Mr. Speaker, the right of landing fee is a discriminatory head tax which penalizes genuine refugees seeking protection in Canada. It is ludicrous to offer them financial assistance through resettlement on the one hand and then force them to go into debt in order to pay this head tax on the other. On October 7, 1997, I introduced a private member's bill calling for the elimination of the right of landing fee.
Canadians are compassionate and tolerant people. Why can this government not learn from its citizens, show a bit of compassion and eliminate this head tax for refugees?