Mr. Speaker, the refugee system does not work. The Immigration and Refugee Board is bankrupt and the government does not have what it takes to fix the problem. However, we do the Reform Party has produced a paper on refugee settlement which contains 13 proposals that would, if enacted, bring genuine refugees to Canada while halting widespread abuse of the system by economic migrants and the immigration industry.
We call for increased co-operation with the UN to bring in more refugees from abroad, tightened airline security, a safe third country list from which people could not make claims, restricted availability of some social services for those who are found not to be genuine refugees, especially legal aid, the dismantling of the IRB and the restoration of accountability in the system, among others. These proposals would bring sense back to the refugee system, would save hundreds of millions of dollars and would protect those most in need.
I sincerely hope the government has the sense to study and implement these reasonable, common sense proposals. Let us make the system work for everybody's interests, not just special interests.