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Context: House Hansard - 160 - Feb/14/23

Mrs. Marie-France Lalonde (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Lib.)

Feb/14/23 2:57:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is absolutely unacceptable to say that asylum seekers are taking advantage of the system. The reality is that these people are fleeing violence and looking for a safe haven. Our government will always work for vulnerable people and we are proud of the work we have accomplished. We hope that the Bloc Québécois is on board.

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Context: House Hansard - 160 - Feb/14/23

Mrs. Marie-France Lalonde (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Lib.)

Feb/14/23 2:58:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in my opinion, the Bloc Québécois has lost all credibility, because it believes that asylum seekers cross that border for an all-inclusive vacation package and that the situation asylum seekers must face is a joke. This is no joke to us. It is serious. We are working on it. We are speaking with our American counterparts, and we will modernize this agreement.

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Context: House Hansard - 160 - Feb/14/23

Mrs. Marie-France Lalonde (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Lib.)

Feb/14/23 6:37:40 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for his passion and service. He is very engaged and, as I understand, has a very personal commitment to vulnerable Afghans. We do not always align in our ideology, but I think it is important for Canadians everywhere to see that when it comes to unwavering support for Afghanistan, we are on the same side. Canada's commitment to Afghanistan represents one of the most difficult and the largest resettlement initiatives in Canadian history. We are steadfast in our promise to support those who served alongside Canada during the military operation in Afghanistan, as well as those who were working with our diplomatic missions. I am proud that Canada has one of the largest Afghan resettlement programs in the world and was among the first countries in the world to launch a special humanitarian resettlement program for vulnerable Afghans, including women leaders, human rights defenders, persecuted and religious minorities, 2SLGBTQI+ individuals and journalists. I can confidently tell this House that we are exploring all avenues to support their safe passage and are maximizing every opportunity to help Afghans leave Afghanistan and travel onward to Canada. A key challenge is that many Afghans who are still in need of protection remain in Afghanistan, and movement out of the country by air or land continues to be very difficult and dangerous. As all members here well know, the Government of Canada has no military or diplomatic presence in Afghanistan. Afghans seeking to leave Afghanistan face multiple challenges, including the Taliban exit requirements, notably a passport. They must also navigate third country entry and exit requirements. We are doing everything we can to help vulnerable Afghans get to safety as quickly as possible. IRCC has added more employees and resources in our mission abroad, including in Islamabad. IRCC has also mobilized its global network, and applications continue to be processed day and night on a priority basis through our integrated network of visa officers across the globe. Furthermore, IRCC has adopted a facilitative approach to expedite certain processes given the unique circumstances in Afghanistan. We are working with a wide range of partners, including regional and like-minded governments, NGOs and referral organizations, to secure safe passage for Afghans who are eligible for one of Canada's immigration programs. With the help of these trusted partners, we are enabling the movement of Afghans in neighbouring countries, where we have bolstered biometrics collection and medical and security screening capacity. I just want to point out that we have had 22 flights from Pakistan and 16 from Tajikistan so far. As the member alluded to, even with all of these difficulties, more than 28,000 Afghans can now call Canada home. We are proud of what we have accomplished, but we also know that there is more to do.

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Context: House Hansard - 160 - Feb/14/23

Mrs. Marie-France Lalonde

Feb/14/23 6:42:25 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, again I want to thank the hon. member for his service to Canada. I represent the community of Orléans, where we have a lot of active military members and veterans. It is always extraordinary for me to be a part of that. As I have said on a few occasions, if it was a matter of will, there would be 40,000 Afghans here in Canada. The current situation in Afghanistan is complex, and the challenges are extraordinary. We are constantly navigating an evolving situation with the government, and we have no military or diplomatic presence on the ground. We continue to explore all avenues to support the safe movement of Canada-bound Afghans out of Afghanistan to a third country and to maximize every opportunity to help them travel. I want to be clear. This effort is ongoing, and we are using all options at our disposal.

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