Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, pursuant to subsection 94(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the “2017 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration”.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Madam Speaker, as we all know, the safe third country agreement is a very important tool that enables Canada and the United States to work together in handling systematic asylum claims. The agreement is based on a principle recognized by the UN Refugee Agency holding that individuals must claim asylum in the first safe country they reach.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, as I have said in the past, we are proud that Canada has an immigration system that is respected and regarded internationally as one of the best. At committee recently, the member opposite had the opportunity to put a number of questions to various experts, including for example, representatives from the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for her question. I am pleased to have an opportunity to talk about Canada's asylum system and the other subjects my colleague raised. Although we are always endeavouring to find new ways to enhance our system, I could not disagree more with my colleague when she describes our asylum system as defective and broken.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, once again I will reiterate that Canada's asylum system is highly respected around the world as a fair, safe, and efficient model. We are working closely with all of our partners to make this system even more efficient. An independent review of the board is currently under way, as I said earlier.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to speak to this issue here this evening, and thanks to my colleague from Vancouver East for her questions. Canada's asylum system is highly regarded around the world. It is considered a fair, safe, and effective model. We are working closely with our partners, the Canada Border Services Agency, the RCMP, and the Immigration and Refugee Board, in order to make our system even more effective.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Madam Speaker, we have a proven record on refugee protection in recent years. However, as the member said, there are some concerns, and I want to reiterate that we are consulting stakeholders on this file on an ongoing basis. We want to make improvements to our policies and laws in order to make the system better.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Vancouver East for her question. I understand her concerns, but I would like to provide some background information. Canada has a long and proud tradition of offering protection to those who need it. We have one of the fairest and most generous immigration and asylum systems in the world.

Franco-Ontarian Day  Mr. Speaker, Ontario francophones will be celebrating Franco-Ontarian Day on September 25. This summer, I travelled around Ontario talking to community groups about the importance of francophone immigration. Francophone immigrants strengthen our communities and sustain the French language.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, I truly understand the concerns raised by the families grappling with this situation. We are conducting a thorough review of the policy regarding excessive demand, including by consulting the provinces and territories, because health care falls under their jurisdiction.

World Refugee Day  Mr. Speaker, Canada has a long-standing humanitarian tradition of providing assistance and protection to refugees the world over. When communities welcome refugees with open arms and open hearts, they can help create the foundation for a successful transition to Canadian life.

Citizenship and Immigration  Mr. Speaker, once again, I am very proud of our government's commitment to welcoming people fleeing war, terror and persecution. The board recently introduced new measures, including shorter hearings for simple cases, which would make the process more efficient, and in turn, lead to greater productivity and increased fairness.

Commencements  Mr. Speaker, as the member of Parliament for Acadie—Bathurst, I would like to rise to congratulate all those receiving their diploma this spring. Graduating is a major accomplishment, and I am extremely proud of all the graduates from the five high schools, the two community colleges, and the university in my riding.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, yet again this evening, during adjournment proceedings, the member for Calgary Nose Hill raises a question that has nothing to do with the matter she was supposed to address. I think this is the second or third time she has done this. The question was supposed to be about settlement and integration services for refugees, and that is the question she will get an answer to, as that is what I will be talking about.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, for the benefit of Canadians tuning in at home, I will read the exact question the member submitted to the House for this evening's adjournment debate. Mr. Speaker, we know that the resettlement funds many Syrian refugees have been receiving run out this month. We also know that fewer than half of them have found jobs.