I therefore urge members of the House of Commons to pass this bill without delay so that we can improve citizenship and immigration policies and thus contribute to our country's progress. This legislation is a step forward.
With this positive step forward Canada and all Canadians will benefit.