Meili Faille

[Immigration, November 3rd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, we hope that in the coming months, the government will turn its attention to the serious mental suffering experienced by people who, for years, must put up with the slow processing of family reunification cases, including refugees who have been given protection.

The Bloc Québécois and a number of immigrants' rights organizations are asking the government to make changes in order to expedite the process in the case of children separated from their family and to eliminate the $550 file processing fee. We have received no response to our requests.

The Conservative government may be deaf to the cries of the most vulnerable people in our society, but it needs to know that the Bloc Québécois and organizations in civil society are aware of the problem and will continue calling for changes.

We only realize the true meaning of family life when all members of the family are reunited.

[Foreign Affairs, November 1st, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, both charters specifically prohibit discrimination based on nationality and on racial profiling, which the U.S. government requires under the guise of security. We expect the federal government to oppose this measure by Washington.

Does the government intend to do so?

[Foreign Affairs, November 1st, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the U.S. government is against having employees with certain dual citizenships working on military contracts awarded to the Montreal company CAE. This discriminatory policy goes against the charters of rights of Quebec and Canada.

Does the government intend to formally protest this violation of the Charter of Rights to the U.S. authorities or will it tolerate it by keeping quiet?

[Citizenship and Immigration, October 27th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, according to the newspapers, the Conservative government does not intend to regularize the status of illegal immigrant workers employed in construction, for example, across Canada. This decision is even harder to understand when we know that there is such a severe labour shortage.

Will the government acknowledge that one of the best ways to protect these workers from possible abuse would be to regularize their status to get them out of the black market?

[Citizenship and Immigration, October 27th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, despite the measures put in place by the government on May 11 to help female immigrants who are victims of abuse, Amnesty International still denounces the working conditions of domestic helpers, who are quite simply being treated like slaves.

In 2003, the United Nations adopted a convention to ensure better protection for all migrant workers. What is Canada waiting for to sign it?

[Festival of Colours in Rigaud, October 20th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the ninth Festival of Colours in Rigaud was held in my riding last week. A variety of very interesting activities entertained the participants, who came in large numbers.

Be it as an opportunity to take in the beauty of nature in autumn, to sample unique regional delicacies, to watch local artists at work or to learn more about the traditional way of life of Aboriginal people, once again, the Festival of Colours in Rigaud has been a success through and through.

The festival also offered a forum of exchange for the artists, craftspeople and citizens of my region. All in all, the success of this great family experience goes to show how bustling Vaudreuil—Soulanges is.

I am looking forward to welcoming you in large numbers next year.

[Points of Order, October 6th, 2006]

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

I would add to the arguments of my NDP colleague that an appeal mechanism for citizenship already exists in the Immigration Act. A protection already exists.

We are asking that a clause—a clause we drafted in committee—be added in the bill introduced by the government. We voted on it and opposition parties agreed that this appeal section is necessary. It allows parents to file an appeal in the lengthy international adoption process when an error occurs.

The government is proposing to remove this protection, which is necessary in citizenship cases. Given the way things are going these days—I am thinking about the Joe Taylor case and other citizenship cases currently before the tribunals—I think it is a fundamental right, particularly in an international adoption situation.

We can understand that parents are quite concerned about this situation. Parents' associations wanted this appeal provision.

I would like you to consider the NDP's request to wait until my colleague who presented this amendment is present in order that he too can take part in the debate so that we can hear all the arguments.

[Royal Canadian Mounted Police, October 6th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, despite Commissioner Zaccardelli's claims, it is clear that he failed to put in place the filters and safeguards he had promised in order to prevent arbitrary treatment such as that suffered by Maher Arar. Nothing has been corrected. The proof is that unverified information is still used at joint meetings of the FBI and RCMP.

Given everything that has gone wrong, why does the minister not demand the commissioner's resignation?

[Royal Canadian Mounted Police, October 6th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, in an attempt to reassure us, Commissioner Zaccardelli says that corrective action has been taken and that raw data is no longer sent to the United States. Yet we have learned that unprocessed information is still accessible to American authorities, since they attend RCMP meetings before the information is verified. Thus, there is no guarantee that the information used by the FBI is reliable and that what happened to Mr. Arar will not happen to someone else.

Does the Minister of Public Safety not feel that Zaccardelli's resignation is now imperative, since he has lost all credibility?

[Quebec Intercultural Week, October 3rd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the fourth edition of the Semaine québécoise des rencontres interculturelles, which takes place from October 1-8, 2006, with the theme “A thousand faces, our future”.

This week provides an opportunity to seriously reflect on our citizenship values, particularly in the context of Quebec, and on the invaluable contribution of immigration to Quebec society.

This is also an opportunity for us to take a closer look at the situation of our fellow citizens who contribute to the vitality of our communities. We must acknowledge the difficulties associated with their full integration. We must applaud their success and recognize that we could make better use of their education, experience and their desire to succeed with us.

We would like to work together on initiatives to make immigrants feel more welcome. I hope these intercultural meetings will be used to support and encourage activities in our communities that promote their development.