José Mendoza  It was the government's policies that then allowed Mendoza back into the country and reapply for refugee status. It is the government that is paying for the process that Mr. Mendoza is using to stay in Canada. Yesterday it was a government official who admitted that the immigration department was responsible for his escape.

Salinas Mendoza  Bill C-44 gives us the opportunity for the first time that when we know an individual has a criminal background to stop that refugee process and put them to immigration inquiry. Thus far, given the current legislation, that has not been possible. We are putting into practice in Bill C-44 the things this member talks about but is not prepared to support.

Salinas Mendoza  Mendoza skipped his bail hearing this morning and has now walked after all of this. Where does the minister fit in on all of the changes he is working on refugee hearings? I cannot believe this fellow-

Refugees  What?

Refugees  Oh, oh.

Refugees  What section of the charter can the minister cite to defend that idea?

Refugees  Mr. Speaker, the answer to the first question stands. They talk about judicial wrangling. His colleague from Vancouver regularly asks about the Mendoza file. The federal government appealed to the Federal Court. Yesterday the Federal Court overturned the decision and ordered a new hearing.

Refugees  No, I do not, Mr. Speaker.

Immigration  Some Canadians have the wrong impression that immigrants take jobs and abuse our social security system. I have serious concerns about the growing backlash against immigrants and refugees. What is the minister doing to address these concerns and to inform the Canadian public about the real and positive contributions that immigrants do make to Canadian society?

Party Fundraising  They expect the reward for their children to be a manageable rather than an out of control federal debt. They expect the reward of a return to sensible immigration levels and solutions to the refugee and crime problems. They expect the reward of direct democracy through the citizens' right to initiative referendum and recall, recall of an MP who is not properly representing his or her constituents.

Gun Control  Mr. Speaker, I have been given a list of refugees allowed into this country by the immigration department. According to the report one such individual who is believed to reside in Toronto is reported to be trafficking in munitions.

Gun Control  He is an international black marketer in weapons. Does the minister of immigration understand the link between criminal refugees marketing weapons and crime and gun control, or is this just one big fog?

Immigration  Speaker, the minister's bureaucrats want numbers cut. They want family reunification rationalized and refugee determination tightened. The minister's department, the overwhelming majority of Canadians and even a significant number of backbenchers in the minister's own party want Reform policy implemented.

Immigration  With Bill C-44 we have taken precisely the common sense approach to try to fix up the removals and tighten up the refugee system. My question is: Why is that party playing politics and not supporting the legislation?

Immigration  His perspective on this issue is not an academic or an interest group perspective, it is a street level perspective to which the minister should pay more attention. The minister's department used to handle all dimensions of immigration including the refugee dimension. Since the quasi-judicial IRB was set up and populated by members of the immigration industry the minister denies responsibility for the defects of the-