Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Lachine-Lac-Saint-Louis for his speech. I think it was a good speech, although I do not agree with its substance. As he stated, he is a Canadian federalist and I am a sovereignist.
Nevertheless, I should like to pay tribute to the English speaking community in Quebec for its interest, support and financial contributions in the areas of immigration and refugees, especially the Jewish community, which is heavily involved with refugee matters in Montreal and other cities. Having experienced hardship, I believe they never forget it, just as I never lose sight of my immigrant origin.
But I would put the following matter to my fellow member. It is difficult to accept that in regard to international mail, for example, an immigration officer may open and seize international mail if he believes that it may contain identity papers or passports which might be used for fraudulent purposes.
To my knowledge, no democratic country in the world gives civil servants the authority to open mail. It is always up to the judge to do so once reasonable grounds have been established to believe that a crime has been committed or is in the process of being committed.
The other part of my question pertains to senior immigration officers who are entrusted with several new powers. Immigration officers will for instance be authorized to issue warrants for arrest. In all democratic societies, a judge would normally do this, but this bill allows it. What do you say to that?