Debates of Oct. 20th, 2025

Strengthening Canada's Immigration System and Borders Act

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, it was not 10,000; I believe it was closer to 60,000 in 2012.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, John Nater]

That is not a point of order; that is debate.

The hon. member can resume her answer.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I get that the Liberals want to silence me, but, again, I got the information right off their website. Do they not know how to use the Google machine?

It was fewer than 10,000 when they formed government. Today it is almost 300,000, after they hashtagged “WelcomeToCanada” to every economic migrant in the United States. This is insane. I wish we had our former immigration minister back. This never would have happened. The bill never would have been here.

Now, today, the Liberals had better not punt the issue back to the courts, and they had better fix the system.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Health studied the issue of the toxic drug crisis, and several witnesses told us that there needs to be better control of precursors, the substances used in the manufacture of drugs such as fentanyl.

I would like to know what my colleague thinks about part 2 of the bill, which gives the Minister of Health additional powers with respect to precursors.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have a couple of things. I am speaking to the immigration provisions in the bill.

My colleague mentioned health. The impact that the government's completely bananas, unsustainable levels of temporary residents and letting the asylum system get out of control has had on our health system needs to be measured and be dealt with.

With regard to fentanyl, I will note that this week the Canada Border Services Agency issued a very important tweet about apprehending paper plates. I am wondering what it is doing with fentanyl precursors.

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Crowfoot, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I listened to the member's speech, and yes, eight years ago the government, through a deliberate choice of the then prime minister, blew up the asylum system, and the conflation of economic migrants and asylum seekers began.

We have been in opposition for the tenure of the government. The government then purports to table a solution in the bill to a problem we have spent eight years trying to explain, and we have been called horrible names, horrible things, over the years.

Could the member tell the House just how much credit the government deserves for at least finally tabling something to acknowledge the problem it created?

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, in Greek mythology there is a character called Cassandra, who was fated to know the future and have nobody believe her.

I know that colleagues on this side believed me when I said that tweeting “#WelcomeToCanada” and then rolling out a literal actual red carpet at Roxham Road and instructing the RCMP to help illegal border crossers with their baggage was going to be a problem with the asylum system. The Liberals did not believe me, but here we are today.

The Liberals created this mess. The bill is going to punt stuff to the courts. I guarantee it will. I guarantee it is going to incentivize more response. They need to amend it. There need to be better solutions. They need to stop the incentivization of the abuse of the asylum system, so we can protect the world's most vulnerable.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I would love to dive into some of the refugee questions, but I know the member's knowledge of this place, and I wonder whether she would agree with me that the change from Bill C-2 to Bill C-12 still leaves us with an omnibus bill.

The member has chosen to focus on the refugee portions, which I appreciate. I am very concerned about the refugee portions of Bill C-2 and now Bill C-12. They are almost the same. They would get rid of the warrantless access to private information by Canada Post and Internet providers, but not the concerning parts.

When we have an omnibus bill like this, it means that one committee studies the whole bill. Would the member agree with me that it would be better to split the bill up so the committee on immigration could study and call witnesses only on the immigration portions of the bill?

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, where I will agree with my colleague is on what we have seen with the Liberals in their omnibus bills. They consistently want to push a narrative to Canadians that somehow they have to sacrifice their civil liberties in order for the government to fix messes of its own making.

I think that what the Liberals have done with the immigration provisions in the bill is to purposely design a bill to punt the issue off to the courts so the Liberals can somehow skate through while the system continues to get worse. That is not going to help.

I encourage people who have viewpoints on this issue, experts in the field, to either refute or support my hypothesis and also to come up with constructive ways to help parliamentarians modernize the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act so we can protect the world's most vulnerable people, restore order and fairness to the system, and stop the incentivization of abuse on our once fair and wonderful asylum system.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, the point I am trying to get across to the member is this. At the end of the day, there were changes made under Jason Kenney because of a serious issue in 2012, 2011 and 2010, which happened to be at the same time the member's leader was part of the government. The then government had to deal with asylum claims that hit 60,000 in one year.

Now fast-forward, and we have a situation, because of a number of factors, some of which are beyond the federal government's control, that dictates that we again make changes. Would the member not agree that in order to protect the integrity of the system, yes, Bill C-12 would address the issue?

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, since we are going through history, I will say that Jason Kenney, bless him, had to impose a visa on Mexicans because of the number of bogus asylum claimants there were. What did the Liberals do as soon as they came into office? They immediately reversed it. Now, after that, there have been over 60,000 asylum claims. Whose fault was that? Was it Jason Kenney who reversed the visas? No, it was the Liberals.

Come on. I am so tired of the Liberals' trying to say anything. They just try to absolve themselves of responsibility after 10 years of mess. No.

Conservatives have better plans and better ideas to restore order, compassion and fairness to Canada's immigration system. That is what we are going to do.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, according to the Customs and Immigration Union, another 2,000 to 3,000 border officers are needed to protect border security properly. Does my colleague think that there is enough personnel to meet the bill's requirements?

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am so glad my colleague brought this up. It gives me the opportunity to talk about the magical missing promise of more border agents. The Liberals keep getting up and saying that they promise 1,000 more border agents. They keep making this announcement, but they are not hiring anybody.

What an utterly inept and disastrous government it is. Canadians deserve something better. They deserve Conservative policies that restore order and fairness, actually deliver on promises, and will again make sure that immigration is focused on integrating people into the Canadian economic and social fabric at a pace that matches housing, health care and jobs.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I listened to the speech with great interest. I have a quick question for the member. There are three million temporary residents in Canada right now. Would the bill solve that problem, or is there something else that needs to be done? What suggestions does the member have?

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I cannot believe that the Liberals brought in three million temporary residents in such a short period of time. It is absolutely bananas, insane, crazy. It broke the immigration system. The bill would not fix that. Wow, what a disaster this is.

[Jacques Ramsay, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the inimitable member for Davenport.

Our government is committed to taking all the steps necessary to keep our border secure. Bill C-12, the strengthening Canada's immigration system and borders act, is a crucial step in our ongoing commitment to keeping our communities safe, cracking down on sophisticated criminal networks and modernizing our immigration system. Today, I want to talk about aspects of this bill that will strengthen our borders even more and help us fight organized crime.

Earlier on, my colleagues seemed to suggest that an omnibus bill was a bad thing. I would respond that immigration is a complex problem that needs to be looked at in its entirety. That is why this bill takes a very broad approach, to ensure effective action.

Thanks to our $1.3‑billion border plan, we have already invested significant resources in our law enforcement agencies. Whether it is combatting the illegal trafficking of fentanyl and its precursor chemicals or other illicit drugs, fighting organized crime or stopping illegal immigration, our measures are working. According to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, seizures of illicit fentanyl and illegal border crossings have declined significantly after peaking in 2024.

Although the tireless work of our law enforcement agencies has led to considerable progress, our efforts continue. Bill C‑12 is the latest example. It is a key step in the Government of Canada's border plan.

Thanks to these provisions, our law enforcement agencies will be able to better protect our borders, preserve the integrity of our immigration system, and combat the growing complexity of modern criminal organizations. This bill will also facilitate information sharing between our law enforcement agencies and their counterparts, improving integration and coordination in the fight against cross-border crime.

The bill gives additional powers to the Canada Border Services Agency, or CBSA, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to effectively combat this transnational organized crime. Our efforts to combat criminal networks must keep pace with the increasingly sophisticated nature of their operations. One thing this bill does is expand the CBSA's powers to inspect and detain goods destined for export in warehouses and transportation centres. That is a first. This measure will close a significant loophole that is being exploited by criminals to facilitate auto theft. We are committed to taking effective measures to curb auto theft.

At the same time, the bill also expands the role of the Canadian Coast Guard so that it can conduct security patrols and gather intelligence. Our coasts will now be protected. These new security activities will help the Coast Guard enhance collective security by conducting surveillance and intelligence-gathering missions in addition to its current operations. It will also be able to exchange information with its security, defence and intelligence partners.

Specifically, the bill would allow the Canadian Coast Guard to use its ships, helicopters, sensors, operations centres and land resources to collect, receive, share and analyze intelligence in order to strengthen our surveillance activities and our sovereignty. These actions will help protect Canada's vast coastlines and waterways, particularly in remote northern regions.

With its fleet and its wealth of maritime experience, the Canadian Coast Guard has all the tools it needs to make a significant contribution to Canada's security. It is already active from coast to coast to coast, on the Great Lakes and in the St. Lawrence Seaway.

This change will be particularly significant in the Arctic, where Canada can and must play a leadership role in a region undergoing rapid change due to growing global interests, increased maritime traffic and complex security risks.

This bill also seeks to directly combat the opioid crisis. The trafficking of illicit fentanyl and dangerous precursor chemicals in our country requires the rapid implementation of meaningful measures. Bill C-12 will enable the Minister of Health and law enforcement and border agencies to take swift action to prevent the illegal importation and use of chemical precursors as they emerge. This is a meaningful measure that will save hundreds, if not thousands, of Canadian lives.

We are also significantly strengthening Canada's anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing regime to combat the illicit financing that fuels these activities. Bill C-12 increases administrative penalties and improves information sharing between federal financial institutions to prevent bad actors from profiting from their crimes. Its purpose is to crack down on criminals and individuals who seek to exploit our country's generous immigration system by importing new forms of crime.

It is a matter of integrity and fairness. Some folks may have reservations about these measures, but I can assure the House today that Bill C-12 strikes the necessary balance between security and the protection of rights.

We are equipping our agencies with modern tools, while ensuring that these measures comply with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Bill C-12 addresses a number of immediate priorities that will have tangible and immediate effects on the safety of our communities and the integrity of our border. It is a clear, deliberate and necessary measure to protect our country. It sends a strong message that Canada will not tolerate people using our borders to engage in illegal activities. Our immigration system will be based on fairness, integrity and order.

For all these reasons, I believe this bill deserves the unanimous support of all members of the House. Voting for this bill is a vote in favour of a more secure border, a stronger and fairer immigration system and, most importantly, safer communities.

I want to reiterate that Canadians deserve to feel safe and be safe. I invite my hon. colleagues to support this bill quickly and unanimously.

[Jeff Kibble, Conservative, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise on behalf of the great people of Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, on the south end of Vancouver Island.

If I may, I will take a moment to recognize a very special person, Winnie Sifert, who completed 40 years of service to the City of Langford, including as a city councillor. It was my honour to attend a park renaming in her honour in Langford.

My question is specific to part 4 and the Oceans Act. I was happy to hear the member opposite discuss that operations need to get more sophisticated. He said the Coast Guard has all the skills and equipment it needs, but it would now be tasked under the Oceans Act to conduct security and surveillance patrols. I was previously in charge of the regional joint operations centre, and I understand surveillance operations in the military intimately.

Presently, those in the Coast Guard have only navigation radars and civilian radios, and other than for predator control, they are unarmed. How do the Liberals intend to have the Coast Guard conduct surveillance missions to collect, process and disseminate secure tactical data? Will the Liberals be arming the Coast Guard to complete these missions and properly train them, per this bill?

[Jacques Ramsay, Liberal, La Prairie—Atateken, QC]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, it is important to remember that the Canadian Coast Guard falls under the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, but now it will also fall under a second department in accordance with the bill. We will therefore be able to assess the budgets needed to complete operations.

Having said that, we have full confidence in the Coast Guard. It has already proven that it is capable of doing the job with the tools that it has right now. If equipment is needed, then we will certainly make sure it is provided. This is part of the investments that Canada wants to make to keep Canadians safe.

[Jean-Denis Garon, Bloc, Mirabel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Bill C‑12 is the new version of Bill C‑2, with fewer irritants.

The reason we have Bill C‑12 before us today is that there has been a huge backlash in civil society against Bill C‑2 and the privacy violations it entailed, particularly with respect to the police opening mail. This led to the introduction of Bill C‑12, which is much more balanced. Many of the irritants that bothered us, the Conservatives and civil society have been removed. That is why we are able to work on it again today.

I would like my colleague to tell me whether he thinks that this type of work, namely reintroducing a bill when the opposition parties speak for civil society, is one of the advantages of having a minority government.

[Jacques Ramsay, Liberal, La Prairie—Atateken, QC]

Mr. Speaker, of course, the work done here helps improve bills. Naturally, we are listening. We in the Liberal Party of Canada are quite proud, actually. We pride ourselves on listening to civil society, putting opinions to good use and, as necessary, improving our bills.

We have not given up on the measures left out of Bill C‑12 but retained in Bill C‑2. We believe them to be necessary. We believe that we need to fight transnational gangs, illegal weapons smuggling and drug trafficking effectively. We are definitely prepared to do so in accordance with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We are the party of the charter.

[Julie Dzerowicz, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in my downtown riding of Davenport, in west Toronto, the stealing of cars is a very big issue. Our government has put in quite a bit of investment to tackle it. We have seen great progress.

Could the hon. member talk about how the bill would continue to help us have the tools we need to make sure we keep our communities safe and that these cars are not stolen from our homes?

[Jacques Ramsay, Liberal, La Prairie—Atateken, QC]

Mr. Speaker, that is a very good question. We are currently seeing a 20% to 25% decrease in auto thefts. At the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security, we had an opportunity to hear all the stakeholders explain things to us. They told us that what was needed most was co-operation and collaboration.

Bill C‑12 will ensure that all stakeholders have all the relevant information on a need-to-know basis to more effectively fight the national scourge that is auto theft. We need to take action, and we will be there.

[Julie Dzerowicz, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as always, it is a true pleasure for me to rise in the House to speak on behalf of the amazing residents and constituents of my constituency of Davenport. I will be speaking today to Bill C-12, an act respecting certain measures relating to the security of Canada's borders and the integrity of the Canadian immigration system and respecting other related security measures.

Bill C-12 would make critical amendments that would keep Canadians safe and secure by providing law enforcement with the resources to disrupt increasingly complex criminal groups, by strengthening border security and by improving our immigration system while protecting privacy rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Of course, this legislation builds on a $1.3-billion investment in border security.

Before I go further, I want to recognize that we are gathered today on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe people.

Whenever I am examining new legislation, I often ask myself a series of questions: Who is going to benefit from the bill? How will the legislation improve our immigration programs and services for newcomers? Will it improve government services and support? In reviewing the proposed amendments for the strengthening Canada's immigration system and borders act, Bill C-12, I believe the answers are yes, yes and yes.

I believe this legislation strikes the right balance. It would improve how the government serves Canadians, newcomers and those seeking Canada's protection. The bill would also strengthen our security and safety, would support our economic growth with a more efficient and effective system, and would improve communication and co-operation among federal, provincial and territorial governments.

The measures proposed in this bill are designed to improve our immigration and asylum systems to better meet the needs of our country and those needing our protection. It fits with our commitment to a more sustainable immigration system that is aligned with our capacity to absorb, employ and house newcomers.

Canadians want our country's asylum system to uphold our proud humanitarian tradition and continue to be a beacon of hope and opportunity to the world's most vulnerable. At the same time, Canadians do not want our resources to be devoted to people who attempt to shortcut our immigration processes or abuse the generosity of our communities for their own personal gain.

The legislation before us proposes a reasonable balance to managing claims for asylum, either at the border or in Canada, and would appropriately refer claims to the Immigration and Refugee Board for a decision. The bill would also improve the management of the asylum system with enhanced efficiencies in processing claims. For example, creating a single, online application process would make applications simpler and help with information sharing across the appropriate departments and agencies. This would make sure that cases are decision-ready when they are referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board. That would benefit asylum claimants waiting to know if they are eligible for Canada's protection.

Under the legislation, the federal government would change how it manages specific asylum claims, including claims made more than one year after someone's first arrival in Canada, after June 24, 2020, and claims made by those who irregularly enter Canada, make a claim 14 or more days later and effectively avoid returning to the U.S. under the safe third country agreement. People will always be able to submit claims, which would not change with this legislation, and claims would not be dismissed. The claims would instead be referred to our fair and comprehensive removal process, which includes the ability to seek a pre-removal risk assessment. This would help reduce pressure on the asylum system and protect it against sudden increases in claims, while ensuring fair and fast consideration of claims of risk.

These new rules would streamline the claims process. This would benefit asylum claimants, who right now are waiting way too long to have their cases reviewed and decided. Some of these people may have fled their home countries to live in a democratic and free country. They may have left to seek religious freedom. They may have come to Canada to live their preferred gender or identity. If they have made it to Canada and made an asylum claim, we want their claim to be processed in a timely and fair manner.

The measures in the bill would also support a closer working relationship between the federal government and the provinces and territories. Under the current legislation, the federal government shares some information, but gaps in our legal framework mean we often have to do so on a case-by-case basis.

It means that we would update sharing provisions to provide information on immigration, citizenship and passports to clients sooner. This would help all orders of government and our domestic partners to work together to get newcomers the services they need faster. I understand that this has been a request from our partners for some time.

We know that provinces and territories deliver so many of the important, on-the-ground services that newcomers, including asylum claimants, rely upon. In collaboration with the federal government and with our support, they provide much-needed access to health care and social programs. They are an important partner in the process of welcoming and integrating newcomers. Providing current and accurate information is essential for any productive partnership.

Finally, I would like to say that the bill would improve how we would work together to better protect Canadians. At the end of the day, a main priority of Parliament and all orders of government is the safety and security of our citizens and residents.

In recent years, we have seen human smugglers and organized crime groups attempt to guide people across our borders through irregular points of entry. The legislation, if passed, would propose that those trying to shortcut our immigration process by crossing irregularly into Canada and making an asylum claim would have their claims referred to the CBSA and not the Immigration and Refugee Board.

There have been concerns raised that people are using multiple identities or different names to access benefits in Canada. This is simply not acceptable. By improving our information sharing among partners, we would help clarify the identity of anyone seeking to defraud our systems. The legislation also proposes that only hearing-ready claims would be forwarded for review by the Immigration and Refugee Board. That would give national security and law enforcement the time needed to conduct thorough background checks, confirm identities and examine any potential links to criminal history or activities.

Together, these measures would reassure Canadians that our systems are effective and that our borders are secure. That would help improve trust in our immigration system. I see clear benefits coming out of the legislation, benefits to our country's immigration system, including supporting the more efficient work of the federal government and all levels of government, and improving services for Canadians and newcomers. It would streamline decision-making, reduce efforts to bypass our migration programs and rules, and improve collaboration across all levels of government.

Rest assured, the bill is a key part of the government's forward-looking agenda. I urge my fellow hon. members from all sides of the House to join me in supporting the important legislation today.

[Helena Konanz, Conservative, Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I represent the Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay riding and we have one of the longest borders along the United States and, also, the most mountainous terrain. We are having difficulty, right now, getting enough RCMP officers and meeting the quota that we have right now. We are not able to meet the quota because not enough people are applying at Depot. We all know that they are not applying, so we cannot get enough for the needs we have right now.

How does the member believe that we are going to hire 1,000 more RCMP officers when we cannot get what we need right now?

[Julie Dzerowicz, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I think that is a very valid question.

I will say that, in addition to our wanting to hire 1,000 more RCMP officers and 1,000 more CBSA officers, we have put in an additional $1.3 billion. I do think that if we could provide the right tools and the right package, if we could provide the right opportunities, we would have an easy ability to be able to fill those existing roles. It is an important job. I know that Canadians will want to step up and help protect Canadians.