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Business of Supply

This was a Committee of the Whole examination of the immigration minister’s spending plans, where Conservative members used their questions to press the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship on asylum numbers, border screening, visa decisions, fraudulent immigration consultants, temporary foreign workers, and the removal of people with no legal status. The minister pointed to falling asylum claim numbers, cooperation with provinces to relocate refugees, enforcement actions including the removal of 23,000 people last year, and Bill C-12 as a measure to further reduce asylum claims. Liberal members also used some questions to highlight immigration’s economic benefits and summer jobs for youth.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

12 statements

Jenny Kwan

NDP
“Cabinet must keep reviewing our border agreement with the United States. Has cabinet reviewed it since the U.S. started locking up many returned refugees without a judge, and deporting them to other countries?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, there is a requirement for cabinet to ensure an ongoing review of the safe third country agreement. Has cabinet reviewed the safe third country agreement since the U.S. implemented mandatory detention without review by a judge for large categories of the refugee claimants returned to the U.S., third-country pass-through deportations and deportations under the dubious asylum co-operative agreements?

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Jenny Kwan

NDP
“I want the minister to give me a yes-or-no answer. Did the cabinet review this, or did they pass the decision down to someone else?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, all the minister has to say is that, yes, they have reviewed it or no. If the cabinet has not, and it is a requirement of cabinet, can the minister confirm that the government has delegated it down with it going to cabinet when the circumstances warrant?

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Jenny Kwan

NDP
“I want the minister to answer my question. Does the government track whether people Canada sends to the United States end up in immigration detention?”
Official Hansard

That is a no, then. Mr. Chair, is the minister maintaining data on ICE detention for individuals Canada transferred to U.S. authorities?

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Jenny Kwan

NDP
“The answer is still no. Is the minister tracking whether people sent back to the U.S. under our border deal are being sent to other countries, which breaks that deal? Has the minister asked the U.S. for proof that this is not happening to detainees?”
Official Hansard

And the answer is also no. Mr. Chair, is the minister monitoring the use of ACAs for individuals returned to the U.S. under the safe third country agreement in violation of the safe third country agreement? Has the minister requested assurances from the U.S. authorities that ACAs are not in use for detainees?

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Jenny Kwan

NDP
“130 Palestinian students have waited two years for Canadian study visas, but war makes it impossible to meet the requirements. Other countries let their students arrive first and do the security checks later. Will the minister do the same?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, 130 highly qualified Palestinian postgrad students have waited for two years for their study visa with no decision or timeline. Many face requirements that are impossible to meet under the war conditions, including biometrics and extended security screening. France, Ireland, Belgium and Germany successfully evacuated students who received university scholarships without pre-departure biometrics. They granted emergency entry travel documents and deferred standard biometric collection. Will the minister do the same?

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Jenny Kwan

NDP
“How many names has the government sent to Israel and Egypt to help people leave Gaza under this program?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, with the special immigration measure for Gazans to date, how many names has the government submitted to the governments of Israel and Egypt to request official exit clearance?

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Jenny Kwan

NDP
“That did not answer my question. I want to know how many names were sent to officials in Israel and Egypt.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, that was not my question. I am asking how many names have been submitted to the Israeli and Egyptian authorities. Maybe her officials can help her.

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Jenny Kwan

NDP
“I want the minister to answer my question. When did the government last submit names, and how many have been processed since the ceasefire?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, I would ask the minister not to waste my time, I only have seven and a half minutes. I would like her to answer the question. What was the last date the government submitted names, and how many have been processed since the ceasefire?

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Jenny Kwan

NDP
“Will the minister offer other ways to verify people's identities for this program?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, will the minister offer biometric solutions and alternatives for this program?

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Jenny Kwan

NDP
“How many backlogged immigration applications are there for people from Hong Kong, Ukraine, and Sudan?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, the minister is having trouble answering questions, so let me try a different tack. Can the minister advise us on how many applications are in the backlog for the special immigration measure for Hong Kongers for stream A and B and for the special immigration measures for Ukraine and Sudan?

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Jenny Kwan

NDP
“I want the minister to answer my question. I asked for the backlog numbers.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, I am getting a migraine. I am actually asking for the backlog numbers. Will the minister answer the question?

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Jenny Kwan

NDP
“The minister has spent seven and a half minutes failing to answer a single question. How long will it take to process all these immigration applications?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, it is no wonder the Conservatives are calling for that minister’s resignation. She cannot answer one question in seven and a half minutes. Since the immigration levels plan has put all three of these groups under the H and C and other category quota, how long does the minister think it will take to process all these applications?

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