Mr. Speaker, it is too early to answer these questions in detail. However, I can tell my hon. colleague that we had the same problem with regard to refugees. It is possible to ask very specific questions to determine if people who wish to immigrate have really lived together, for instance for several years, and if they truly have spousal status.
In the Province of Quebec, where I come from, the legislation allows same sex spouses to receive some benefits from the provincial government. The beneficiaries only have to prove that they have been living together for a specific period of time. I believe we could apply the same rules in the case of immigration.