CIMM Committee Meeting
Notices of Meeting include information about the subject matter to be examined by the committee and date, time and place of the meeting, as well as a list of any witnesses scheduled to appear. The Evidence is the edited and revised transcript of what is said before a committee. The Minutes of Proceedings are the official record of the business conducted by the committee at a sitting.
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Minutes of Proceedings
François Dornier, Jean Léger and Shamira Madhany made statements and answered questions.
Jasraj Singh Hallan moved, — That the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration report the following to the House: We (a) condemn the unwarranted and unprovoked attack on Ukraine, which was ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, a clear violation of international law, and (b) call on the Government of Canada to support refugees who are impacted by this conflict and ensure that it is prepared to process applications on an urgent basis without compromising needs in other areas.
Marie-France Lalonde moved, — That the motion be amended by:
a) replacing the word “refugees” with the following: “Ukrainians and people residing in Ukraine”
b) adding, after the words “prepared to process”, the following: “immigration”.
Debate arose thereon.
By unanimous consent, it was agreed, — That the debate be adjourned until after the witnesses have been dismissed.
Questioning of the witnesses resumed.
The debate continued.
The question was put on the amendment of Marie-France Lalonde and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:
YEAS: Shafqat Ali, Bob Benzen, Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Sukh Dhaliwal, Fayçal El-Khoury, Garnett Genuis, Jasraj Singh Hallan, Arielle Kayabaga, Jenny Kwan, Marie-France Lalonde, Brad Redekopp — 11;
NAYS: — 0.
The debate on the motion, as amended, continued.
Garnett Genuis moved, — That the motion be amended by adding, after the words “in other areas”, the following: “; and (c) implement visa-free travel from Ukraine to Canada”.
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe moved, — That the amendment be modified by adding, after the words “to Canada”, the following: “, including by the rapid issuance of an electronic travel authorization (eTA),”.
After debate, the question was put on the subamendment of Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:
YEAS: Bob Benzen, Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Garnett Genuis, Jasraj Singh Hallan, Jenny Kwan, Brad Redekopp — 6;
NAYS: Shafqat Ali, Sukh Dhaliwal, Fayçal El-Khoury, Arielle Kayabaga, Marie-France Lalonde — 5.
The question was put on the amendment of Garnett Genuis, as amended, and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:
YEAS: Bob Benzen, Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Garnett Genuis, Jasraj Singh Hallan, Jenny Kwan, Brad Redekopp — 6;
NAYS: Shafqat Ali, Sukh Dhaliwal, Fayçal El-Khoury, Arielle Kayabaga, Marie-France Lalonde — 5.
The debate on the motion, as amended, continued.
Jenny Kwan moved, — That the motion be amended by adding, after the words “travel authorization (eTA),” the following: “and increase staffing resources and adjust immigration levels as required while respecting Quebec authority on immigration, so that the existing backlog for all immigration streams is not further impacted by this humanitarian crisis”.
Debate arose thereon.
Marie-France Lalonde moved, — That the amendment be amended by deleting the words: “and adjust immigration levels as required while respecting Quebec authority on immigration,”.
After debate, the question was put on the subamendment of Marie-France Lalonde and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:
YEAS: Shafqat Ali, Bob Benzen, Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Sukh Dhaliwal, Fayçal El-Khoury, Garnett Genuis, Jasraj Singh Hallan, Arielle Kayabaga, Marie-France Lalonde, Brad Redekopp — 10;
NAYS: Jenny Kwan — 1.
The question was put on the amendment of Jenny Kwan, as amended, and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:
YEAS: Shafqat Ali, Bob Benzen, Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Sukh Dhaliwal, Fayçal El-Khoury, Garnett Genuis, Jasraj Singh Hallan, Arielle Kayabaga, Jenny Kwan, Marie-France Lalonde, Brad Redekopp — 11;
NAYS: — 0.
The question was put on the motion, as amended, and it was agreed to on the following recorded division:
YEAS: Bob Benzen, Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Garnett Genuis, Jasraj Singh Hallan, Jenny Kwan, Brad Redekopp — 6;
NAYS: Shafqat Ali, Sukh Dhaliwal, Fayçal El-Khoury, Arielle Kayabaga, Marie-France Lalonde — 5.
The motion, as amended, read as follows:
That the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration report the following to the House: We (a) condemn the unwarranted and unprovoked attack on Ukraine, which was ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, a clear violation of international law, (b) call on the Government of Canada to support Ukrainians and people residing in Ukraine who are impacted by this conflict and ensure that it is prepared to process immigration applications on an urgent basis without compromising needs in other areas; and (c) implement visa-free travel from Ukraine to Canada, including by the rapid issuance of an electronic travel authorization (eTA), and increase staffing resources so that the existing backlog for all immigration streams is not further impacted by this humanitarian crisis.
ORDERED, — That the Chair present the report to the House
On motion of Brad Redekopp, it was agreed, — That Jasraj Singh Hallan be elected First Vice-Chair of the committee.
At 1:25 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.