CIMM Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration met at 9:04 a.m. this day, in Room 536, Wellington Building, the Chair, Norman Doyle, presiding.

“3.1 The Act is amended by adding the following after section 27:

27.1 (1) The Minister shall cause a copy of each regulation proposed to be made under paragraph 27(d.1) to be laid before each House of Parliament, and each House shall refer the proposed regulation to the appropriate Committee of that House.

(2) No proposed regulation that has been laid under subsection (1) need again be laid under that subsection, whether or not it has been altered.

(3) The Governor in Council may make the regulation at any time after the proposed regulation has been laid before each House of Parliament under subsection (1).”

“4. This Act comes into force on the earlier of

(a) a day to be fixed by order of the Governor in Council, and

(b) six months after the day on which this Act receives royal assent.”

Clause 4, as amended, carried.

The Title carried.

The Bill, as amended, carried.

ORDERED, — That the Chair report the Bill ,as amended, to the House.

ORDERED, — That Bill C-14, as amended, be reprinted for the use of the House at report stage.

Bill Siksay moved, — REMAINING 140 STATELESS VIETNAMESE REFUGEES IN THE PHILIPPINES

WHEREAS, until recently, 2,000 forgotten Vietnamese refugees remained stateless in the Philippines for over a decade and half without being given any status;

WHEREAS, this group of Vietnamese refugees represents the last group of “boat people” from Vietnam, stranded in limbo since 1989;

WHEREAS, Australia, the United Kingdom, Norway and the United States have recognized these people as refugees and resettled the majority of them;

WHEREAS, Canada agreed to take up to 200 of these Vietnamese refugees;

WHEREAS, only 23 individuals from eight families qualified to come to Canada under the programme announced by the previous government;

WHEREAS, 140 individuals are left behind without a durable solution after 17 years of displacement and statelessness;

WHEREAS, Canada had a remarkable record for the resettlement of Vietnamese “boat people”;

WHEREAS, Vietnamese refugees who came to Canada as part of that important refugee movement have integrated well into Canada society and, as Canadian citizens, make important contributions to our communities;

WHEREAS, many Canadians including members of the Vietnamese Community in Canada are willing and able to be private sponsors for these 140 individuals;

WHEREAS, Canada accepts some 30,000 refugees annually and already has in place humanitarian and compassionate programs that would allow the resettlement of these individuals;

WHEREAS, the Vietnamese refugees remaining in the Philippines meet the criteria set under the ‘Country of Asylum’ class of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act which requires that the applicant:

• Be outside his/her country of citizenship;
• Has been affected by civil war or armed conflict; or
• Has suffered violations of human rights;
• Has no possibility, within a reasonable period of time, of having a durable solution; and
• Be privately sponsored.

WHEREAS, under Section 25(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration also has the power to grant permanent residence in Canada on humanitarian and compassionate grounds;

THEREFORE, The Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration requests the following:

1. The Honourable Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to allow the urgent resettlement in Canada of the remaining 140 Vietnamese refugees stranded in the Philippines on humanitarian and compassionate grounds under the ‘Country of Asylum’ class or using Section 25(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act or via some other mechanism;

2. During this process, these individuals be required to undergo normal procedures like all other refugees admitted into Canada;

3. The Honourable Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to respond, in writing, to members of this Committee, within a reasonable period of time, the overall result of Canada’s efforts in providing a durable solution to this last group of ”boat people” from Vietnam.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to.

Raymonde Folco moved, — That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee recommends that the Auditor General of Canada undertake the following audit of The Canadian Security Intelligence Services (CSIS):

a) The process and methods used in the case file investigations for immigration purposes;

b) The type of information obtained by CSIS;

c) Methods used to obtain case file information;

How the information is analyzed in making their recommendations.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to.

On motion of Bill Siksay, it was agreed, — That the Chair present the motions as reports to the House.

On motion of Andrew Telegdi, it was agreed, — That the proposed budget in the amount of $14,900, for the study on Refugee Issues be adopted.

On motion of Ed Komarnicki, it was agreed, — That on Tuesday, October 3, 2006, that the Committee hear the witnesses from the Canadian Council of Refugees from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and that the Committee meet in camera from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. to discuss Committee business.

At 9:59 a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.