Debates of Jan. 30th, 2012

Question No. 282

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

With respect to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration’s power to exercise discretionary authority under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) to permit an individual, who would otherwise be inadmissible, to enter Canada: (a) how many times has the Minister exercised his discretionary authority in the last five years; and (b) in each such case, what reasons were provided to the Minister to explain why the individual had been deemed inadmissible?

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a), from 2005 to 2011, the minister exercised his authority to issue a temporary resident permit, TRP, a total of 2,167 times.

With regard to (b), given the number of cases involved, it would be extremely difficult and time-consuming for the Department of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, CIC, to provide the reasons for refusal for each case in which a TRP was issued. However, the most prevalent reasons for refusal are non-compliance with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, IRPA. Non-compliance means an applicant directly or indirectly failed to satisfy the requirements of the act or the regulations.

Some examples are as follows: an individual was not examined when he or she entered Canada; an individual did not obtain a temporary resident visa (TRV) because a visa officer was not satisfied he or she was a genuine temporary resident to Canada who would leave at the end of an authorized stay; an individual’s visa expired before he or she entered Canada; an individual did not have a passport or it expired before he or she entered Canada;an individual overstayed his or her period of authorized stay; or an individual worked or studied without authorization, a permit.

The number of TRPs issued by the minister and delegated officials of both CIC and Canada Border Service Agency, CBSA, is included in the annual reports to Parliament on immigration, which can be found at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/pub/annual-report-2011.pdf.

Question No. 284

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

How many foreign nationals does the government estimate are currently in Canada without permanent or temporary working visas or student visas?

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, it is currently not possible to provide an accurate estimate of the number of foreign nationals in Canada without permanent or temporary working visas or student visas. A more accurate picture would only be possible with exit tracking. The integrated entry and exit system that will be introduced under the Canada-U.S. perimeter security and economic competitiveness action plan will contribute to this objective.

However, it is important to note that there are a number of ways a foreign national could be in Canada without a permanent or temporary visa or student visa. Examples include students in an educational program of less than three months; temporary foreign workers covered by international agreements, e.g., NAFTA); refugee claimants; and tourists from exempt visa countries.

Question No. 285

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

With respect to individuals in Canada on temporary resident visas, does the government record the number of individuals who return to their home countries after their temporary resident visa has expired and, if so, how many foreign nationals do not return to their home countries once the temporary resident visa has expired?

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, the department tracks and has data on those who apply for temporary resident visas and their arrival into Canada. As Canada does not maintain exit controls or monitor temporary residents once in Canada, we are unable to provide statistics on overstays or returns.

Question No. 288

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Beauséjour, NB]

With regard to the Gulf Fisheries Centre, located in Moncton, New Brunswick: (a) what are the terms and conditions of the shared ownership of the building between Public Works and Government Services Canada and SNC Lavalin; (b) what decision-making role does SNC Lavalin have in terms of requests for renovations and structural changes to the Gulf Fisheries Centre; (c) what decision-making role does SNC Lavalin have with regard to the potential sale of the Gulf Fisheries Centre; and (d) what are the terms and conditions of revenue sharing between Public Works and Government Services Canada and SNC Lavalin should the Gulf Fisheries Centre ever be sold?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a), the facility is a wholly crown-owned facility; therefore, there is no shared ownership of the Gulf Fisheries Centre.

With regard to (b), SNC Lavalin is required to identify, on an annual basis, repair and capital project work plans that are based on recommendations from building technical inspections or audits. Public Works and Government Services Canada then determines which of those projects will be approved and funded.

With regard to (c), SNC Lavalin has no decision-making role related to any potential sale of the Gulf Fisheries Centre.

With regard to (d), as per the aforementioned, the Gulf Fisheries Centre is a wholly crown-owned facility and SNC Lavalin is not a co-owner; therefore, there are no terms and conditions of revenue sharing between Public Works and Government Services Canada and SNC Lavalin.

Question No. 291

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Beauséjour, NB]

With regard to all expenditures under $10,000 by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency since January 1, 2006, what are the details of these expenditures, categorized by (i) the names of the people or organizations to whom the expenditures were made, (ii) the amounts of the expenditures per recipient, (iii) the dates the expenditures were issued, (iv) the description of the purpose of each expenditure?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) (La Francophonie)]

Mr. Speaker, producing the information requested would involve translating and manually reviewing thousands of records and descriptions. In addition to being cost-prohibitive, producing and translating such a voluminous response is not feasible in the time period required for this reply.

Question No. 292

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

With regard to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans' (DFO) budget cuts, including the loss of approximately 275 jobs over the next three years: (a) in what regions will these job losses occur; (b) in what DFO branches will the job losses occur; (c) how many jobs will be lost through (i) attrition, (ii) retirement, (iii) relocation; (d) what is the total payroll for employees that are expected to be cut; (e) what levels of public service seniority are expected to be most affected; (f) what is the projected impact on services to (i) fishers, (ii) the aquaculture industry; (g) how will DFO integrated management plans be affected; (h) how will the output of scientific data, studies, and reports be affected; (i) have any senior DFO officials been offered or given salary bonuses based on how much is cut from their specific budgets; and (j) what is the total DFO expenditure for these types of bonuses thus far in 2011?

[Keith Ashfield, Conservative, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a) and (b), staffing adjustments are the result of a national initiative and will occur in all regions and branches.

With regard to (c), at this time the department has only issued “affected” letters. As of now, we do not have indications from the employees if they are opting for retirement or other options. The department’s annual attrition rate is 2%-6%, depending on the position.

With regard to (d), savings in staff salaries is estimated to be $25,562,700.00.

With regard to (e), strategic review decisions were not based on the seniority of individual employees.

With regard to (f)(i) and (f)(ii), the implementation of this proposal will result in more transparent service standards for all stakeholders. Modernizing the fisheries management program and DFO in general will enable fish harvesters and the aquaculture industry to operate in an environment where stability, predictability and transparency will allow them to make more informed business choices and decisions for the long term.

With regard to (g), the use of multi-year integrated fisheries management plans will be expanded.

Where this approach does not already exist, fisheries management plans will be put on a stable, multi-year planning cycle, which means that plans are put in place for several years. This eliminates the instability for the industry that results from annual approaches. The industry will be better able to plan for the long term and maximize the potential of the harvest.

Many fisheries do not show significant variation in stock status from year to year. These fisheries do not require detailed annual re-evaluations of their management plans.

With regard to (h), Fisheries and Oceans Canada believes science is an essential contributor to all resource management decision-making and that the management of science must continue to build upon the transformation already under way in order to complement efforts to modernize fisheries management and to strengthen its regulatory role. To achieve these objectives, DFO is accelerating the implementation of multi-year science to include many of the commercial stocks that the department manages but which show little year-to-year variation. This action will result in greater predictability of resource access for commercial fish harvesters. The continued transition to an ecosystem approach to science will put greater emphasis on scientists working in teams to address complex interrelated issues affecting fish, fish habitat and the integrity of aquatic environments. While the department will cease to conduct research on fish production issues in the aquaculture industry as this task is not aligned with the Department’s core mandate, it will focus its aquaculture science activities in support of its regulatory duties related to fish health and environmental interactions. Finally, consolidation of the administrative management and priority-setting process with the Canadian Hydrographic Service will ensure that resources are focused on the high-priority charting activities that are most needed.

With regard to (i) and (j), there have been no salary bonuses based on budget cuts.

Question No. 297

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

With regard to the funding of enterprises and projects by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA): (a) which enterprises or which projects that received direct or indirect funding from CIDA for fiscal years 2009, 2010 and 2011 have declared bankruptcy; (b) of these enterprises, which ones have not paid their Canadian employees or subcontractors; and (c) is the department continuing to fund enterprises that have declared bankruptcy, knowing that they have not paid their employees or subcontractors following their bankruptcy?

[Bev Oda, Conservative, Minister of International Cooperation]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a), the fiduciary risk of enterprises and partners is assessed by the Canadian International Development Agency, CIDA, as part of rigorous due diligence in advance of project investment and funding decisions. Agency corporate data systems do not retain information on enterprises or partners that received direct or indirect funding and have subsequently declared bankruptcy. A complete response would require additional time to compile the information requested, following a review of individual projects.

With regard to (b), the agency does not gather third party information related to enterprises’ agreements with their subcontractors, consultants or employees. The agency takes considerable care not to interfere in the commercial dealings between enterprises and their subcontractors, consultants or employees in order to mitigate risks as well as limit potential legal liability to the crown.

With regard to (c), the agency will not knowingly fund or make payments to a partner organization or enterprise that has declared bankruptcy. Furthermore, as a condition to release of holdbacks and final payment, contractual agreements signed with enterprises require prior certification that all financial obligations to employees, sub-contractors or suppliers have been fully discharged. When the agency has been made aware of false declarations on the part of enterprises, they will be pursued by the agency to the full extent of the law.

An important distinction should be made between enterprises that have declared bankruptcy and those that may have legally sought temporary protection from creditors through the courts in order to restructure operations to avoid bankruptcy. In such rare situations, the agency will work constructively with all stakeholders and will endeavour to ensure that enterprises in receipt of CIDA funding conduct their affairs in manner that abides with the laws of Canada, particularly with respect to Canadian subcontractors, employees and suppliers.

Question No. 299

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

With regard to the Department of National Defence, how much did the department spend to conduct the reconnaissance flight to find a suitable landing spot near the Burnt Rattle fishing camp on the Gander River to pick up the Minister of National Defence in July 2010?

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, no dedicated reconnaissance flight was conducted for this mission. The reconnaissance was conducted by the standby crew on a normal training flight in Newfoundland. On their return to 9 Wing Gander, they overflew the area in question to conduct the reconnaissance. The added time to overfly the area was negligible and did not result in any additional costs.

Question No. 303

[Ted Hsu, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

With regard to the criteria governing the granting of single and multiple entry visas: (a) what are the criteria used to determine whether an applicant is approved or rejected for a single-entry visa; (b) what are the criteria used to determine whether an applicant is approved or rejected for a multiple-entry visa; and (c) what are the reasons that an applicant might be granted a single-entry visa but denied a multiple-entry visa?

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to the criteria governing the granting of single and multiple entry visas and with regard to (a), the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act gives visa officers outside Canada the authority to review temporary resident visa applications and make their decisions based on the criteria outlined in the act and the regulations.

Visa officers consider several factors before deciding if a person is admissible. The person must be a genuine visitor to Canada who will leave at the end of the visit. In addition, the visa officer must be satisfied that the applicant is not inadmissible to Canada according to the Act. The applicant may be considered inadmissible under grounds related to security, human or international rights violations, criminality, organized crime, health, or financial reasons. A visa will be issued if all regulatory requirements and eligibility criteria are satisfied.

With regard to (b),the criteria for multiple entry visas are the same as above.

With regard to (c), the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act gives visa officers outside Canada the authority to review temporary resident visa applications and make their decisions based on the criteria outlined in the act and the regulations. Applicants indicate on their application form if they wish a single-entry or multiple-entry visa and pay the requisite fee. In Canadian dollars, the processing fee for a single-entry visa is $75, while a multiple-entry is $150. An applicant who has requested a multiple-entry visa but who has only paid the processing fee for a single-entry visa would be issued a single-entry visa.

If the applicant has requested and paid the processing fee for a multiple-entry visa, a multiple-entry visa would normally be issued. The departmental procedure, as outlined in the operational manual, is that if officers have doubts about issuing a multiple entry visa, they should normally refuse the application rather than compromise and grant a single-entry visa. However, in some circumstances, an officer may decide to issue a single-entry visa based on the particulars of the case and must justify this in the case notes. An example of such circumstance would be when the purpose of the applicant’s travel is to attend a singular event and is being funded by a credible third party.

Question No. 307

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

With regard to the Department of Natural Resources and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, as a follow-up to Q-85 and Q-92, given that the Low Level Radioactive Waste Management Office (LLRWMO) has a mandate to service all of Canada and the Port Hope Area Initiative Management Office has a mandate to service only the Port Hope area, what are the reasons why the Port Hope Area Initiative Management Office currently employs more than three times as many staff as the LLRWMO?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, the low-level radioactive waste management office, the LLRWMO, was established by the Government of Canada in 1982, as a distinct unit within Atomic Energy of Canada Limited. The mandate of the LLRWMO when it was established was to clean up and dispose of historic wastes. Historic wastes are defined as those that have been managed in a manner that is no longer appropriate, for which the owner or producer cannot be identified or held reasonably responsible, and for which the Government of Canada has accepted responsibility.

The bulk of Canada’s historic wastes, more than 90%, are located in the Port Hope area of southeastern Ontario. In 2009, the Port Hope Area Initiative Management Office, the PHAI MO, was established as a limited-term, dedicated management office with the overall responsibility to plan, manage and implement the cleanup of historic low-level radioactive wastes within the Port Hope area. Once the cleanup is completed, the PHAI MO will be disbanded.

The LLRWMO continues to provide ongoing monitoring, inspection and maintenance at numerous smaller scale historic waste sites across Canada. The LLRWMO’s staff reflects its current level of activities.

Question No. 308

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Does the Department of Natural Resources have any plans to abolish the Low Level Radioactive Waste Management Office or merge it with another office?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Office, LLRWMO, was established by the Government of Canada in 1982, with a mandate to resolve federal and historic low-level radioactive waste responsibilities.

There are no plans to abolish the LLRWMO or to merge it with another office as there is an ongoing need to clean up and manage historic waste that is a federal responsibility.

Question No. 310

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

With regard to the Prime Minister’s Office and the Privy Council Office, for all correspondence they have received between February 6, 2006, and December 1, 2011, and which was addressed to the Prime Minister, how many pieces of correspondence had personal contact information recorded and transferred to the Conservative Party of Canada?

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, the Privy Council Office, PCO, has not recorded and transferred any personal contact information from correspondence to the Conservative Party of Canada.

Question No. 315

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

With regard to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, does the department have any plans to close Canadian embassies, consulates or missions abroad and, if so, which ones?