Post by : Meena Ariff

During a challenging session at a House of Commons committee on Thursday, Immigration Minister Lena Diab found herself in a fervent exchange with Conservative critic Michelle Rempel Garner. The discussion spanned various topics including immigration limits, visa extension policies, and the treatment of non-citizen criminals.

Rempel Garner pressed Diab regarding the government's C-12 legislation, which may permit significant alterations or suspensions of immigration documents. Diab clarified that the law does not aim to extend visas but refrained from detailing its potential implementation. The dialogue intensified as Rempel Garner accused Diab of providing vague responses, prompting a light-hearted comeback from Diab, who humorously referenced her preference for Lebanese salads like fattoush and tabbouleh.

The session also broached the topic of non-citizen criminals receiving light sentences, with Rempel Garner inquiring about the government's involvement in deportation processes. Diab reiterated that sentencing is at the discretion of the courts but ensured that foreign offenders would be deported when necessary.

The meeting commenced with committee chair Julie Dzerowicz sharing a letter from Diab’s deputy minister, highlighting reports of bullying and harassment faced by public servants after their testimonies. The letter cautioned against circulating out-of-context clips online due to potential security threats to staff.

Diab focused on the government's updated immigration targets, which include cuts to temporary resident permits and slight reductions in permanent resident admissions aimed at ensuring “sustainable, predictable levels.” The revised targets will establish permanent resident admissions at 380,000 annually for three years, a drop from 395,000 in 2025, alongside a 45% decrease in temporary resident targets, reducing from 673,650 in 2025 to 370,000 in 2027 and 2028. These changes follow apprehensions regarding integration capacities in the post-COVID era and waning public support for higher immigration numbers.

#Canada News #Politics News #World News