Evidence of meeting #5 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was c-3.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS
Thank you very much for the question.
Language is very important, I completely agree. Here, Canadians who were born as citizens by descent are treated the same as those who were born here. For that reason, the comparison is the same. We did a jurisdictional analysis with many countries.
If you want, I can turn it over to the officials, because we did that as well.
Bloc
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
No, no, I don't need to talk to them, so I'm fine with your answer, Minister.
There have been a lot of—
Bloc
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
I'm from the Bloc Québécois, so we have less time for questions.
Thank you, Minister. I would run out of time anyway.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Julie Dzerowicz
Thank you, Mr. Brunelle‑Duceppe.
We now have Ms. Rempel Garner for five minutes.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Minister, how many people exited Canada last year?
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Again, we are here today to talk about Bill C-3. It's a bill that many Canadians and many families have been waiting for for many years.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
The reason I ask this is to pick up on the last stream.
How are you going to prove a claim that's made under this chain migration bill if it's prior to 2019 and you can't track entry and exit data?
Don't you think there's a pretty big potential for fraud there?
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Again, the current legislation that was struck down was found to be unacceptable. There are a lot of consequences for Canadian families who are living—
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Yes, I get your word salad.
Let's say somebody makes a claim that their five years happened before 2019, and you're not tracking exit and entry data. Could anybody just say, “Yeah, I went to the cottage, yo. Please give me citizenship,” like it's a Costco card?
Can you tell me how fraud wouldn't happen here?
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Like-minded countries, the M5s, all have policies that limit the passing of automatic citizenship by descent.
Conservative
Liberal
Liberal
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
What's the balance?
If somebody came in prior to 2019 and you can't prove if they entered or exited, literally anybody could be like, “Yeah, I'm Canadian, yo. Give me citizenship. This is not sus at all.”
Do you understand what you're saying here? You've introduced a chain migration bill, and you can't prove if somebody entered the country. Do you realize how ridiculous that is?
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS
Madam Chair, again, I think the question is a bit ridiculous, to be quite frank.
Conservative
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS
People need to demonstrate that they have the substantial connection—
Liberal
Salma Zahid Liberal Scarborough Centre—Don Valley East, ON
On a point of order, an opportunity should be provided to the witnesses to answer the questions. This is not the decorum we should have in this committee. There needs to be a question, and there needs to be an answer.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Julie Dzerowicz
Thank you, Ms. Zahid.
We'll allow the witness to answer the question. We will restart the time.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
On that point of order, I would love an answer. It would be awesome. I agree with my colleague. I'm not getting an answer from the minister.
Thank you for raising this point of order.
I'm asking, Madam Chair, how she's going to prevent fraud related to this. You started my time, but I'm making a point of order. I want your ruling on this. I didn't get an answer.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Julie Dzerowicz
Yes, you're asking a question.
I'm going to restart your clock, and then we will have the minister respond.
Minister Diab—
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Thank you. Can I restate the question? My colleagues were trying to silence me.
For people who are listening, the Liberals have tabled a chain migration bill, and in order to fulfill the requirements of this chain migration bill, which will give them Canadian citizenship, applicants have to say they were in Canada for three years, but prior to 2019—or we don't even know today—the Liberals can't prove if they were in Canada.
Minister, how are you going to prove rampant fraud and the abuse of Canadian citizenship?
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS
Thank you for that.
We already do this for all naturalized Canadians. Applicants will be asked to submit evidence of their Canadian parents' physical presence. This is something that's been done in this country and in all countries with proof on the citizenship application.
It would include things like—