Citizenship and Immigration committee  Certainly, as Mr. Orr indicated, we do run the scenarios. We really do try to ensure that we can anticipate as much as possible. In terms of all of our programs we are aware that they affect real people and their lives. We are constrained by legislation and regulations in what

Citizenship and Immigration committee  You've asked both a policy question and an operations question.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I'll turn first to the design and how we do that and how we plan these things. Then it's always a little dangerous to get into the specifics of individual cases.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Perhaps my colleague Mr. Orr would like to respond to that—

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I will reply, but I'll also turn to the ADM who's responsible for research within our department, the ADM policy staff. Certainly, when we look at the research and determinants of good outcomes for immigrants, having language skills and having a post-secondary education, those t

Citizenship and Immigration committee  The International Experience Canada program was transferred to CIC in 2013. This program is a vote-netted program, so under the public accounts we have to report all of it within CIC's expenditures. What these supplementary estimates are essentially doing is that those funds that

Citizenship and Immigration committee  The intent was to transfer this responsibility, but the transfer is being delayed. We are planning an evaluation of the new asylum system later on this year, in 2015-16 to be exact, so that transfer has not yet occurred. In fact in this supplementary estimate the funds that were

Citizenship and Immigration committee  When we prepare the supplementary estimates, like all departments, we go to the Treasury Board and we seek approval, expenditure authority, from the Treasury Board. Once the Treasury Board approves that expenditure authority, these are prepared for supplementary estimates. In ord

Citizenship and Immigration committee  It is certainly true that the department works to provide services to those interested in applying for Canadian citizenship. It provides information and documentation in order to ensure that permanent residents can apply, and can prepare for citizenship testing and oath-taking.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Sure, and I'll turn to Bob Orr as well to support me on this. Certainly, we did undertake significant Citizenship Act changes, which were approved by Parliament last year. A number of these did come into effect over the last year, in particular, the new decision-maker model, whi

Citizenship and Immigration committee  As I said earlier, this funding will be used to increase the service offer to newcomers. That is our plan.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I will complete my remarks. When we worked on the supplementary estimates and our requests, that was our intention, but our plans have changed. The funds will be returned to the government's consolidated revenue fund. The dollars that were requested are ring-fenced. We would n

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Each year we have plans in terms of how to undertake these expenditures. The multiculturalism expenditures are grants and contributions. We work with community organizations to support intercultural exchanges and to support celebrations like Black History Month, which we just did

Citizenship and Immigration committee  It is a matter of having enough applications that line up with the terms and conditions of the programs.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  First of all, I should clarify that the job bank is a program of the Employment and Social Development department, so I'll keep my comments focused on our roles and responsibilities. The job bank is a complementary program to express entry. When we were developing the express ent