Art Hanger

[Immigration, October 25th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, today the Financial Post reported on a memo from the government's finance department which concluded that this government's immigration policies are worsening the unemployment crisis. It said that current levels which are twice as high as any other nation on earth are not creating jobs but creating competition for them.

Will the minister of immigration heed the conclusions of the finance department and dramatically reduce immigration levels?

[Immigration, October 24th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, is the minister aware of a family which has collected more than $106,000 in unemployment insurance and welfare in the last five years and now has sponsored five more relatives, or a man who was illegally collecting unemployment insurance who just sponsored his wife? These applications were approved by the Immigration and Refugee Board.

If the minister does not think that the sponsorship program is failing, then will he recognize that the Immigration and Refugee Board has once again proven its stupidity and should be scrapped?

[Immigration, October 24th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, immigrant sponsorships are breaking down and this minister has not done a thing to enforce them.

Peel region in Ontario recently reported to the minister that up to 70 per cent of sponsorships are breaking down and ending up on welfare. Even the Globe and Mail is admitting that sponsorships, despite being a contractual agreement, are not worth the paper they are written on.

Can the minister of immigration tell this House if he thinks the enforcement of this program has failed?

[Human Rights, October 24th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, regarding the rights of same sex couples, the provincial NDP government recently proposed a bill in which gay and lesbian couples would be granted rights which only heterosexual couples now enjoy. The bill did not pass second reading and died.

My personal stand on the issue is that I object to any suggestion which would have homosexual couples treated the same way as heterosexual couples. Although I will fight against any discrimination whether it is on the basis of race, sex, religion or other, I do not believe homosexuals should be treated as families.

"My wife and I do not claim that we are homosexuals. Why should homosexuals pretend they form a family?" That statement is in a letter to a constituent written in June of this year by the Liberal member for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell. Obviously the Liberal whip wants to vote his conscience and according to the wishes of his constituency.

I call on the Prime Minister for a free vote so that the government whip can do just that.

[Immigration Act, October 24th, 1994]

But you are not.

[Immigration, October 19th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, a Torontonian applied to bring his bride from Guyana to Canada. His file was taken in Etobicoke; another was taken in Port of Spain, Trinidad. The files then went to Toronto. Then they went to Brampton. Then they went to Mississauga and back to Toronto.

There his file sat for over six months with no action. Now it has to go back to Trinidad with no action taken, but the medicals have expired and have to be done over. Then the file will have to come back for approval to Mississauga and then go back to Port of Spain.

With luck the case will be finalized in a few months. That is two years of passing the buck for a standard application. That is two years of heartbreak and loneliness and that is not unusual. I have spousal sponsorships on my desk that have taken four years.

The system is overwhelmed. This government says that family reunification is a priority but to make it work we must cut the numbers of extended family sponsorships, cut the backlog and make room for those who deserve priority.

[Immigration, October 5th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the minister of immigration was asked about the release of José Mendoza. The minister responded: "I think once he will be found he will pay the price".

There is a young woman in Abbotsford who is in fear of her life. Police are now watching over a member of Parliament.

I ask the Prime Minister: What will it take? Will it take the death of an MP like occurred in Australia or the death of another innocent Canadian? What is he going to do to clean up the immigration department?

[Immigration, October 5th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, the minister of immigration said in his speech to police chiefs that the buck stops here. He has promised to get tough on those who abuse Canada's immigration and refugee systems.

I ask the Prime Minister: When will he hold his minister of immigration to that self-imposed standard of accountability?

[Refugees, October 4th, 1994]

What section of the charter can the minister cite to defend that idea?

[Refugees, October 4th, 1994]

I have a supplemental, Mr. Speaker.

Taxpayers are tired of paying for endless legal aid appeals to support those ordered out of the country. The minister's negative reaction is especially ironic since in 1986 he went on record saying that in order to gain control of our refugee system refugee camps might have to be built in Canada to restrict the movement of refugee claimants.