CIMM Committee Meeting

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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 18

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

The Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration met in camera at 3:31 p.m. this day, in Room C-110, 1 Wellington Street, the Chair, David Tilson, presiding.

Members of the Committee present: Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe, Joe Daniel, Chungsen Leung, Hon. John McCallum, Costas Menegakis, Ted Opitz, Jasbir Sandhu, Devinder Shory, Rathika Sitsabaiesan and David Tilson.

In attendance: Library of Parliament: James Gauthier, Analyst ; Sandra Elgersma, Analyst.

Witnesses: Metro Toronto Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic: Avvy Yao-Yao Go, Clinic Director. As an individual: Christine Straehle, Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa. Muslim Canadian Congress: Mohammad Khan, President. Espace féminin arabe: Khadija Darid, Director General. Reh'ma Community Services: Talat Muinuddin, President; Shirin Mandani, Executive Director. DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society: Katie Rosenberger, Manager, Counselling Services; Swarandeep Virk, Counsellor.

The Committee proceeded to the consideration of matters related to Committee business.

It was agreed, — That the Fourth Report from the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure, which read as follows, be concurred in:

Your Subcommittee met on Tuesday, April 1, 2014, to consider the business of the Committee and agreed to make the following recommendations:

1. That the Hon. Chris Alexander, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, appear before the Committee between April 28, 2014 and May 30, 2014 in relation to the Main Estimates 2014-15 for one (1) hour and that Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) officials appear for the second hour.

2. That, notwithstanding the motion adopted by the Committee on Wednesday, February 26, 2014, the Committee undertake a study on the subject matter of Bill C-24, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, starting on Monday, April 28, 2014.

That six (6) meetings be devoted to hear from witnesses as follows:

• The Hon. Chris Alexander, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, and Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) officials appear on Monday, April 28, 2014, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

• The Committee hear from stakeholders for an additional (5) five meetings.

That the total number of witnesses for this study be divided among the recognized parties according to their standings in the House of Commons: fifteen (15) for the Government (Conservative Party), eleven (11) for the Official Opposition (New Democratic Party) and two (2) for the other opposition party (Liberal Party).

At 3:32 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 3:33 p.m., the sitting resumed in a televised session.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the Committee on Thursday, February 6, 2014, the Committee resumed its study on strengthening the protection of women in our immigration system.

Avvy Yao-Yao Go, Mohammad Khan and Christine Straehle made statements and answered questions.

At 4:22 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 4:24 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Katie Rosenberger, by videoconference from Burnaby, British Columbia, Khadija Darid, Talat Muinuddin and Shirin Mandani made statements and, with Swarandeep Virk, by videoconference from Burnaby, British Columbia, answered questions.

At 5:20 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Julie Lalande Prud'homme
Clerk of the Committee

2014/05/27 4:26 p.m.