Lucienne Robillard

[Immigration, May 7th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, there is no contradiction between the two statements made. As evidence of that, one simply has to look at the number of

citizenship certificates issued in 1995 in Quebec, in comparison to the 1994 figure. In 1994, about 40,000 certificates were issued, while the total number for 1995 will be around 43,000. As for British Columbia, 27,000 certificates were issued in 1994, while 8,000 more will have been issued in 1995.

I realize that the Bloc Quebecois has a great capacity for indignation, but it should really look at the facts.

[Immigration, May 7th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I made myself very clear yesterday and I will do it again today. My predecessor, the current Minister of the Environment, did not deny at all the fact that we were making a special effort in Quebec, before the referendum, to issue certificates of citizenship to those who were entitled to them, just like we are making a particular effort now in British Columbia, where a provincial election will soon be held. Again, efforts are being made in British Columbia to speed up the issuance of citizenship certificates.

The right to vote is a fundamental one in our country and if people have such a right, we must do our utmost to make sure they can exercise it.

[Immigration, May 6th, 1996]

Especially since the new electoral act in Quebec required proof of Canadian citizenship. People put a huge amount of pressure on the minister to have their citizenship certificate.

Once again, these people voted perfectly legally and they are Canadian citizens.

[Immigration, May 6th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, you will permit me to disagree with the member for Frontenac, who sees something underhanded here.

I repeat yet again that these people were citizens entitled to their Canadian citizenship. In November 1995, in British Columbia, there was a backlog of 20,000 people awaiting their citizenship certificate. Today, 16,500 people have received them.

Was a particular effort made in Quebec? Yes, and my predecessor said so clearly.

[Immigration, May 6th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, let us get the facts straight. Was it a dirty trick, as a major Quebec daily called it, a dirty trick in the usual sense of the word? Generally, the expression is used to describe something underhanded or illegal. Was citizenship granted to people illegally? The answer is no.

Everyone who received a certificate of citizenship was entitled to one and was entitled to vote. Did my predecessor, now the Minister of the Environment, deny that the department was making a special effort to issue citizenship certificates? No.

He said in this House, on October 16, that we were issuing citizenship certificates in this case as in any other government campaign. Those are the facts.

[Francophones Outside Quebec, May 1st, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, it is astonishing what the member for Québec-Est comes out with. He is not capable of recognizing the facts. He is not capable of seeing what we now have in a country whose government has very clear commitments to its minorities, throughout the country, commitments that it has met. It supports minorities throughout this country and it will continue to do so.

We are not saying that things are perfect. What we are saying is that we stand by our objective of supporting all the minorities in this country. Show me another government that is doing as much as we are.

[Francophones Outside Quebec, May 1st, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, it is very clear that Radio-Canada and the CBC must respect not only their own act but also the Official Languages Act. I think we can say that the corporation respects this act.

As for the cuts, it is very clear that Radio-Canada and the CBC have a board of directors and that it is up to them to make choices consistent with the needs they must meet throughout the country. We respect the responsibility of the CBC's directors.

[Algerian Nationals, April 29th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, each situation is considered on its merit. For a given country as a whole, various factors are taken into consideration. We are well aware of what is going on in each country. We also know what has happened to people after we sent them back to certain countries. We have consulted various authorities internationally as well.

I will repeat what I said. Each time we make a decision regarding a particular individual, we evaluate the potential risks they run in returning to their country. For the time being, we will continue to send people back to Algeria and continue to study each case in detail.

[Algerian Nationals, April 29th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, the advisory committee looking at conditions in countries where people are deported meets regularly to assess situations in various countries, because, as you know, when we decide to send someone back to his country, the risks are always evaluated.

Obviously, we will not send someone back to his own country when there may be reprisals or his life is at risk. We are very careful on this. We study each case, each file, when individuals are to be deported. For the time being, we are continuing deportations to Algeria.

[Investor Immigrants, March 28th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, consultations are already being held with the Quebec government.