Immigration And Refugee Board  Mr. Speaker, in terms of trying to build up an institution and trying to make the system work, we have not had one constructive recommendation in over a year from that party. All it is interested in is trying to exploit a situation that, granted, was not easy for the IRB. Again I say it would have been completely unfair to tarnish every member of the IRB and tarnish the entire institution with the same wide brush.

Immigration And Refugee Board  Mr. Speaker, one thing is obvious to Canadians with regard to the Schelew affair: the matter has been closed. We have no answers and it has cost us another $100,000. The facts of the matter are clear. To avoid any sense of avoiding the issue to have been brought before this cancelled inquiry there needs to be a full explanation by the minister.

Immigration And Refugee Board  Mr. Speaker, Reform Party members would not recognize facts if they tripped over them. The facts are very clear. An inquiry was called pursuant to section 63 of the Immigration Act with a reference to look into the alleged conduct of an individual. The board continues to work and discharges a very important mandate.

Immigration And Refugee Board  Mr. Speaker, Canadians should be appalled at the way this government does business. The minister appoints a good friend to the IRB who is then the subject of some very serious allegations. The minister orders a judicial inquiry into his friend's actions, citing concerns about the integrity of the IRB and the public's perception of a cover up.

Immigration And Refugee Board  Mr. Speaker, it is very unfair to characterize Mr. Schelew or anybody else as a crony of the government. That is simply not the case. The whole question of the inquiry was simply to the alleged conduct of one individual. I have said to this Chamber and publicly that there is the agency review, which is the review of government-wide commissions and agencies.

Immigration And Refugee Board  Mr. Speaker, with reference to the first part of the question, I only found out the details of the settlement on Friday of last week. That was the day the judge suggested the inquiry should not proceed. With respect to the IRB, I do not believe the party across the way is concerned about building up this institution, but we are on this side of the House.

Immigration And Refugee Board  Mr. Speaker, it is absurd to suggest that the government has anything to cover up or hide. Looking back at the process, I received a number of complaints. I gave those complaints to the chairperson of the board. The board recommended a course of action, namely an inquiry. The government, after thoughtful consideration of both the chairperson's and Mr.

Immigration Act  The officer may give the documents back to the legitimate owners, keep the documents until they are sent back or destroy them. According to these amendments, refugee claimants trying to obtain identification papers from relatives or authorities abroad may have their documents seized or perhaps destroyed. Furthermore, the official is not required to notify the owner that these documents have been seized.

Immigration Act  The public has concern when there is no sense of balance. An overwhelming number of people come here as immigrants and refugees and play things by the book. They contribute. They sacrifice. They bleed just like anybody else. Then there are the few who come to Canada with very different intentions. They break the law in a serious way and then flaunt it through the system.

Immigration Act  Moreover, if our amendment is not adopted, this provision of Bill C-44 could violate the Geneva Convention. The manual of High Commissioner for Refugees says, and I quote: "With regard to the nature of the crime presumed to have been committed, all relevant factors, including extenuating circumstances, must be considered". Bill C-44 must reflect these remarks.

Immigration Act  Speaker, the second group of motions being debated concerns the deportation of permanent residents who have been convicted of an offence for which a term of imprisonment of ten years or more may be imposed. Clause 12 of Bill C-44 describes the circumstances under which convention refugees may be removed. The bill provides that any person who has been convicted of an offence under any act of Parliament for which a term of imprisonment of 10 years or more may be imposed may be sent back to his or her country of origin.

Immigration Act  In short, my colleagues in the Bloc want the status quo in immigration or less than status quo. They do not want to see a change in refugee policy but I believe the Bloc does not speak for Canadians in this area. They do not think that Canada's immigration law needs to be toughened up. Needless to say, we disagree. Therefore we oppose these amendments.

Immigration Act  We are not trying to seek more power for the immigration officer for the sake of power or we are not trying to seek to block the entry of legitimate immigrants or legitimate refugee claimants. On the contrary, we are trying to apply some common sense and some efficiency to the system. For example, if an individual comes to the border and has an inappropriate visa or an inappropriate passport that individual is blocked from coming into the country.

Immigration And Refugee Board  Mr. Speaker, the premise of the hon. member's question is completely untrue. The legitimacy and the integrity of the board are not in question in these proceedings. As to the broader question, this government has confidence in the process. In the final analysis it will be up to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to come to his own conclusion about the broader matter which has been raised here today.

Immigration And Refugee Board  Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will understand that the inquiry was directed under a section of the citizenship and immigration act which defines the proper ambit of the inquiry. Under that section a judge appointed for that purpose is directed to inquire only into the allegations with respect to a particular member of the board and is confined to making recommendations with respect to what should happen as a consequence of any findings.