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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 243

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
October 31, 2023 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 243 - Oct/31/23
Mr. Gérard Deltell (Louis-Saint-Laurent, CPC)
  • Oct/31/23 10:26:53 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in my riding, we receive dozens of new immigration files every week. I warmly thank Isabelle Turcotte-Genest, who works in my riding office and who manages the immigration files. Not a weekend goes by where I do not receive thanks from my constituents because of her great work. I want to acknowledge her. I assume that this happens in other ridings as well. According to figures dating from September 30, there is a backlog of more than 2.2 million immigration files here, in Canada. In our view, the Liberal government's mismanagement is what is preventing it from focusing on the right targets. First and foremost, we need to make sure that immigrants coming to Canada are properly integrated. Unfortunately, there is a backlog of more than two million files. I would like to hear my colleague’s comments on this.
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Context: House Hansard - 243 - Oct/31/23
Mr. Tom Kmiec (Calgary Shepard, CPC)
  • Oct/31/23 12:26:23 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the member to comment on the issue of online applications submitted to the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. Since September, the system has had a processing backlog of 2.2 million applications. A year ago, we were told that the new system that was created forces all people, whether in Canada or outside, to apply to change their immigration status or to come to Canada as a visitor, worker or student. There are 2.2 million applications that have not been processed on time, and this figure has not changed in the last year. There are people waiting to be reunited with their spouses, children or parents. I would like my colleague's comments on this.
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Context: House Hansard - 243 - Oct/31/23
Mr. Tom Kmiec (Calgary Shepard, CPC)
  • Oct/31/23 12:53:34 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, to hear the parliamentary secretary tell it, Canada's immigration system has been working well for the past eight years. It is perfect and working exactly as the government intended. However, we know the application backlog is 2.2 million and growing. It seems to get a little bigger every month. Foreign students are turning to food banks every day, every month and every year. That was a rare phenomenon eight years ago, but it is very common now. Is that the immigration system her government envisioned in 2015?
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Context: House Hansard - 243 - Oct/31/23
Mr. Gérard Deltell (Louis-Saint-Laurent, CPC)
  • Oct/31/23 4:03:09 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I appreciate your patience. I arrived in the House and in this seat at just the right time. I listened carefully to the comments from my colleague from Winnipeg North. We can all agree that immigration is a strength for our country. I am the son of immigrants, and I am very proud of that. I have to preserve it. The point is that, in today's reality, after eight years of the government, what we see is a backlog for 2.2 million people. As my colleague from the Bloc said, they are not cases; they are people. People are waiting to have clearance from the government. After eight years, 2.2 million people are waiting. Does my colleague think that is a good situation for Canada?
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