Ahmed Hussen

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, April 23rd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, the members of the party opposite would have us believe that they actually care about border security. That is the party that cut $390 million from the Canada Border Services Agency, jeopardizing border security operations. That is the party that cut refugee health care for the most vulnerable people: pregnant women and victims of torture. That is the party that did that. As recently as March 22, when it came time to stand up for the Yazidi survivors of Daesh atrocities and vote for $14 million budgeted toward those services, that party was missing in action and voted against it.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, April 23rd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, Canada remains open and welcoming to people who need protection. However, our government is determined to maintain orderly migration.

We have invested over $173 million for faster processing of asylum claims and border security operations. We have worked with the Province of Quebec and have done a lot to deal with this issue through the Intergovernmental Task Force on Irregular Migration. We have responded to provincial issues. We will continue to work to make sure that this issue is addressed properly.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, April 19th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, the party opposite was calling on us for months to make the necessary investments on this issue. We have listened, and we have made the necessary investments: $173 million for irregular migration, $74 million for the IRB. We are investing in CBSA and so on. We are investing in faster processing of work permits.

Let me quote the head of the UNHCR in Canada, the expert on this issue: “Canada's border remains secure. The Government of Canada adapted to the increase with measures that reduce congestions at land”—

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, April 19th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is on record as having called on us to make investments to deal with the issue of irregular migration. We have listened, and what we have done? We have invested—

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, April 19th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, we are fully in control over this issue. We have an intergovernmental task force on irregular migration. We had our ninth meeting last night with different provincial representatives. We have made the necessary investments in speeding up work permits for asylum seekers so we minimize the impacts on provincial social services.

What is irresponsible is Conservatives cutting funding for CBSA and pretending that they care about the border. What is irresponsible is cutting funding for the IRB and refugee processing. What is irresponsible is having toxic relationships with provinces. We will—

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, April 19th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, that is the kind of rhetoric that will lead that party to another decade of opposition, because Canadians do not appreciate setting one group of immigrants against another.

We are taking responsibility for this issue. We are fully in control. We make sure that there is adequate responsibility and investments in border protection and in the processing of asylum claims. What that party did when it was in government was to irresponsibly cut $390 million from CBSA. It is very rich for that member to talk about border operations when the Conservatives cut much-needed investments in CBSA.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, April 19th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, Canada remains open and welcoming to people who need protection. However, our government is determined to maintain regular immigration.

We are working very closely with Quebec to make sure that we address the concerns raised by Quebec and other provinces on the issue of irregular migration. We are responsible on this file. We have invested, as part of budget 2018, $173 million for border security operations, and $74 million for the IRB for faster processing of refugee claims. What is scandalous is that the Harper Conservatives cut $390 million from CBSA—

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, April 18th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, Canada is an open and welcoming country for people who need protection. That being said, our government is committed to ensuring orderly immigration.

This government is working very closely with Quebec on the irregular migration issue. We have worked very closely with Quebec on the intergovernmental task force on irregular migration. We have our ninth meeting tonight at which we will discuss issues of mutual concern.

We have worked very closely with Quebec to make sure there is extra funding for newcomers and integration in Quebec, an increase of over $112 million.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, April 18th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, that is the party that cut refugee health care, the people who are the most vulnerable in our society, a measure that the Federal Court of Canada called cruel and unusual punishment. We will take no lessons on refugee response.

We are working very closely with Quebec. We have issued over 12,000 work permits to Quebec asylum seekers so we minimize the pressure on provincial services. We have provided an additional $112 million for the settlement and integration of newcomers in Quebec.

We will continue to work closely with Quebec, and I look forward to the meeting tonight.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, April 18th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, we have invested $173 million to improve the processing of asylum claims in our country. When the time came to vote for that $173 million, the member opposite joined her party and voted against the measure. When the time came to invest in resettling survivors of Daesh, vulnerable women, the most vulnerable refugees in the world, the party opposite voted against that measure. When the time came to invest in CBSA, the party opposite voted against that measure.

We will take no lessons from the Conservatives on this issue.