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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

462 statements

Lena Metlege Diab

Liberal

Linked statement

“We reviewed 17,800 applications to see if people should be barred from coming to Canada. We cancelled or suspended 239 visas, and border services are still investigating 176 cases.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, as I said, 17,800 applications have been reviewed for potential inadmissibility. The IRCC suspended or cancelled 239 visas, and 176 investigations are ongoing with the CBSA.

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Melissa Lantsman

Conservative
“Many of these people are still in Canada. I want the minister to tell me the number. Ask your officials sitting in front of you.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, many of them are still in Canada. I am asking for just a number, minister. You must know this. Your officials are sitting in front of you. Ask them.

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Lena Metlege Diab

Liberal
“I have already answered this question many times.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, I have answered the question a number of times. The member may not like the response, but I have already provided those answers.

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Brad Redekopp

Conservative
“The minister is in charge of the refugee board. I want to know who actually decides Canada's refugee rules: Parliament, the minister, or the head of the board?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, the minister is responsible for the Immigration and Refugee Board. Who sets the refugee policy in Canada: Parliament, the minister or the IRB chairperson?

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Lena Metlege Diab

Liberal
“The Immigration and Refugee Board makes its own decisions independently.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, I welcome my colleague across the way. I have not seen him since we were at the United Nations together. He knows that the IRB is an independent body.

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Brad Redekopp

Conservative
“Does Parliament have any power to make refugee policy, or is it completely up to the independent board?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, perhaps the minister remembers that I asked her questions just about 45 minutes ago. The IRB is independent, so does Parliament have no authority to set refugee policy in Canada? Is it all up to the independent IRB?

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Lena Metlege Diab

Liberal
“The Immigration and Refugee Board makes its own decisions. It follows the law and the Constitution.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, welcome to you. The IRB is an independent body. It does set its rules according to the law of the land. We have a Constitution, and we have laws we also adhere to.

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Brad Redekopp

Conservative
“If a foreign citizen or permanent resident commits a serious crime, should they have to leave Canada?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, if a foreign national or a permanent resident is convicted of a serious crime, should they leave Canada?

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Lena Metlege Diab

Liberal
“The courts, the laws, and the board should handle all serious crimes. Criminals face consequences for what they do.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, all serious crimes should be dealt with by the courts, by the laws and by the board, and there are consequences that criminals face.

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Brad Redekopp

Conservative
“If Parliament says serious criminals must be removed from Canada, does the minister think the Immigration and Refugee Board should help them stay?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, if Parliament says serious criminals must leave Canada, does the minister believe that the Immigration and Refugee Board should do the opposite and help them stay?

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Lena Metlege Diab

Liberal
“The Immigration and Refugee Board makes its own decisions. It reports to Parliament, and we expect it to follow the law.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, again, if the question relates to the IRB, it is an independent body, as I said. It does report to Parliament. There are laws in the country that it has to adhere to, and we expect it to do that.

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Brad Redekopp

Conservative
“The refugee board is not following the laws that Parliament made. I want to know if the minister thinks that is a problem.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, I am confused. If Parliament has laws on refugee policy, and if the Immigration and Refugee Board does the opposite of what those laws say, is that a problem in the minister’s mind?

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Lena Metlege Diab

Liberal
“If someone in Canada has committed a crime, border agents investigate them, and they might not be allowed to stay.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, if we find a person in Canada who has committed a crime, Canada Border Services Agency investigates that, and they could become inadmissible.

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Brad Redekopp

Conservative
“The Immigration and Refugee Board made new rules that make it easier for serious criminals to delay being deported. I want the minister to tell us if he approved these rules.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, I am sure the minister is aware that the IRB chair just issued new guidelines to create new ways for serious criminals to delay deportation. Did the minister personally approve these new guidelines?

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Lena Metlege Diab

Liberal
“The Immigration and Refugee Board makes its own decisions. It must follow Canadian law, and it is doing that.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, the IRB is an independent body. It has to adhere to Canadian law, and that is exactly what it is doing.

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Lena Metlege Diab

Liberal
“If a person commits a crime in Canada, border officers investigate them and they face consequences.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, again, if a person in Canada has committed a crime, they are investigated by the Canada Border Services Agency, and there are consequences.

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Brad Redekopp

Conservative
“The minister is avoiding my question. Who actually chooses the members of the Immigration and Refugee Board?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, the minister seems to be avoiding the question. Who actually appoints the IRB members?

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Lena Metlege Diab

Liberal
“The Immigration and Refugee Board has officers who are appointed by the government for set terms.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, the IRB has a number of officers. They are appointed for certain terms, and it goes through an OIC process.

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Brad Redekopp

Conservative
“The minister appoints the members of the immigration board. I want to know if she supports their new rules that let convicted criminals delay being deported.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, the minister is still confused. I know it is getting late. She is the one who appoints the IRB members, just for the minister’s record. Is the minister in support of the IRB’s making up these new rules so convicted criminals can delay deportation even more?

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Lena Metlege Diab

Liberal
“That news article was wrong and had to be corrected. The rules do not allow these hearings to be delayed.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, I believe that was written in some article that was in fact corrected because it was not correct. The guidelines do not allow inadmissibility hearings to be delayed.

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