Mr. Speaker, I rise this afternoon to speak to Bill C‑12, which deals with border security and immigration and follows on from an earlier bill, Bill C‑2. The government ultimately came back with Bill C‑12. We are now discussing this whole matter of border security and immigration against the backdrop of these two successive bills.
Of course, we will study Bill C‑12 at committee with the thoroughness we always bring to any examination of this subject. This legislation is necessary, but we want to ensure it is complete. Among other matters, we will be discussing the lack of human resources at the Canada Border Services Agency, or CBSA, and the RCMP.
The Bloc Québécois is committed to improving this bill at committee with the same goal in mind, specifically, having a border that operates efficiently, humanely, and in a way that respects people's rights. I am especially interested in this question since I grew up not far from the border with our American neighbours, I come from a region in southern Quebec and my riding is not far from the border. I am therefore going to paint a general picture of the situation. I will then look at some numbers relating to certain problems that are addressed in the bill, and I will close by saying a few words that pertain more to women and seniors, files for which I am responsible as the Bloc Québécois critic.
The first general observation we can make is that understaffing is a major issue. The Liberals promised to hire 1,000 additional RCMP officers and 1,000 additional CBSA officers. What progress has been made on that front? An announcement was made for the RCMP, but there has been no mention of the CBSA. According to the Customs and Immigration Union, they are currently short 2,000 to 3,000 officers. This means they have neither the tools nor the human resources needed to do their work effectively.
The Bloc Québécois is calling for patrols between border crossings to be authorized. That is what we are asking for. We are also calling for more operational flexibility and a real hiring plan. Regarding all of these Bloc Québécois proposals, I would like to commend the work of my colleague from Beauharnois—Salaberry—Soulanges—Huntingdon, who has been working on this bill as the public safety critic. She does a really thorough job of it and has had several meetings. Our position is well documented. It is based on facts, not disinformation.
I would now like to provide a few figures, since Bill C‑12 deals with auto theft and organized crime. Over 100,000 vehicles are stolen every year in Canada. That is a 48% increase since 2020. There is also an economic cost to all of this: Claims totalled $1.5 billion in 2023.
I have had lunch with insurance company officials, and I can say that this is a real problem. They want us to deal with the situation. Interpol finds more than 200 stolen vehicles a week. In Quebec, there was a 57% increase in thefts between 2021 and 2023. The CBSA is often unable to inspect trains because it lacks the necessary infrastructure. Bill C‑12 fixes that with mandatory access to warehouses and train yards. The Bloc Québécois wants to see this implemented. It may be helpful, but it will be somewhat ineffective if all the necessary staff and resources are not in place. I think that with these figures, we are showing our Liberal colleagues that crime is on the rise. There is no denying that.
Fentanyl is also a problem, but let us approach it from a public health perspective. This is no trivial matter: There were 42,000 opioid-related deaths between 2016 and 2023, and 70% of those deaths involved fentanyl. The minister has the power to quickly add chemical precursors to the list of prohibited substances. That cannot hurt. The important thing is to save lives and protect families. Behind the statistics are human tragedies. We therefore support the measure, but we also demand rigorous monitoring.
As my hon. colleague from Montcalm, our health critic, would say, we need to address the opioid problem holistically, combining several approaches, particularly in terms of public health.
With regard to immigration and asylum seekers, there are new rules. Asylum claims become inadmissible after one year in Canada. Irregular entry for more than 14 days results in removal to the country of origin. The aim of all this is to cut down on abuse and backlogs.
Quebec welcomed 55% of the 180,000 asylum seekers in Canada in 2023, which is a staggering number. Obviously, there is no denying that this has had an impact on public services, which are already saturated and overloaded, particularly schools, health care and community services. The Bloc Québécois hopes that Ottawa will rebalance the distribution of asylum claims and transfer the promised funds to Quebec to welcome claimants in a dignified and acceptable manner. That is our demand.
In Canada, money laundering and illicit financing activities are estimated to be between $45 billion and $113 billion annually. The bill provides for new measures and increased collaboration, particularly between the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada, the Financial Institutions Supervisory Committee and law enforcement agencies. In cases of non-compliance, fines will be multiplied by 40. The bill aims to improve and increase information sharing, but that requires caution in terms of privacy protection. The Bloc Québécois supports this modernization but is demanding that individual freedoms be protected.
When it comes to protecting rights, what has been taken out of this bill compared to what was in Bill C‑2? Mail searches have been scrapped. That was an invasion of privacy. Restrictions on $10,000 donations have been dropped, and so has the collection of private data. The Bloc Québécois is in favour of that, because there really needs to be a balance between security and freedom.
Most importantly, Quebec wants a secure border, a fair immigration system and respect for its areas of jurisdiction. People forget this, but these are the demands of Quebec, on whose behalf the Bloc Québécois speaks.
I am going to talk a little more about the issues that concern me. As my party's critic for women and families, I want to expand the issue of crime and its impact. Women are often responsible for household budgets, so they are on the front lines of the cost-of-living crisis. There are proven links between economic insecurity and social insecurity, and between poverty and financial stress, which increase the risk of violence and distress.
By cracking down on criminal networks linked to fentanyl, fraud and exploitation, we are reducing the economic and social pressure on women and children. Security must also be viewed from a social, economic and human perspective.
Seniors are increasingly being recognized as among the primary victims of crime and inflation. They are increasingly targeted by theft, fraud and scams, with over 35% affected in 2024. The rising cost of living only makes them more vulnerable. More than 55% of seniors who are renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing. Vehicle theft and fraud are causing insurance premiums to go up, which impacts people living on fixed retirement incomes. The cost of housing, an essential need, is on the rise because of money laundering in the real estate sector, which totals between $20 billion and $30 billion annually. Organized crime and the underground economy undermine seniors' incomes and deprive the government of resources that could be used to fund affordable housing, home care, and support programs for seniors.
For the Bloc Québécois, strengthening economic security also means protecting the dignity and financial peace of mind of seniors, as stated by FADOQ, which considers fraud against seniors to be a major political issue. According to this organization, seniors have become a prime target for phone scams, “grandparent” scams and bank fraud. It is calling for a review of the Criminal Code to strengthen minimum sentences for these types of offences. That is FADOQ's proposal, and we are willing to study it. The organization promotes awareness and prevention programs, particularly its Senior-Aware program, to educate seniors and equip them to deal with fraud. FADOQ has made it clear that education alone is not enough. Strong political and legal action is also needed.
FADOQ often cites statistics from the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, which found that in 2024, more than 130,000 cases of fraud were reported across the country, with financial losses in excess of $650 million. The centre estimates, however, that only 5% to 10% of fraud is reported. People age 60 and over account for approximately 25% of reported victims, with average losses that are higher than in other age groups. Quebec is one of the hardest-hit provinces, mainly due to phone and bank scams.
In closing, I would remind members that seniors are not naive; they are being targeted by sophisticated networks. It is important to note that the average loss for senior victims is often two to three times higher than for other age groups, at approximately $25,000 per major fraud. It should be noted that fraud erodes seniors' savings, trust and sense of dignity. It is an issue of mental health and dignity.
I want to say one last thing, which is a key message: fighting organized crime and strengthening our borders also means protecting Quebeckers' and Canadians' pocketbooks. Fewer thefts and reduced instances of money laundering and corruption means more money for real priorities, such as seniors, women, families and safer communities.
We could also talk about the importance of supporting communities dealing with the consequences of fentanyl. Health care services in Quebec are facing major financial challenges. In closing, Quebec and the provinces need to be given increased powers over immigration to ensure that they alone determine their levels.
