Debates of May 28th, 2026

Department of Citizenship and Immigration—Main Estimates, 2026-27

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

The hon. member for Thornhill.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, I will be splitting my time.

Does the minister consider the IRGC to be a terrorist organization in this country, yes or no?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, the Liberal government has recognized and registered the IRGC as a terrorist organization, and it is inadmissible to Canada.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, is Mehdi Taj, then, a terrorist, yes or no?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, as I said, IRGC officials are inadmissible to Canada. There is a long-standing ban, and that ban continues to be enforced.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, if that ban is enforced, then why was he allowed to come to Canada?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, our priority is the safety and security of Canadians, and IRGC officials are inadmissible to Canada.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, the minister did not answer the question, so I am going to ask her one more time.

Why was Mehdi Taj, the FIFA official, to whom she granted, or her department granted, a visa, allowed to come to Canada? It is a very simple question.

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, the IRCC and Public Safety Canada review each and every application at multiple stages. As I have said, IRGC officials are inadmissible to Canada.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, the minister just stated that, by her own rules, this man was inadmissible. Somebody in her department overruled that. Is she satisfied with how this was handled, yes or no?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, the safety and security of Canadians is our priority. We work with CBSA, policing partners, the public safety minister and others to ensure we protect Canadians.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, for all of those who are watching at home, who have been terrorized by IRGC officials who are still here, one of whom has been deported, this man, a FIFA official, was allowed to come to Canada because somebody in her department allowed him to.

I have asked the minister a simple question. Is she satisfied with that outcome, yes or no, for everybody watching at home?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, I will repeat again that IRGC officials are inadmissible to Canada. There have been 17,800 applications reviewed for potential inadmissibility, and 239 visas have been cancelled by the IRCC.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, they got into Canada, and it made headlines.

The department has now been reviewing thousands of previously granted visas to non-citizens from Iran because it suspects the security checks were not done before they entered Canada. Can the minister confirm whether that is correct?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, IRGC officials are inadmissible to Canada. There is a ban in place. It continues to be there. There are 176 investigations that have been opened by the CBSA.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, I would ask the minister to stop reading the talking points and just answer the question.

Her department is now reviewing those who did not have security checks, is that true or not true, for everybody listening from that community?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, when it comes to inadmissibility, some travellers are never issued permission to travel. Some travellers have their authority revoked before they travel. Other travellers are deported from airports. There are multiple—

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

The hon. member.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, I want the minister to answer this question: If the security checks were not done for thousands who were reviewed by the department, is it now reviewing those, yes or no? It is a very simple yes or no.

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, it is important to know that some people with ties to the regime had already been in Canada before these rules took place. Those people are all being investigated and could be removed from Canada.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, how many IRGC agents are still in the country? The minister has admitted it, so she can give us a number. Is it more or less than 700?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, as I said, 17,800 applications have been reviewed for potential inadmissibility. The IRCC suspended or cancelled 239 visas, and 176 investigations are ongoing with the CBSA.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, many of them are still in Canada. I am asking for just a number, minister.

You must know this. Your officials are sitting in front of you. Ask them.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Chair, on a point of order, once again we are seeing some very experienced members of the House not follow the basic procedural rules about speaking to a minister through the Chair. Perhaps you could remind this member that her questions are supposed to be directed through you and not to the minister.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

I thank the chief government whip for the point of order. Yes, that is the case. Members are supposed to speak through the Chair, not to the minister.

The question has been put. The minister has 15 seconds to respond.