Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Madam Speaker, the backlogs at IRCC continue to grow. As of October, there were 1.8 million applications in backlog and counting. Those are not just numbers; they are families that remain separated, Canadian businesses unable to fill labour shortages and refugees stranded in Afghanistan.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Madam Speaker, as the minister pats himself on the back for a job well failed, Deepak Talwar is a business owner in Saskatoon. He and his family left India for Canada in 2017 and have been waiting for years to hear any word on their applications. This story is just one of thousands about newcomers who are lost in the black hole of Liberal-made backlogs.

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22  Madam Chair, again, how many Afghan interpreters have settled since Kabul fell?

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22  Madam Chair, in my home province of Alberta, the cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline extension is devastating to thousands of oil and gas workers. The KXL project was going to employ thousands of indigenous and union workers, and now other pipelines are at the mercy of President Biden.

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22  Madam Chair, Canada heard from CSIS and our allies, long before the U.S. completed its troop withdrawal, that the Taliban would take over. They all knew what that would mean. How many Afghan interpreters applied for refugee status before Kabul fell?

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22  Madam Chair, it is clear the Prime Minister's relationship with the U.S. government is souring. It is hurting cross-border business and threatening Canadian jobs. While the supply chain crisis in the United States continues to cause delays for goods being shipped across North America, the IRCC and the U.S.

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22  Madam Chair, the government has not put a plan in place to address backlogs. There is a backlog of 1.8 million immigration applications in Canada. Now the wait time for truckers to get U.S. visas is going beyond 12 months. What is the government doing to work with the U.S. to speed up the process for essential work visas, such as those needed for truckers?

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22  Madam Chair, will all 40,000 of those refugees be brought into Canada?

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22  Madam Chair, I have been asking the government what the plan is to evacuate the 40,000 Afghan refugees to Canada. We have yet to hear a real response. I see in the supplementary estimates that the government is looking to fund resettling Afghan nationals in Canada. I will ask again: Now that the government is asking for funding, what is the plan to bring the remaining Afghan refugees to Canada?

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22  Madam Chair, respectfully, that is only 10.5% of the total that the Liberals are supposed to resettle. Former embassy workers, Afghan interpreters and other support staff who have applied to the special immigration program have only received auto replies. The government has highlighted improving IRCC client services as a priority.

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22  Madam Chair, seeing as an auto reply does not count as good service, how is the government going to improve its communications with those Afghan refugees who have not received any information since August?

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22  Madam Chair, many religious minority groups, women rights leaders and members of the LGBTQ community are stranded in Afghanistan and have no way out. Many have sought shelter in safe houses, but the safe houses have run out of funding from private sources. Will the government be providing assistance in Afghanistan to the safe houses that are protecting many vulnerable refugees?

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22  Madam Chair, last month, there was a data breach at IRCC, which saw the personal information of hundreds of Afghan refugees leaked. This breach threatens the lives of refugees. While the Privacy Commissioner is now investigating it, the government has not outlined how it is strengthening cybersecurity and privacy protections.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his continued advocacy, especially when it comes to refugees. We have both had experience going through the first group of Afghans who came to Canada: the Sikhs and the Hindus. People who sponsored one of those families, as I did, saw the bureaucratic backlog and what it did.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, the member talked about politicizing things, but it is funny that she did not talk about a political election being called, abandoning those who served this country and their families. I have a very simple question, since the member brought up an exit strategy. Was the exit strategy to call an election, abandoning those who served Canada and avoiding any accountability?