Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for raising this issue. The question she had submitted dealt mainly with the Canada-U.S. safe third country agreement. She wanted to know whether we planned to revisit that agreement. My speech will therefore focus primarily on the Canada-U.S. safe third country agreement.
Asylum claims are governed in part by international treaties Canada has signed on to. As such, we have a legal responsibility to assess asylum claims made under these international conventions. That is why the asylum system is fundamentally different from all other areas of immigration.
The Canada-U.S. safe third country agreement is a treaty that was negotiated between Canada and the United States. It is premised on a principle accepted by the United Nations Refugee Agency that individuals should seek asylum in the first safe country they reach. The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act requires the continual review of the U.S. to ensure that the that the conditions that led to its designation as a safe third country continue to be met.
Recent changes to U.S. immigration policy have not affected the functioning of the U.S. asylum system. In fact, as the head of the UNHCR in Canada has indicated on several occasions, the conditions that prevailed at the time of the agreement in 2004 remain the same today, and it would therefore be irresponsible to withdraw from it. The agreement remains an important tool for Canada and the U.S. to work together on the orderly handling of refugee claims made in each of our countries.
That being said, entering Canada illegally between designated points of entry is very dangerous and is considered a violation of the law. Individuals who are intercepted by the RCMP or local law enforcement after crossing the border illegally are brought to an immigration officer who will conduct an examination to determine the identity of the person and their admissibility to Canada. An initial security screening is also conducted to ensure that the individual does not pose a security threat to Canada and to determine whether they are eligible to make a refugee claim.
The Government of Canada recognizes that the increased number of asylum seekers in Canada is putting pressure on the provincial governments' social assistance budgets. If an asylum seeker wants to apply for an open work permit, he or she must first attend the initial interview to determine whether he or she has an eligible asylum claim. The claim must then be sent to the Immigration and Refugee Board.
We have expedited the processing of all applications for work permits submitted by asylum seekers across Canada. This allows them to look for work as soon as possible, so that they can take care of themselves and their families. We will abide by our 30-day service standard.
The Government of Canada is aware of the tragic incident the member mentioned in her speech, and we offer our condolences to the family and friends of the woman who passed away.
I assure my hon. colleagues in the House that our government takes illegal border crossings into Canada very seriously. We are monitoring this situation closely with our colleagues from the Canada Border Services Agency. We will continue to ensure that the Canada-U.S. safe third country agreement is honoured. We will also work with our American counterparts on this matter.