Citizenship and Immigration committee  It would seem to me that one could be a class A member, a class B member, or a class C member. It would take a little bit of work to identify those clearly, but it's quite doable.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I referred at one point to the internal transparency system that already exists, which could be strengthened. For example, at the end of an application form, there's a question: did someone assist you in filling in this application form? There, the person could be required to respond whether they are class A or class B or class C.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Thank you. If the committee were interested, I think it would be doable, and I appreciate that there is at least some interest in exploring whether it would be. Government officials would obviously have to respond and provide very concrete answers, but it seems to me that, given the internal transparency system that already exists, if a person who helped someone else fill in that application form misrepresented himself or herself, they would be found out so quickly that I doubt one would dare to do that.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  On the second question, I've thought about that from the perspective of the individuals who are doing the work and are not staff of MCC but on their own. For them, the cost of membership, the fees, and the costs of professional development run close to $5,000, and the people say they're not making enough to make it worthwhile to do that.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I think so, yes. I cannot speak definitively.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I expect it's a little more than 5,000.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I did make an overture like that, but it was maybe three years ago, and there didn't seem to be any openness to it. There's only one category and that seemed to be it.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I mean, we have rotten apples, too; that's only human, you know. Still, I think we have our own fair bit of professional development and controlling systems within us, yes. Thank you.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Yes. I think, Monsieur St-Cyr, you did understand correctly. I think if one inserted that one word in proposed subsection 91(1), then it would be less categorical--the word “prohibited”. I can read this for you. What I'm suggesting is that in subsection 91(1), where it says, “Subject to this section, no person shall knowingly represent or advise a person for consideration...in connection with”, there I'm suggesting “a prohibited proceeding or application under this Act”.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I'm not a professional lawyer.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  When I read proposed subsection 91(1) as it stood, it seemed to me that it did not allow that flexibility.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  They are in different parts of Canada—

Citizenship and Immigration committee  —and there are some in Latin America, too.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  None. Do you mean in terms of certification by CSIC?

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Okay. In terms of staff who get paid by the organization, that would be fewer than 10, and then there are others who we try to resource, people who do it on their own.