CIMM Committee Meeting

The Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration met at 9:39 a.m. this day, in Room 308, West Block, the Chair, David Tilson, presiding.

On motion of Maurizio Bevilacqua, it was agreed, — That the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration recommend that the government immediately speed up process that allows for the granting of citizenship to non-Canadian children adopted abroad by Canadian parents, without requiring that such children first become permanent residents.

Jim Karygiannis moved, — That this Committee review the subject matter of Bill C-37, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act, enacted in Second Session of the 39th Parliament, and the progress of granting Canadian citizenship to the “Lost Canadians”; and that, pursuant to Standing Order 108(1), any findings and recommendations based thereon be reported to the House.

Debate arose thereon.

Thierry St-Cyr moved, — That debate be adjourned and the matter referred to the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 7; NAYS: 4.

Jim Karygiannis moved, — That this Committee undertake a study of the criteria used when awarding funding to community organizations that assist new immigrants as they make Canada their new home; and that, pursuant to Standing Order 108(1), any findings and recommendations based thereon be reported to the House.

Debate arose thereon.

Nina Grewal moved, — That debate be adjourned and the matter referred to the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 7; NAYS: 4.

Jim Karygiannis moved, — That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), this Committee hear the respective Ministers and officials from the Department of Citizenship and Immigration and the Canadian Border Services Agency, and other relevant witnesses, to enquire into ever increasing processing times related to immigration time lines from posts around the world, and that, pursuant to Standing Order 108(1), any findings and recommendations based thereon be reported to the House before any amendment is made to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

Debate arose thereon.

Alice Wong moved, — That debate be adjourned and the matter referred to the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to, by a show of hands: YEAS: 7; NAYS: 4.

Jim Karygiannis moved, — That, in the opinion of the Committee, the government should deport no one to Sri Lanka until a safe environment exists there, and that it should expedite any family class sponsorships from the danger zone; that the Committee adopt these recommendations as a report to the House and that, pursuant to Standing order 108(1), the Chair present it to the House.

Olivia Chow moved, — That the motion be amended by adding after the word “sponsorships” the words “and refugee claims”.

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Olivia Chow and it was agreed to on the following recorded division: YEAS: Maurizio Bevilacqua, Olivia Chow, Jean Dorion, Jim Karygiannis, Alexandra Mendes, Thierry St-Cyr — 6; NAYS: Paul Calandra, Rick Dykstra, Nina Grewal, Devinder Shory, Alice Wong — 5.

Alexandra Mendes moved, — That the motion be amended by substitution for the words “deport no one“ with the words “declare a moratorium on deportations“.

Jim Karygiannis moved, — That the question be now put.

At 10:44 a.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 10:45 a.m., the sitting resumed.

RULING BY THE CHAIR

The Chair ruled the motion out of order because, as described on page 456 of House of Commons Procedure and Practice, the previous question cannot be moved in any committee of the House.

Whereupon Jim Karygiannis challenged the ruling of the Chair.

The Chair’s ruling was sustained on a recorded division of YEAS: Calandra, Dorion, Dykstra, Grewal, Shory, St-Cyr, Wong – 7; NAYS: Bevilacqua, Chow, Karygiannis, Mendes – 4

After debate, the question was put on the amendment of Alexandra Mendes and it was agreed to on the following recorded division: YEAS: Maurizio Bevilacqua, Olivia Chow, Jean Dorion, Jim Karygiannis, Alexandra Mendes, Thierry St-Cyr — 6; NAYS: Paul Calandra, Rick Dykstra, Nina Grewal, Devinder Shory, Alice Wong — 5.

The question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to on the following recorded division: YEAS: Maurizio Bevilacqua, Olivia Chow, Jean Dorion, Jim Karygiannis, Alexandra Mendes, Thierry St-Cyr — 6; NAYS: Paul Calandra, Rick Dykstra, Nina Grewal, Devinder Shory, Alice Wong — 5.

The motion, as amended, read as follows:

That, in the opinion of the Committee, the government should declare a moratorium on deportations to Sri Lanka until a safe environment exists there, and that it should expedite any family class sponsorships and refugee claims from the danger zone; that the Committee adopt these recommendations as a report to the House and that, pursuant to Standing order 108(1), the Chair present it to the House.

Rick Dykstra gave notice of the following motion:

That the Chair report to the House at the earliest opportunity the following motion:

That this Committee condemn, in the strongest language, the breach of trust and of Parliamentary privilege that occurred on Thursday, February 26, with the leaking of a clearly marked confidential report of the Committee of Citizenship and Immigration; and

That this Committee further express its dismay that the spirit of cooperation which has characterized the preceding several meetings has been poisoned by an attempt to unilaterally influence the Committee’s actions through the leaking of this report.

At 11:00 a.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.