CIMM Committee Meeting
Notices of Meeting include information about the subject matter to be examined by the committee and date, time and place of the meeting, as well as a list of any witnesses scheduled to appear. The Evidence is the edited and revised transcript of what is said before a committee. The Minutes of Proceedings are the official record of the business conducted by the committee at a sitting.
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Minutes of Proceedings
It was agreed, — That the speaking notes sent to the committee by David Green, be appended to today’s Evidence.
It was agreed, — That Career Colleges Ontario be allowed to submit a written brief even if the deadline has passed.
Nelson Chukwuma and Annie-Claude Laflamme made statements and, with Vanesa Casanovas, answered questions.
Salma Zahid gave notice of the following motion:
That pursuant to standing order 108(2), the committee undertake a study of no more than two meetings to examine the temporary public policy to facilitate temporary resident visas for certain extended family affected by the crisis in Gaza; including the challenges that the Government of Canada faces in facilitating the exit of Gazans; the challenges faced by families leaving Gaza and once out of Gaza before reaching Canada, that the committee invite the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship to appear for one hour with departmental officials and that departmental officials appear for an additional hour; that the committee invite affected families as well as Canadian civil society; that the committee report its findings to the House; and that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the government table a comprehensive response to the report.
Questioning of the witnesses resumed.
Tom Kmiec moved, — That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(1)(a), the committee order the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship to provide an unredacted version of the "Memorandum to the Minister: Updating the policy regarding the financial requirement for study permit eligibility for international students” including sections “Discussion Paper: Options to Better Manage the Volume of International Students in Canada, Annex A, Annex B, Annex C, Annex: Implementation and Timelines: International Student Program - Volume Management Options and International Student Program: Provincial-Territorial Cap,” submitted in response to the February 28, 2024, Motion for Production of Papers; and that any redactions applied under section 14 and 21 of the Access to Information Act be removed, while respecting exclusions under section 19, 23, 69, and that the committee reminds IRCC and the Government of Canada that it retains the power to send for the production of any documents and that the response received December 2, 2024 obstructs the committees ability to discharge its duties and functions of accountability; that the document be provided within 30 calendar days.
Debate arose thereon.
Paul Chiang moved, — That the debate be now adjourned.
The question was put on the motion and it was negatived on the following recorded division:
YEAS: Shafqat Ali, Paul Chiang, Fayçal El-Khoury, Arielle Kayabaga, Salma Zahid — 5;
NAYS: Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Tom Kmiec, Jenny Kwan, Larry Maguire, Greg McLean, Brad Redekopp — 6.
The debate continued.
Paul Chiang moved, — That the motion be amended by adding after the words “30 calendar days” the following: “and that if the requested document is not provided without redactions, the committee invite the Deputy Minister of IRCC to appear for one hour, in-camera, to discuss any redactions that IRCC did not remove as per the Access to Information Act”.
The debate continued.
At 11:56 a.m., the meeting was suspended.
At 12:14 p.m., the meeting resumed.
The question was put on the amendment of Paul Chiang and it was negatived on the following recorded division:
YEAS: Shafqat Ali, Paul Chiang, Fayçal El-Khoury, Arielle Kayabaga, Salma Zahid — 5;
NAYS: Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Tom Kmiec, Jenny Kwan, Larry Maguire, Greg McLean, Brad Redekopp — 6.
The debate continued.
After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to.
Jenny Kwan moved, — That, in light of the failure of IRCC’s special immigration measure to reunite family members of Canadians and permanent residents in the besieged Gaza Strip and Sudan, and pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee undertake a study to examine the development and execution of these special immigration measures; that the committee also consider Canada's use of it's diplomatic relations to help facilitate the free movement of persons authorized to travel to Canada; and that this study consist of no less than six meetings; that the committee consider testimony from affected families as well as Canadian civil society; that the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship appear for one hour with departmental officials along with the officials to appear for one additional hour; that the Minister of Foreign Affairs appear for one hour with departmental officials along with the officials to appear for one additional hour; and further that pursuant to Standing Order 108(1)(a), the committee order the production of all documents and records related to the policy-making considerations that led to the specific dimensions of the temporary public policies that opened on January 9, 2024 and February 27, 2024, including the 1,000-person cap, the gradual issuance of access codes and delays in receiving codes experienced by many applicants, and the information requested from applicants on additional screening forms; that, while respecting s. 19, s. 23, and s. 69 of the Access to Information Act, these details be provided within 30 days of the adoption of this motion and relevant documents are released in full to the public; that the committee report its findings to the House; and that pursuant to Standing Order 109 the government table a comprehensive response to the report.
Debate arose thereon.
Paul Chiang moved, — That the debate be now adjourned.
The question was put on the motion and it was negatived on the following recorded division:
YEAS: Shafqat Ali, Paul Chiang, Fayçal El-Khoury, Arielle Kayabaga, Salma Zahid — 5;
NAYS: Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Tom Kmiec, Jenny Kwan, Larry Maguire, Greg McLean, Brad Redekopp — 6.
The debate continued.
Brad Redekopp moved, — That the motion be amended by replacing the word “six” with the word “four” and, by adding after the words “additional screening forms,” the following: “as well documents related to the development of the Sudan humanitarian program and the family permanent residency pathway”.
Debate arose thereon.
At 12:26 p.m., the meeting was suspended.
At 12:40 p.m., the meeting resumed.
The debate continued.
At 12:46 p.m., the meeting was suspended.
At 12:47 p.m., the meeting resumed.
The debate continued.
It was agreed, — That the witnesses of today’s second panel, namely the Canadian Bureau for International Education, the Colleges and Institutes Canada and the National Association of Career Colleges, be re invited to appear before the committee at a later date.
The debate continued.
At 1:00 p.m., the meeting was suspended.
At 4:40 p.m., on Monday, January 6, 2025, the meeting was adjourned due to the proclamation of prorogation, terminating the 1st Session of the 44th Parliament.