Citizenship and Immigration committee  I think you're very well placed, being that you've had the chance to sit with HRSD, and now, Citizenship and Immigration, to help move some of those challenges along. It's really a crisis we're facing in Alberta when it comes to meeting the labour shortages. We're working, as you know, because of the leadership of our government, on expanding the provincial nominee program and also on coordinating better with the temporary workers' permits.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  At this table, we have a fair amount of diversity represented here when we're dealing with immigration issues. As you know, my family came here as refugees in the early seventies. Mr. Telegdi's family was in a similar situation as well, and obviously others were the same. We've seen more and more diversity not only in this country but—

Citizenship and Immigration committee  One of those anomalies involves second-generation Canadians; in other words, Canadians born outside Canada to Canadians who were born outside Canada. It was the immigration committee that indicated there needed to be some substantial connection to the country at some point to recognize citizenship and to preserve it. But there are others who have a substantial connection, as you mentioned; those, particularly, living on the border.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  What members can talk about before an immigration committee is rather broad-ranging, especially when the minister is here to address all topics pertaining to this particular issue. I'll just ask Mr. Komarnicki to keep his remarks a little bit confined to the topic.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I hope you enjoy the portfolio as much as some of the people do who sit at this table and who understand the importance of citizenship and immigration policy to Canada. You certainly seem to appreciate that, given your opening statement about the meaning of Canadian citizenship. I think that's why the folks who run into these problems are really disturbed and anxious when they're told that somehow they have to prove they're Canadian citizens, when they've assumed all their lives that this was the case.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Mr. Chairman, we have systematically made the information available to all our missions abroad, and we have a practice there of having both pamphlets and posters in various Canadian embassies. And as people contact Canadian embassies abroad, if citizenship matters arise, people are reminded of this sort of thing.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Since this became a significant issue, we've put into place arrangements with the passport office, which will remain in effect, whereby any case they encounter in which citizenship is an issue will be referred to Citizenship and Immigration Canada. We also have a permanent and ongoing connection with them whereby if somebody is asking for a passport, and there's some urgency involved, we have a system whereby the various documents can be faxed to our citizenship processing centre in Cape Breton, and usually there's a 48-hour turnaround.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I'm referring to an article on the subject that appeared in La Presse early in the week. In that article—and this is what concerns me—the spokesperson for Citizenship and Immigration Canada emphasized that you can't determine the number of people who have lost their citizenship because they didn't have to complete a form before their twenty-eighth birthday. However, if those people didn't complete the form to obtain this card, how will adding an expiry date improve matters?

Petitions  Canada accepts just a tiny percentage of the world's refugees, and refugees are less than one-tenth of our total immigration. The petitioners call upon Parliament to do the following: to “welcome the stranger in need” and significantly increase the number of refugees that Canada accepts annually; to lift barriers that prevent refugees from reaching Canada; to provide international leadership to address the causes that force people from their homes and prevent them from returning; to reform Canada's refugee and immigration program to ensure full access to due process; to speed the immigration process for reuniting refugees and their families; and finally, to take further measures to help newcomers integrate into Canadian society.

Citizenship and Immigration  Our country has signed reciprocal agreements with dozens of countries to make qualified new immigrants eligible for old age security immediately when they arrive in Canada. If an immigrant comes from a country like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka or one of the many other countries that have not yet signed reciprocal agreements, they are forced to wait 10 years before becoming eligible for their pensions, even after they become Canadian citizens.

Business of Supply  The key to it all is to enhance individual freedom, to give people the chance to take advantage of all the opportunities Canada has to offer. By taking advantage of that opportunity, it will help to build Canada, as millions of immigrants through the years have done, to make our country the great place it is today.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  With the committee's concurrence we will go to a vote now on your estimates. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION Vote 1--Operating expenditures..........$471,886,000 (Vote 1 agreed to) CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION Vote 5--Grants and contributions..........$711,702,000 (Vote 5 agreed to) IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE BOARD OF CANADA Vote 10--Program expenditures..........$103,259,000 (Vote 10 agreed to) Shall I report the main estimates to the House?

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Thank you, Chair. Minister, in the past the per-immigrant amount for settlement funding has been important to the standing committee. I think five or so years ago the committee recommended a figure of $3,000 per year per immigrant as an appropriate level of funding.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  In other provinces, where arguably there's just not nearly enough immigration, you'll have the same administration, because there's a level of critical mass for administration that you have to have, and you'll be dealing with fewer immigrants. So this is always the challenge, and in fact in those provinces, they're really trying to find ways to bring people in, and in a way they are going to be spending some resources to attract people.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  There was a proposal put forward by the City of Burnaby to develop a multi-service hub for immigration and refugee services, and the city has come forward with a contribution of land for this proposal. It comes out of the city's determination to deal with the fact that Burnaby is now the settlement destination of almost 40% of immigrants and refugees to British Columbia.