CIMM Committee Meeting

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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 33

Thursday, February 8, 2007

The Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration met at 11:00 a.m. this day, in Room 209, West Block, the Chair, Norman Doyle, presiding.

Members of the Committee present: Omar Alghabra, Barry Devolin, Norman Doyle, Meili Faille, Raymond Gravel, Nina Grewal, Hon. Jim Karygiannis, Ed Komarnicki, Bill Siksay, Hon. Andrew Telegdi and Blair Wilson.

In attendance: Library of Parliament: Andrew Kitching, Analyst . Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration: Trupati Patel, Analyst . Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration: William Farrell, Clerk of the Committee.

Witnesses: Harvard Law School: Deborah Anker, Clinical Professor of Law, Immigration and Refugee Program; Efrat Arbel, Research Assistant to Deborah Anker, Immigration and Refugee Clinical Program. As an individual: Francisco Rico-Martinez, Co-Director, FCJ Refugee Centre.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the Committee on Wednesday, June 21, 2006, the Committee resumed its study of Refugee Issues - Safe Third Country Agreement.

Deborah Anker and Francisco Rico-Martinez made statements and answered questions.

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

Jim Karygiannis moved, — That the Committee visit the Detention Center in Kingston to see the detainees and observe their health in the immediate future.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to.

On motion of Jim Karygiannis, it was agreed, — That the proposed budget in the amount of $9,066, for the Committee’s travel to Kingston on February 12, 2007, be adopted.

On motion of Bill Siksay, it was agreed, — That the proposed budget in the amount of $ 65,200 for the study on the Loss of Canadian Citizenship in the years 1947, 1977 and 2007, be adopted.

Jim Karygiannis read into the record the following notice of motion:

In View of STCA clearly not working and countries that are signatories to Refugee Protection under UNHCR having different measures and ways to determine Refugee Claimant determination be it in the Americas, Europe or other parts of the world, this Committee asks that the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration takes these concerns to the United Nations and asks for protocols to be set where guidelines and protocols be set for countries signatory to the UNHCR Refugee Protection to follow in a manner which is similar across the board.

Further the Minister to ask UNHCR for an ombudsman to monitor cases and provide guidance to countries and share the best practices with all countries involved.

On motion of Andrew Telegdi, it was agreed, — That, in regards to its study on the Loss of Canadian Citizenship in the years 1947, 1977 and 2007, the Committee adopt the following schedule:

Monday, February 19, 2007

- Minister and Senior Officials from the Department of Citizenship and Immigration

Monday, February 26, 2007

- Interested groups and individuals

Monday, March 19, 2007

- Interested groups and individuals

Monday, March 26, 2007

- Interested groups and individuals

and that the meetings take place from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

At 1:10 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Samy Agha
Committee Clerk

2007/02/12 7:50 a.m.