This is a list
of speeches
from the openparliament.ca API. If you’re new here, you might want to look at the documentation. If API and JSON are gibberish to you, you’re better off at our main site.
This is a list
of speeches
from the openparliament.ca API. If you’re new here, you might want to look at the documentation. If API and JSON are gibberish to you, you’re better off at our main site.
Get this resource as raw JSON.
{
"objects": [
{
"time": "2007-05-02 15:25:00",
"attribution": {
"en": "The Chair (Mr. Norman Doyle (St. John's East, CPC))",
"fr": ""
},
"content": {
"en": "<p data-HoCid=\"635578\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Good day, and welcome to our committee as we continue our study on the loss of Canadian citizenship for the years 1947, 1977, and 2007.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635579\" data-originallang=\"en\">I want to welcome officials from CIC and thank them for their presence here today.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635580\" data-originallang=\"en\">I don't know who the spokesman is, but first on my list would be Mr. Mark Davidson, director. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635581\" data-originallang=\"en\">Maybe I'll pass it over to you, Mark, to introduce the people you've brought along here today.</p>",
"fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"635578\" data-originallang=\"en\">Bonjour et bienvenue au comit\u00e9. Nous poursuivons notre \u00e9tude de la perte de la citoyennet\u00e9 canadienne en ce qui concerne les lois de 1947, de 1977 et de 2007.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635579\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Je veux souhaiter la bienvenue aux d\u00e9l\u00e9gu\u00e9s de CIC et les remercier de leur pr\u00e9sence ici aujourd\u2019hui.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635580\" data-originallang=\"en\"> J\u2019ignore qui est le porte-parole, mais le premier inscrit sur ma liste serait M. Mark Davidson, directeur.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635581\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Je pourrais vous c\u00e9der la parole, Mark, pour que vous puissiez pr\u00e9senter les personnes qui vous accompagnent aujourd\u2019hui. </p>"
},
"url": "/committees/immigration/39-1/54/the-chair-1/",
"politician_url": "/politicians/91/",
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"procedural": true,
"source_id": "2048532",
"document_url": "/committees/immigration/39-1/54/"
},
{
"time": "2007-05-02 15:25:00",
"attribution": {
"en": "Mr. Mark Davidson (Director, Legislation and Program Policy, Citizenship Branch, Department of Citizenship and Immigration)",
"fr": ""
},
"content": {
"en": "<p data-HoCid=\"635582\" data-originallang=\"en\">Thank you, Mr. Chair. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635583\" data-originallang=\"en\">I'll have opening statements and my colleague Clark Goodman will also have a short opening statement, and then we'll get to questions. </p>",
"fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"635582\" data-originallang=\"en\">Merci, monsieur le pr\u00e9sident.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635583\" data-originallang=\"en\">J\u2019aurais une d\u00e9claration pr\u00e9liminaire \u00e0 faire et mon coll\u00e8gue Clark Goodman fera aussi une br\u00e8ve d\u00e9claration, puis nous passerons aux questions. </p>"
},
"url": "/committees/immigration/39-1/54/mark-davidson-1/",
"politician_url": null,
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"source_id": "2048534",
"document_url": "/committees/immigration/39-1/54/"
},
{
"time": "2007-05-02 15:25:00",
"attribution": {
"en": "The Chair",
"fr": ""
},
"content": {
"en": "<p data-HoCid=\"635584\" data-originallang=\"en\">Okay.</p>",
"fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"635584\" data-originallang=\"en\">D'accord.</p>"
},
"url": "/committees/immigration/39-1/54/the-chair-2/",
"politician_url": "/politicians/91/",
"politician_membership_url": "/politicians/memberships/401/",
"procedural": true,
"source_id": "2048535",
"document_url": "/committees/immigration/39-1/54/"
},
{
"time": "2007-05-02 15:25:00",
"attribution": {
"en": "Mr. Mark Davidson",
"fr": ""
},
"content": {
"en": "<p data-HoCid=\"635585\" data-originallang=\"en\">Mr. Chair, honourable members, my name is Mark Davidson and I am the director of legislation and program policy in CIC's citizenship branch.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635586\" data-originallang=\"fr\">As you can imagine, I have followed the work of this committee closely over the past several months as you have been exploring issues of citizenship loss. So, I am pleased to be here, along with my colleagues, to help to answer questions you might have. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635587\" data-originallang=\"en\">With me, as I mentioned, is Clark Goodman, who is the registrar of Canadian citizenship. We also have Rose Ann Poirier, from our case processing centre in Sydney; Rosemarie Redden and John Warner, from our case management branch; Margaret Dritsas, who is the nationality law adviser in my group; and Eric Stevens, from our legal services unit. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635588\" data-originallang=\"en\">Mr. Chair, you heard from a number of witnesses who have testified about discovering they are not Canadian citizens. Some of them, like Mrs. Barbara Porteous, were born outside Canada but have lived most of their lives here. Witnesses such as Mrs. Porteous have told you their stories and of their shock at discovering they do not have the citizenship they believed they had. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635589\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Mr. Chair, I can certainly empathize with them. They have lived in Canada most of their lives, worked, paid taxes and participated in the lives of their community. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635590\" data-originallang=\"en\">Their emotions upon discovering they are not actually citizens are perfectly understandable. l'm sure I'd feel the exactly the same way if I were in their shoes. You have heard from other witnesses whose lack of citizenship was not a surprise, but who nevertheless feel they have a legitimate claim to Canadian citizenship. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635591\" data-originallang=\"en\">Mr. Chair, the testimony you've heard speaks volumes to the value that people do place on Canadian citizenship. It also highlights the fact that every case is different, that every person's story is unique.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635592\" data-originallang=\"en\">The dilemma we as public servants face is that while every story is unique, the rules and the law are constant. As public servants, the decisions we make are, for the most part, framed by legislation approved by Parliament.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635593\" data-originallang=\"en\">As you well know, there are two key pieces of legislation governing citizenship: the Canadian Citizenship Act of 1947 and the Citizenship Act of 1977, which replaced it.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635594\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Our job as public servants is to apply these pieces of legislation to the circumstances of individual cases to the best of our abilities.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635595\" data-originallang=\"en\">Some of the laws passed by Parliament, particularly with regard to the 1947 act, might seem a bit archaic by today's standards. Provisions that limited the ability to pass on citizenship to a child born outside of Canada, depending on whether the father or the mother was Canadian, or whether the parents were married at the time of the child's birth, strike me as a very good example of that. But it is not our role, as civil servants, to stand in judgment of why the laws of the day were enacted. They were the laws of the day, and the role of civil servants is to evaluate cases on the basis of the applicable law.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635596\" data-originallang=\"en\">When Parliament approved the 1977 Citizenship Act, it recognized that despite efforts to make the rules fair, there would be situations where the impact on certain individuals would not seem fair at all, so the act gives the minister discretionary authority under subsection 5.(4) to grant Canadian citizenship upon the approval of the Governor in Council, also known as the GIC.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635597\" data-originallang=\"fr\">When the minister appeared here in February, she made it clear that she was making it a priority to review the cases of people who did not have the citizenship they thought they had or felt they merited. She stated that she was prepared to use the authority the legislation provides her to grant citizenship where it is merited. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635598\" data-originallang=\"en\"> The minister has instructed us to bring forward cases where these individuals have demonstrated they have a significant attachment to Canada, have lived here most of their lives, and thus merit consideration for this special grant of citizenship.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635599\" data-originallang=\"en\">We're here today to assist this committee in its work and to answer your questions as fully as possible, while of course respecting our role as civil servants.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635600\" data-originallang=\"en\">I'll ask my colleague Clark Goodman to provide a few details on what has been done since the minister's appearance before this committee in February.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635601\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Clark is responsible for program delivery and so is better placed to given you an update on our activities.</p>",
"fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"635585\" data-originallang=\"en\">Monsieur le pr\u00e9sident, chers coll\u00e8gues, je me pr\u00e9sente, Mark Davidson, directeur de la L\u00e9gislation et de la politique en mati\u00e8re de citoyennet\u00e9 \u00e0 la Direction g\u00e9n\u00e9rale de la citoyennet\u00e9 de CIC.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635586\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Comme vous pouvez l'imaginer, j'ai suivi de pr\u00e8s les travaux des derniers mois de ce comit\u00e9 concernant la question de la perte de la citoyennet\u00e9. Je suis donc heureux d'\u00eatre ici avec mes coll\u00e8gues pour aider \u00e0 r\u00e9pondre aux questions que vous pourriez avoir.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635587\" data-originallang=\"en\">Comme je l\u2019ai mentionn\u00e9, j\u2019ai \u00e0 mes c\u00f4t\u00e9s Clark Goodman, qui est le greffier de la citoyennet\u00e9 canadienne. Il y a \u00e9galement Rose Anne Poirier, de notre Centre de traitement des demandes de Sydney; Rosemarie Redden et John Warner, de la Direction g\u00e9n\u00e9rale du r\u00e8glement des cas; Margaret Dritsas, conseill\u00e8re en droit de la nationalit\u00e9 de mon groupe; et Eric Stevens, de notre \u00e9quipe des Services juridiques.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635588\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Monsieur le pr\u00e9sident, vous avez entendu de nombreux t\u00e9moins vous expliquer comment ils ont appris qu\u2019ils n\u2019\u00e9taient pas citoyens canadiens. Certains, comme Mme Barbara Porteous, sont n\u00e9s hors du Canada mais ont pass\u00e9 presque toute leur vie ici. Des t\u00e9moins comme Mme Porteous vous ont fait part de leur situation et du choc qu\u2019ils ont eu lorsqu\u2019ils ont appris qu\u2019ils n\u2019avaient pas la citoyennet\u00e9 comme ils le pensaient. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635589\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Monsieur le pr\u00e9sident, il est certain que je peux comprendre ce que ressentent ces personnes. Elles ont v\u00e9cu au Canada presque toute leur vie, y ont travaill\u00e9, y ont pay\u00e9 des imp\u00f4ts et ont particip\u00e9 \u00e0 la vie de leur collectivit\u00e9 .</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635590\" data-originallang=\"en\">Leur consternation d\u2019apprendre qu\u2019ils n\u2019ont pas la citoyennet\u00e9 est tout \u00e0 fait compr\u00e9hensible. Je suis persuad\u00e9 que je ressentirais la m\u00eame chose si j\u2019\u00e9tais \u00e0 leur place. Vous avez entendu d\u2019autres t\u00e9moins pour qui le fait de ne pas avoir la citoyennet\u00e9 n\u2019\u00e9tait pas une surprise, mais qui estiment n\u00e9anmoins avoir un droit l\u00e9gitime \u00e0 la citoyennet\u00e9 canadienne.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635591\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Monsieur le pr\u00e9sident, les t\u00e9moignages que vous avez entendus en disent long sur la valeur que l\u2019on accorde \u00e0 la citoyennet\u00e9 canadienne. Ils font \u00e9galement ressortir le fait que chaque cas est diff\u00e9rent, que l\u2019histoire de chaque personne est unique.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635592\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Le dilemme devant lequel nous nous trouvons, en tant que fonctionnaires, est que si chaque dossier est unique, les r\u00e8gles et la loi sont les m\u00eames. En tant que fonctionnaires, les d\u00e9cisions que nous prenons s\u2019appuient, pour la plupart, sur un cadre l\u00e9gislatif approuv\u00e9 par le Parlement.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635593\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Comme vous le savez tr\u00e8s bien, deux \u00e9l\u00e9ments importants de l\u00e9gislation r\u00e9gissent la citoyennet\u00e9: la Loi sur la citoyennet\u00e9 canadienne de 1947 et la Loi sur la citoyennet\u00e9 de 1977, qui l\u2019a remplac\u00e9e. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635594\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Notre travail, \u00e0 titre de fonctionnaires, consiste \u00e0 appliquer ces lois de notre mieux \u00e0 la situation de chaque cas. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635595\" data-originallang=\"en\">Certaines des lois adopt\u00e9es par le Parlement, en particulier celle de 1947, peuvent sembler un peu archa\u00efques selon les normes d\u2019aujourd\u2019hui. Les dispositions qui limitaient la possibilit\u00e9 de transmettre la citoyennet\u00e9 \u00e0 un enfant n\u00e9 \u00e0 l\u2019ext\u00e9rieur du Canada, selon que le p\u00e8re ou la m\u00e8re \u00e9tait Canadien, ou si les parents \u00e9taient mari\u00e9s ou non au moment de la naissance de l\u2019enfant, me paraissent comme un tr\u00e8s bon exemple. Mais il ne nous revient pas, en tant que fonctionnaires, de poser des jugements sur le motif des lois \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e9poque de leur promulgation. C\u2019\u00e9taient les lois de l\u2019\u00e9poque, et le r\u00f4le des fonctionnaires consiste \u00e0 \u00e9valuer les cas en se fondant sur les lois pertinentes.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635596\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Lorsque le Parlement a approuv\u00e9 la Loi sur la citoyennet\u00e9 de 1977, il a reconnu qu\u2019en d\u00e9pit des efforts d\u00e9ploy\u00e9s pour rendre les lois \u00e9quitables, il se pr\u00e9senterait des situations o\u00f9 l\u2019impact subi par certaines personnes ne semblerait pas juste du tout, ce pour quoi la loi conf\u00e8re au ministre un pouvoir discr\u00e9tionnaire, en vertu du paragraphe 5.(4), d\u2019accorder la citoyennet\u00e9 canadienne sur l\u2019approbation du gouverneur en conseil, aussi appel\u00e9 le GC. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635597\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Lorsque la ministre a comparu devant vous en f\u00e9vrier, elle a clairement indiqu\u00e9 qu'elle accordait la priorit\u00e9 \u00e0 l'examen des dossiers des personnes qui ne poss\u00e8dent pas la citoyennet\u00e9 qu'elles pensaient avoir ou estimaient m\u00e9riter. Elle a d\u00e9clar\u00e9 \u00eatre pr\u00eate \u00e0 user du pouvoir que lui conf\u00e8re la loi pour accorder la citoyennet\u00e9 aux personnes qui le m\u00e9ritent.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635598\" data-originallang=\"en\">La ministre nous a demand\u00e9 de porter \u00e0 sa connaissance les cas de personnes ayant manifest\u00e9 un profond attachement pour le Canada, qui ont pass\u00e9 presque toute leur vie ici et qui, de ce fait, m\u00e9ritent que l\u2019on envisage de leur attribuer la citoyennet\u00e9 \u00e0 titre sp\u00e9cial.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635599\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Nous sommes ici aujourd\u2019hui pour aider le comit\u00e9 dans ses travaux et pour r\u00e9pondre \u00e0 vos questions du mieux possible, tout en tenant compte de notre r\u00f4le en tant que fonctionnaires.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635600\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Je demanderais \u00e0 mon coll\u00e8gue Clark Goodman de donner quelques d\u00e9tails sur ce qui a \u00e9t\u00e9 accompli depuis la comparution de la ministre en f\u00e9vrier. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635601\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Clark est responsable de l'ex\u00e9cution du programme. Il est donc mieux plac\u00e9 pour vous fournir un bilan de nos activit\u00e9s. </p>"
},
"url": "/committees/immigration/39-1/54/mark-davidson-2/",
"politician_url": null,
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"procedural": false,
"source_id": "2048536",
"document_url": "/committees/immigration/39-1/54/"
},
{
"time": "2007-05-02 15:30:00",
"attribution": {
"en": "Mr. Clark Goodman (Acting Director, Citizenship and Immigration Program Delivery, Department of Citizenship and Immigration)",
"fr": ""
},
"content": {
"en": "<p data-HoCid=\"635602\" data-originallang=\"en\">Thank you, Mark.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635603\" data-originallang=\"en\">As Mark indicated, my name is Clark Goodman. I am the acting director of citizenship and immigration program delivery, and also the registrar of Canadian citizenship. My responsibilities including overseeing the operational activities related to Canadian citizenship.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635604\" data-originallang=\"en\">As I mentioned, I also carry another title, that of registrar of Canadian citizenship. This authority is delegated to me by the <a data-HoCid=\"105834\" href=\"/politicians/diane-finley/\" title=\"Diane Finley\">Minister of Citizenship and Immigration</a>. As registrar, I have the authority to determine who may function as a citizenship officer to grant citizenship on behalf of the minister and to approve citizenship applications in the case of a proof of citizenship. As well, I delegate people to administer the oath of Canadian citizenship. Furthermore, I am responsible for approving any forms used within the citizenship program.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635605\" data-originallang=\"fr\">I have been following your discussions on the issue of citizenship with interest. The issue has also received a fair amount of attention in the media in recent months. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635606\" data-originallang=\"en\">As Mark suggested, I would like to give you a brief update of our department's response to this issue and an update on the volume of calls we have received and the number of confirmed cases of people who have learned that they do not have citizenship status.</p>",
"fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"635602\" data-originallang=\"en\">Merci, Mark.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635603\" data-originallang=\"en\">Comme l\u2019a dit Mark, je suis Clark Goodman, directeur par int\u00e9rim de la Prestation des programmes de la citoyennet\u00e9 et de l\u2019immigration, ainsi que greffier de la citoyennet\u00e9 canadienne. J\u2019ai entre autres la responsabilit\u00e9 de surveiller les activit\u00e9s op\u00e9rationnelles li\u00e9es \u00e0 la citoyennet\u00e9 canadienne.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635604\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Comme je l\u2019ai mentionn\u00e9, je porte aussi un autre titre, celui de greffier de la citoyennet\u00e9 canadienne. Ce pouvoir m\u2019est d\u00e9l\u00e9gu\u00e9 par le ministre de la Citoyennet\u00e9 et de l\u2019Immigration. \u00c0 ce titre, j\u2019ai le pouvoir de d\u00e9terminer qui peut exercer les fonctions d\u2019agent de citoyennet\u00e9 pour octroyer la citoyennet\u00e9 au nom du ministre et pour approuver les demandes de preuve de citoyennet\u00e9. Je d\u00e9l\u00e8gue aussi la t\u00e2che d\u2019administrer le serment de citoyennet\u00e9 canadienne. Par ailleurs, j\u2019ai la responsabilit\u00e9 d\u2019approuver tout formulaire utilis\u00e9 dans le cadre du programme de la citoyennet\u00e9. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635605\" data-originallang=\"fr\">J'ai suivi avec int\u00e9r\u00eat vos discussions concernant la citoyennet\u00e9. La question a \u00e9galement suscit\u00e9 l'attention des m\u00e9dias au cours des derniers mois.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635606\" data-originallang=\"en\">Comme Mark l\u2019a propos\u00e9, j\u2019aimerais vous faire une courte mise \u00e0 jour sur les mesures prises par notre minist\u00e8re et vous donner un aper\u00e7u du volume d\u2019appels que nous avons re\u00e7us et du nombre de dossiers confirm\u00e9s de personnes qui ont appris qu\u2019elles ne d\u00e9tiennent pas la citoyennet\u00e9 canadienne.</p>"
},
"url": "/committees/immigration/39-1/54/clark-goodman-1/",
"politician_url": null,
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"source_id": "2048569",
"document_url": "/committees/immigration/39-1/54/"
},
{
"time": "2007-05-02 15:30:00",
"attribution": {
"en": "The Chair",
"fr": ""
},
"content": {
"en": "<p data-HoCid=\"635607\" data-originallang=\"en\"> I believe we have a translation problem here.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635608\" data-originallang=\"en\">Okay, everything is squared away. Sorry, about that, Mr. Goodman.</p>",
"fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"635607\" data-originallang=\"en\">Je pense que nous avons un probl\u00e8me d\u2019interpr\u00e9tation.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635608\" data-originallang=\"en\"> C\u2019est bien, tout est r\u00e9gl\u00e9 maintenant. D\u00e9sol\u00e9, monsieur Goodman. </p>"
},
"url": "/committees/immigration/39-1/54/the-chair-3/",
"politician_url": "/politicians/91/",
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"source_id": "2048582",
"document_url": "/committees/immigration/39-1/54/"
},
{
"time": "2007-05-02 15:30:00",
"attribution": {
"en": "Mr. Clark Goodman",
"fr": ""
},
"content": {
"en": "<p data-HoCid=\"635609\" data-originallang=\"en\">No worries.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635610\" data-originallang=\"en\">As of May 1, we are managing an inventory of approximately 400 cases where people do not have citizenship. These cases are under review to see how they might be resolved and whether they merit a special grant of citizenship.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635611\" data-originallang=\"en\">The number is down somewhat from when the minister appeared, as we were resolving cases more quickly than new ones were coming to our attention. On the minister's instructions, we created a dedicated unit in our call centre to deal with calls related to the loss of citizenship. That happened on January 26 of this year.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635612\" data-originallang=\"en\">To understand the scope of the issue, we have received approximately 1,900 calls linked to questions of loss, and in the vast majority of cases the people are in fact Canadian citizens. Some simply needed to apply for a new card or to continue to use their birth certificate as proof of citizenship.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635613\" data-originallang=\"en\">To put this in perspective, our call centre has received close to 800,000 calls overall in the same time period. So calls related to the loss of citizenship represent less than 0.5% of all calls in that period.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635614\" data-originallang=\"en\">Of the approximately 1,900 calls, all but 75 received confirmation that they were indeed Canadian citizens. Some of these 75 have been identified as permanent residents and invited to apply for a regular grant of citizenship. Some were counselled to apply as permanent residents, others were invited to apply for the discretionary grant of citizenship, and of course some cases are still under review.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635615\" data-originallang=\"fr\">These cases are being treated as priorities. Case officers have been assigned to all of the cases that we have identified with potential citizenship issues. Each one is unique, and the individuals are being dealt with on a personal basis. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635616\" data-originallang=\"en\">We are working with the Canada Border Services Agency and other partners to understand that no one is removed from Canada while the case is under review and that government benefits such as health care and old age security are continued.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635617\" data-originallang=\"en\">Of the cases that have already been reviewed, 46 individuals have been approved for a grant of citizenship, and as Mark mentioned, the criteria we are using for recommending cases to the minister to approve grants of citizenship are those cases where the individuals have a significant attachment to Canada and have lived here most of their lives.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635618\" data-originallang=\"en\">Some of them have already attended citizenship ceremonies and received their Canadian citizenship. One of those is now a bona fide citizen, Barbara Porteous, who herself made known the fact that she received her citizenship on April 19. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635619\" data-originallang=\"en\">We are also remitting fees that we would normally charge for citizenship applications for those who have come forward since the minister's first statement on this issue and who are now receiving a special grant of Canadian citizenship.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635620\" data-originallang=\"fr\">There have also been discussions about how many people might be affected by some of the provisions in our Citizenship Act. From an operations perspective, my colleagues and I are very much focused on those confirmed cases where people have come forward. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635621\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Despite the widespread attention the issue has received, the number of people who have come forward with legitimate cases is, as you can see, relatively small. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635622\" data-originallang=\"en\">Nonetheless, the department is committed to reaching out and allaying any concerns individuals may have about their citizenship status. To that end, the department is also coming forward with a targeted advertising campaign in an additional effort to try to reach people who may be affected. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635623\" data-originallang=\"en\">For those cases that we receive, you have my assurance that Citizenship and Immigration Canada is working to resolve as many cases as possible, as quickly as possible, using the discretionary authority available to the Minister. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635624\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Thank you.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635625\" data-originallang=\"fr\">We will be happy to answer any questions.</p>",
"fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"635609\" data-originallang=\"en\">Pas de probl\u00e8me.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635610\" data-originallang=\"en\"> En date du 1<sup>er</sup> mai, nous administrons environ 400 cas de personnes qui n\u2019ont pas la citoyennet\u00e9 canadienne. Nous \u00e9tudions ces dossiers dans l\u2019optique de d\u00e9terminer comment nous pourrions les r\u00e9gler et si l\u2019attribution de la citoyennet\u00e9 \u00e0 titre sp\u00e9cial se justifie.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635611\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Le nombre a diminu\u00e9 l\u00e9g\u00e8rement depuis la comparution de madame la ministre, car nous r\u00e9glons les cas plus rapidement que de nouveaux dossiers sont port\u00e9s \u00e0 notre attention. Suivant les instructions de la ministre, nous avons cr\u00e9\u00e9 \u00e0 notre centre d\u2019appel une \u00e9quipe sp\u00e9ciale charg\u00e9e des demandes t\u00e9l\u00e9phoniques se rapportant \u00e0 la perte de citoyennet\u00e9. Cela remonte au 26 janvier dernier.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635612\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Pour vous donner une id\u00e9e de la port\u00e9e de cette question, nous avons re\u00e7u environ 1 900 appels concernant la perte de citoyennet\u00e9, et la grande majorit\u00e9 des appelants \u00e9taient en fait des citoyens canadiens. Certains avaient simplement besoin de pr\u00e9senter une nouvelle demande de carte ou de continuer d\u2019utiliser leur certificat de naissance comme preuve de citoyennet\u00e9.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635613\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Pour mettre les choses en perspective, notre T\u00e9l\u00e9centre a re\u00e7u au total pr\u00e8s de 800 000 appels durant la m\u00eame p\u00e9riode. Les appels concernant la perte de citoyennet\u00e9 repr\u00e9sentent donc moins de 0,5 p. 100 de tous les appels re\u00e7us durant cette p\u00e9riode.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635614\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Les quelque 1 900 appelants sauf 75 ont obtenu la confirmation qu\u2019ils \u00e9taient de fait des citoyens canadiens. Quelques-uns parmi ces 75 ont \u00e9t\u00e9 reconnus comme des r\u00e9sidents permanents et invit\u00e9s \u00e0 pr\u00e9senter une demande de citoyennet\u00e9 normale. On a conseill\u00e9 \u00e0 certains d\u2019entre eux de demander le statut de r\u00e9sident permanent, on en a invit\u00e9 d\u2019autres \u00e0 demander la citoyennet\u00e9 \u00e0 titre discr\u00e9tionnaire, et bien entendu il reste des cas \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e9tude. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635615\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Ces cas sont trait\u00e9s de fa\u00e7on prioritaire. Tous les cas pour lesquels nous avons \u00e9tabli des probl\u00e8mes de citoyennet\u00e9 potentiels ont \u00e9t\u00e9 assign\u00e9s \u00e0 des agents pr\u00e9pos\u00e9s aux cas. Chacun de ces cas est unique, et les dossiers sont trait\u00e9s de fa\u00e7on individuelle.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635616\" data-originallang=\"en\">Nous collaborons avec l\u2019Agence des services frontaliers du Canada et d\u2019autres partenaires afin que personne ne soit renvoy\u00e9 du Canada pendant que son dossier est \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e9tude et afin que les prestations gouvernementales comme l\u2019assurance-maladie et la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 de la vieillesse soient maintenus.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635617\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Parmi les cas d\u00e9j\u00e0 examin\u00e9s, l\u2019octroi de la citoyennet\u00e9 a \u00e9t\u00e9 approuv\u00e9 pour 46 personnes, et comme Mark l\u2019a mentionn\u00e9, les crit\u00e8res que nous appliquons pour recommander \u00e0 la ministre l\u2019approbation de la citoyennet\u00e9 sont de manifester un profond attachement envers le Canada et d\u2019avoir pass\u00e9 la plus grande partie de sa vie au Canada.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635618\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Certaines des personnes vis\u00e9es ont d\u00e9j\u00e0 assist\u00e9 \u00e0 une c\u00e9r\u00e9monie de remise de certificats de citoyennet\u00e9 et re\u00e7u leur citoyennet\u00e9 canadienne. Une d\u2019entre elles est maintenant citoyenne \u00e0 part enti\u00e8re; il s\u2019agit de Barbara Porteous, qui a elle-m\u00eame fait savoir publiquement qu\u2019elle a re\u00e7u la citoyennet\u00e9 le 19 avril.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635619\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Par ailleurs, nous renon\u00e7ons aux frais qui seraient normalement exig\u00e9s pour les demandes de citoyennet\u00e9 des personnes qui se sont manifest\u00e9es depuis la premi\u00e8re d\u00e9claration de la ministre sur cette question et qui re\u00e7oivent maintenant la citoyennet\u00e9 canadienne \u00e0 titre sp\u00e9cial. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635620\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Il y a eu aussi des d\u00e9bats quant au nombre de personnes qui pourraient \u00eatre touch\u00e9es par certaines dispositions de notre Loi sur la citoyennet\u00e9. Du point de vue op\u00e9rationnel, mes coll\u00e8gues et moi nous concentrons fortement sur les cas confirm\u00e9s de personnes qui se sont manifest\u00e9es.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635621\" data-originallang=\"en\">En d\u00e9pit de toute l\u2019attention que cette question a suscit\u00e9e, le nombre de personnes qui ont pr\u00e9sent\u00e9 des dossiers l\u00e9gitimes est, comme vous pouvez le constater, relativement faible.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635622\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Malgr\u00e9 cela, le minist\u00e8re se montre ouvert et r\u00e9solu \u00e0 apaiser toute pr\u00e9occupation que les gens pourraient avoir quant \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e9tat de leur citoyennet\u00e9. Dans cette optique, le minist\u00e8re lance une campagne de publicit\u00e9 cibl\u00e9e afin de joindre d\u2019autres personnes qui pourraient \u00eatre touch\u00e9es.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635623\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Compte tenu de tous les dossiers que nous recevons, je vous assure que Citoyennet\u00e9 et Immigration Canada travaille \u00e0 r\u00e9gler le plus grand nombre de cas possible, le plus rapidement possible, en faisant intervenir les pouvoirs discr\u00e9tionnaires accessibles \u00e0 la ministre. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635624\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Je vous remercie.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635625\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Nous serons heureux de r\u00e9pondre \u00e0 vos questions.</p>"
},
"url": "/committees/immigration/39-1/54/clark-goodman-2/",
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{
"time": "2007-05-02 15:35:00",
"attribution": {
"en": "The Chair",
"fr": ""
},
"content": {
"en": "<p data-HoCid=\"635626\" data-originallang=\"en\">Thank you, Mr. Goodman. Thank you, Mr. Davidson. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635627\" data-originallang=\"en\">Mr. Telegdi is next. </p>",
"fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"635626\" data-originallang=\"en\">Merci, monsieur Goodman. Merci, monsieur Davidson.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635627\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Le suivant est M. Telegdi. </p>"
},
"url": "/committees/immigration/39-1/54/the-chair-4/",
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{
"time": "2007-05-02 15:35:00",
"attribution": {
"en": "Hon. Andrew Telegdi (Kitchener\u2014Waterloo, Lib.)",
"fr": ""
},
"content": {
"en": "<p data-HoCid=\"635628\" data-originallang=\"en\">Mr. Chairman, prior to starting the questioning, I would like to have all the witnesses sworn in. </p>",
"fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"635628\" data-originallang=\"en\">Monsieur le pr\u00e9sident, avant de passer aux questions, j\u2019aimerais que tous les t\u00e9moins soient asserment\u00e9s. </p>"
},
"url": "/committees/immigration/39-1/54/andrew-telegdi-1/",
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{
"time": "2007-05-02 15:35:00",
"attribution": {
"en": "The Chair",
"fr": ""
},
"content": {
"en": "<p data-HoCid=\"635629\" data-originallang=\"en\">You want to have the witnesses sworn in? </p>",
"fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"635629\" data-originallang=\"en\">Vous voulez que les t\u00e9moins pr\u00eatent serment? </p>"
},
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{
"time": "2007-05-02 15:35:00",
"attribution": {
"en": "Hon. Andrew Telegdi",
"fr": ""
},
"content": {
"en": "<p data-HoCid=\"635630\" data-originallang=\"en\">Yes, that is correct. </p>",
"fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"635630\" data-originallang=\"en\">Oui, c'est exact.</p>"
},
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{
"time": "2007-05-02 15:35:00",
"attribution": {
"en": "The Chair",
"fr": ""
},
"content": {
"en": "<p data-HoCid=\"635631\" data-originallang=\"en\">Okay. </p>",
"fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"635631\" data-originallang=\"en\">D'accord.</p>"
},
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{
"time": "2007-05-02 15:35:00",
"attribution": {
"en": "Hon. Jim Karygiannis (Scarborough\u2014Agincourt, Lib.)",
"fr": ""
},
"content": {
"en": "<p data-HoCid=\"635632\" data-originallang=\"en\"> I would like to speak to that, Mr. Chair. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635633\" data-originallang=\"en\">I too would like to do that, because I've heard some comments right now that need to be addressed. </p>",
"fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"635632\" data-originallang=\"en\">J\u2019aimerais avoir la parole sur ce point, monsieur le pr\u00e9sident.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635633\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Moi aussi je voudrais que cela se fasse, parce que je viens tout juste d\u2019entendre des commentaires auxquels il faut donner suite. </p>"
},
"url": "/committees/immigration/39-1/54/jim-karygiannis-1/",
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"source_id": "2048642",
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{
"time": "2007-05-02 15:35:00",
"attribution": {
"en": "The Chair",
"fr": ""
},
"content": {
"en": "<p data-HoCid=\"635634\" data-originallang=\"en\">Okay. We can direct the clerk to have witnesses sworn in. </p>",
"fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"635634\" data-originallang=\"en\">D\u2019accord. Nous pouvons demander au greffier d\u2019assermenter les t\u00e9moins. </p>"
},
"url": "/committees/immigration/39-1/54/the-chair-7/",
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{
"time": "2007-05-02 15:35:00",
"attribution": {
"en": "Mr. Mark Davidson",
"fr": ""
},
"content": {
"en": "<p data-HoCid=\"635635\" data-originallang=\"en\">Mr. Chair, may I make a brief statement?</p>",
"fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"635635\" data-originallang=\"en\">Monsieur le pr\u00e9sident, pourrais-je intervenir bri\u00e8vement?</p>"
},
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{
"time": "2007-05-02 15:35:00",
"attribution": {
"en": "The Chair",
"fr": ""
},
"content": {
"en": "<p data-HoCid=\"635636\" data-originallang=\"en\">Sure. Go ahead, Mr. Davidson. </p>",
"fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"635636\" data-originallang=\"en\">Bien s\u00fbr. Allez-y, monsieur Davidson. </p>"
},
"url": "/committees/immigration/39-1/54/the-chair-8/",
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{
"time": "2007-05-02 15:35:00",
"attribution": {
"en": "Mr. Mark Davidson",
"fr": ""
},
"content": {
"en": "<p data-HoCid=\"635637\" data-originallang=\"en\">Mr. Chair, we would certainly be prepared to be sworn in. I'd just point out that to have witnesses sworn in is not a regular event, and indeed this committee has not previously sworn in witnesses on this matter. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635638\" data-originallang=\"en\">I think it's also important to remind members that our role as civil servants\u2014</p>",
"fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"635637\" data-originallang=\"en\">Monsieur le pr\u00e9sident, nous serions certainement dispos\u00e9s \u00e0 pr\u00eater serment. Je voudrais simplement signaler qu\u2019il n\u2019est pas pratique courante d\u2019assermenter les t\u00e9moins, et qu\u2019en fait le comit\u00e9 n\u2019a pas asserment\u00e9 les t\u00e9moins qui ont comparu \u00e0 ce jour.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635638\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Je pense aussi qu\u2019il est important de rappeler aux participants que notre r\u00f4le \u00e0 titre de fonctionnaires \u2014</p>"
},
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{
"time": "2007-05-02 15:35:00",
"attribution": {
"en": "Hon. Jim Karygiannis",
"fr": ""
},
"content": {
"en": "<p data-HoCid=\"635639\" data-originallang=\"en\">Mr. Chair, I have a point of order. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635640\" data-originallang=\"en\">I don't think it's for the witness to tell us or not to tell us. It's up to the committee to decide if we want to swear them in. You decide that you want them sworn in. Let's move on it and have the clerk do that. </p>",
"fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"635639\" data-originallang=\"en\">Monsieur le pr\u00e9sident, j\u2019aimerais faire un rappel au R\u00e8glement.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635640\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Je ne pense pas qu\u2019il revienne au t\u00e9moin de nous dire quoi faire ou ne pas faire. Il revient au comit\u00e9 de d\u00e9cider si nous voulons ou non faire pr\u00eater serment. Vous d\u00e9cidez que vous voulez les assermenter. Voyons si la proposition est adopt\u00e9e et demandons au greffier de poursuivre. </p>"
},
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"procedural": false,
"source_id": "2048661",
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},
{
"time": "2007-05-02 15:40:00",
"attribution": {
"en": "The Chair",
"fr": ""
},
"content": {
"en": "<p data-HoCid=\"635641\" data-originallang=\"en\">Order, please. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635642\" data-originallang=\"en\">I'm going to hear Mr. Davidson, and then I'll have a comment to make on it, if you don't mind. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635643\" data-originallang=\"en\">Go ahead, Mr. Davidson. </p>",
"fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"635641\" data-originallang=\"en\">Silence, s\u2019il vous pla\u00eet. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635642\" data-originallang=\"en\">Je vais entendre M. Davidson, ensuite j\u2019aurai un commentaire \u00e0 faire sur ce point, si vous me le permettez.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635643\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Vous avez la parole, monsieur Davidson. </p>"
},
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{
"time": "2007-05-02 15:40:00",
"attribution": {
"en": "Mr. Mark Davidson",
"fr": ""
},
"content": {
"en": "<p data-HoCid=\"635644\" data-originallang=\"en\">As I indicated, Mr. Chair, if it's the will of this committee, we will of course be sworn in, but it's important to understand that as civil servants, we are responsible to the minister and we have also sworn oaths as civil servants. If the committee understands that situation, we'd be quite happy to be sworn in. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635645\" data-originallang=\"en\">Again, this is not a regular type of event and it has never happened with this particular study. </p>",
"fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"635644\" data-originallang=\"en\">Comme je l\u2019ai indiqu\u00e9, monsieur le pr\u00e9sident, si le comit\u00e9 le d\u00e9sire, nous pr\u00eaterons serment bien s\u00fbr, mais il est important de comprendre qu\u2019en tant que fonctionnaires, nous sommes redevables au ministre et nous avons d\u00e9j\u00e0 pr\u00eat\u00e9 serment en notre qualit\u00e9 de fonctionnaires. Si le comit\u00e9 comprend bien ce fait, nous allons pr\u00eater serment avec plaisir.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"635645\" data-originallang=\"en\"> Je r\u00e9p\u00e8te, il ne s\u2019agit pas d\u2019une situation courante et on ne l\u2019a jamais fait pour l\u2019\u00e9tude de ce dossier en particulier. </p>"
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