Citizenship and Immigration committee  If we find ourselves in a position where no applicants come forward through the process, we will still have a body. Until regulations are changed, that body will continue to exist.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Mr. Chairman, we would argue that it's both, that by protecting the integrity of the immigration system we are also offering protection to consumers, that this helps consumers as well, that the overriding federal responsibility is the protection and the integrity of the immigration system.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Mr. Chairman, I'm not sure I understand the question.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I think I'd like to come back to the beginning of your question and talk about where the onus was placed. We placed the onus on those who wanted to submit an application--

Citizenship and Immigration committee  The answer is no.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Mr. Chairman, I guess we would say succinctly that we agree that indeed this is what is envisaged. If I could speak a little more fully to this, I think we saw that this enhanced oversight would continue probably past the point where the regulator became fully functioning so that the minister and the department--and through the minister, Parliament--had some confidence in the system and confidence in the body that is proposed in the bill.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  The principal shortcomings were time and cost and a little bit of oversight from the government. I don't think there was a lot more than that. What the bill tried to do was respect the committee's excellent report and do it in a way that we felt was efficient from both a time and money perspective.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  In terms of oversight of its members, what you have described is indeed the case. They are very similar powers, a very similar direction in what's proposed.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Yes, absolutely. From the federal government's point of view, we are talking about protecting the immigration system. I think that the federal government's mission should include consumer protection, but that falls under provincial jurisdiction. Regardless of that fact, it is a very important issue for the federal government.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Sure. Mr. Chairman, I'll start, and my colleagues can chime in to offer some additional detail. In order to address the concerns of public confidence in the body currently governing immigration consultants, I think as the report from this committee had pointed out, the government wanted to move quickly.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  There are no additional funds provided for CBSA. We can speak more fully about enforcement and why we think this is a very valuable legislative tool, but there are no additional funds provided to CBSA.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Thank you for the question. I think I would like to start by coming back to the factors that we have published for selection of a body, and then I'll ask my colleagues, Ms. Harder or Ms. MacNeil, to provide some more specific information around this. I think I'd just like to note that what we've looked at is competence.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. We are pleased to have the opportunity to address Bill C-35, the Cracking Down on Crooked Consultants Act, which would protect potential immigrants by strengthening the rules governing those who charge a fee for immigration advice. The bill would amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act--IRPA--so that only lawyers, notaries in Quebec, and consultants who are members in good standing of a governing body designated by the minister could provide advice or representation for a fee at any stage of a proceeding or application.