Debates of May 28th, 2026

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

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

Mr. Chair, the Auditor General found that the cancellation of the student direct stream in 2024 was the right path to take. That has curbed all kinds of misconduct.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Chair, does the minister really believe that all fraud has been found by the Auditor General? It sounds like she is not looking for any more in her department. That seems like a very naive belief. Much of the fraud in Canada originates with unscrupulous immigration consultants. Has IRCC opened up investigations into immigration consultants for fraud?

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

Mr. Chair, IRCC has followed up with 100% of flagged cases.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

However, Mr. Chair, it did not with immigration consultants, so I take it the minister has no concerns about immigration consultants.

One category of people who did not have to enter fraudulently was IRGC terrorists. The government blindly approved these applications. How many permits have been flagged for review because of potential connections to IRGC regime officials?

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

Mr. Chair, let me go back to the member's other question for a moment. We have tightened all kinds of rules and restrictions and have made penalties for all our consultants.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Chair, how many permits have been flagged for review because of potential connections to IRGC regime officials?

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

Mr. Chair, as we have said, IRGC officials are inadmissible to Canada. The government has put a ban on them, and that ban continues to be in place.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Chair, how many of them have been removed? We know that there are IRGC officials in Canada.

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

Mr. Chair, there have been 239 visas cancelled by IRCC and 176 investigations by the CBSA.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Chair, at our last count, only one IRGC official has been removed. How can Persian Canadians living in fear trust the word of the minister?

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

Mr. Chair, IRGC officials, as we have said, are inadmissible to Canada. It was the Liberal government that put that ban in place, and it continues to be there.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Chair, the minister well knows that IRGC officials are here in Canada right now. There are many of them, up to 700 according to some numbers. Why is the government slow-walking the removal of IRGC officials from Canada?

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

Mr. Chair, I am going to say it one more time: IRGC officials are inadmissible to Canada. There is a ban in place. CBSA works forcefully to remove them, and we are investing in our policing and our officers to do exactly that.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Chair, in Bill C-3, Conservatives wanted to add security screening provisions, but Liberals voted no. Is the minister concerned that her chain migration bill will allow terrorists to gain Canadian citizenship?

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

Mr. Chair, I think the Conservatives have a real problem with this. I just want to say that the government has acted to protect the value of citizenship by passing this piece of legislation and ensuring that people value our citizenship and our Canadian—

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

The hon. member.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Chair, the minister told committee that citizenship by descent has never required security screening. Does she still defend that?

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

Mr. Chair, again, what we did in this piece of legislation was ensure that citizenship by descent cannot be passed on indefinitely. We have provided clarity, we have provided structure, and we have provided control to citizenship by descent.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Chair, should an adult claiming citizenship through distant ancestry become a citizen without a criminality check?

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

Mr. Chair, anybody can claim anything. However, there is a requirement that proof of ancestry at every chain must be established.

[Gabriel Hardy, Conservative, Montmorency—Charlevoix, QC]

Mr. Chair, the Canada-Quebec accord gives Quebec responsibility for accepting and integrating immigrants within its borders.

In 2018, the Liberal government circumvented the spirit of the Canada-Quebec accord through the international mobility program to impose such excessive immigration volumes that Quebec is no longer able to properly integrate these individuals and teach them French.

Do you still respect the Canada-Quebec accord, minister?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Chair, I very much appreciate that question.

Absolutely, we are honouring the accord. Absolutely, we are working very hard with the Province of Quebec and its immigration minister.

[Gabriel Hardy, Conservative, Montmorency—Charlevoix, QC]

Mr. Chair, on March 26, the Supreme Court forced Quebec to extend its $10-a-day child care to asylum seekers even though some Quebeckers still do not even have a spot. That is completely unacceptable.

Does the minister affirm Quebec's right to invoke the notwithstanding clause to regain control, yes or no?

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

Mr. Chair, unfortunately, I did not quite hear the question. However, I can tell the member that we are working with the province of Quebec and with the members of the House who represent Quebec to maintain—

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

The hon. member for Montmorency—Charlevoix.