CITI Committee Meeting

MINUTES OF PROCEEDING
(Meeting No. 4 )


Tuesday, November 18, 1997


The Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration met this day at 3:34 p.m, in Room 536, Wellington, Stan Dromisky, presiding.

Members of the Committee present: Jean Augustine, Sarmite Bulte, Deepak Obhrai, Stan Dromisky, Gordon Earle, Jocelyne Girard-Bujold, Sophia Leung, Steve Mahoney, John N. McKay, Grant McNally, Réal Ménard, Maria Minna, John Reynolds, Jacques Saada and Diane St-Jacques.

In attendance: From the Research Branch of the Library of Parliament: Margaret Young, Research Officer.

The Chair presented the First Report of the Sub-Committee on Agenda and Procedure, which is as follows:

Your Sub-Committee met on November 4, 1997, to consider the Committee’s future business, and has agreed to recommend:


-- 1. That, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration be invited to appear at 3:30 p.m., on Tuesday, November 18, 1997.

-- 2. That, the Committee study the Estimates of the Department of Citizenship and Immigration and invite Senior officials to appear at 3:30 p.m., on Thursday, November 20, 1997.

-- 3. That, the Committee study the Estimates of the Immigration and Refugee Board, and invite Senior officials of the Board to appear at 9:00 a.m., on Thursday, November 25, 1997.



The following issues were presented as areas of concern by Members of the Steering Committee:


Detention of refugees and immigrants;

Fees imposed to immigrants coming to Canada;

Family reunification program of Algerian refugees;

Results on a Pilot project being conducted on granting visas to people specialized in High Tech.;

Situation of refugees arriving in Canada without identification or travelling papers;

Refugees coming from a third country (for example from the Democratic Republic of Congo);

Improvement of the process of selecting refugees;

The situation of criminals being released into the streets in Canada for lack of a third country willing to take them in;

Pre-screening of people wanting to enter Canada;

The role of the Member of Parliament in the area of Immigration, and when they can intervene.

By unanimous consent, it was agreed, -- That, the First Report of the Sub-Committee on Agenda and Procedure be concurred in.

In accordance with its mandate under Standing Order 108(2) and pursuant to its Order of Reference of October 23, 1997 from the House: -- That, the Supplementary Estimates (A), for the fiscal year ending March 31, 1998, under Citizenship and Immigration, Votes 1a and 10a, be referred to the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration.

Appearing: The Honourable Lucienne Robillard, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.

Witnesses: From the Department of Citizenship and Immigration: Janice Cochrane, Deputy Minister; Marc Lafrenière, Associate Deputy Minister; Gerry Campbell, Assistant Deputy Minister – Operations; Georges Tsaï, Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services; Bill Sheppit, Director General, Case Management; Gerry Robbins, Director General, Finance and Administration; Brian Grant, Director, Program Development.

The Chair called Vote 1.

The Minister made a statement and, with Janice Cochrane, Gerry Campbell, Brian Grant, Gerry Robbins and Bill Sheppit, answered questions.

At 5:24 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.