AFGH – Committee & appearance overview – April 25, 2022

About the Committee

Mandate

On December 7, 2021, the Conservative Party of Canada moved an Opposition Day motion to create a Special House Committee to examine and review the events related to the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban; including efforts to evacuate or authorize entry to Canada of, Canadian citizens, and interpreters, contractors and other Afghans who had assisted the Canadian Armed Forces or other Canadian organizations. The motion was carried, and the Special Committee on Afghanistan (AFGH) held its first meeting on December 13, 2021.

Studies

The committee has undertaken one study this session on the Situation in Afghanistan. Some recommendations made by witnesses have implications for the Department, including:

• Existing special immigration programs and all future refugee programs to account for increased barriers faced by people with disabilities (Mine Action Canada)
• Recognize displaced Afghans as prima facie refugees and waive the requirement of formal refugee status in the context of private sponsorship by Community Sponsors and Groups of Five (Canadian Bar Association)
• Expand the “special family reunification program” under the special programs for Afghan to offer permanent residence for extended family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents with family members affected by the Afghan crisis (Tenth Church Refugee Ministry)

Reports

The committee has not presented any reports this session.

Environmental scan

• Although AFGH meetings to date have generally been focused on the topic of Humanitarian Assistance, immigration continues to be regularly discussed during rounds of questioning. In particular, MP Kwan has actively inquired about reducing the requirements for Afghan refugees to come to Canada, and the challenges faced by women. MP Hallan has commented on the pace of IRCC’s application processing, and its impact on Afghan refugees.

About the Appearance

Background

The Minister will appear before AFGH on the subject of Immigration Measures on April 25, 2022.

The committee is expected to meet with the Minister and IRCC officials for the first hour of the meeting, followed by an appearance by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Global Affairs Canada officials during the second hour.

Of note, the committee will also be meeting with the Minister of National Defence at later date.

Briefing strategy

During the appearance, it is anticipated that the Minister will be invited to deliver a 5-minute opening statement, followed by rounds of questioning as follows:

• First round: 6 minutes for CPC, LPC, BQ and NDP respectively, and
• Second and subsequent rounds: CPC 5 minutes, LPC 5 minutes, BQ 2.5 minutes, NDP 2.5 minutes, CPC 5 minutes, LPC 5 minutes.

The following officials will accompany the Minister for the entirety of the appearance, and provide support, as needed, in responding to questions:

• Catrina Tapley, Deputy Minister
• Jennifer MacIntyre, Assistant Deputy Minister, Afghanistan
• Pemi Gill, Director General, International Network

Committee membership

• Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe (Lac-Saint-Jean)
  • Vice-Chair of AFGH; Critic for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and Human Rights; Vice-Chair of CIMM
• Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East, BC)
  • Vice-Chair of AFGH; Long-standing Critic for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship; Critic for Housing; CIMM member
• Hon. Michael Chong (Wellington—Halton Hills, ON)
  • Vice-Chair of AFGH; Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
• Jasraj Singh Hallan (Calgary Forest Lawn, AB)
  • Shadow Minister for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship; CIMM member
• Alex Ruff (Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON)
• Hon. Kerry-Lynne D. Findlay (South Surrey—White Rock, BC)
  • Shadow Minister for National Defence
• Sukh Dhaliwal (Surrey—Newton, BC)
  • AFGH Chair; CIMM member
• Fayçal El-Khoury (Laval—Les Îles, QC)
  • CIMM member
• Maninder Sidhu (Brampton East, ON)
  • Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Pam Damoff (Oakville North—Burlington, ON)
  • Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety
• Salma Zahid (Scarborough Centre, ON)
  • CIMMChair
• Yvan Baker (Etobicoke Centre, ON)

Conservative party of Canada

Top party issues

The conflict in Ukraine has recently surged to the forefront of the party’s messaging. The CPC is calling on the government to lift visa requirements for Ukrainians hoping to flee to Canada. The party has frequently drawn unfavourable parallels between Afghanistan and Ukraine in their messaging.

A key priority of the party is Afghanistan, and they have criticized the government for inaction in response to the crisis.

Processing delays and backlogs have been at the forefront of questioning. Their platform recommends implementing an express processing fee, moving immigration infrastructure online, and recording all officer-applicant interactions.

The CPC often raise the issue of Canada’s skilled labour shortage and the role of immigration and migrant workers in the economy.

The integrity of the immigration system, particularly as it relates to data breaches, safety and security have been highly discussed, including alleged breaches of Afghan refugee data and issues of foreign interference.

On family reunification, the party mainly focuses on processing times. Their platform recommends eliminating the lottery system, and combining FIFO and weighting principles.

The party has advocated for changes to border and asylum, including closing the Safe Third Country Agreement loophole and expediting Immigration and Refugee Board asylum hearings.

On refugees, the party believes that the Government Assisted Refugees stream should be terminated, that a human rights defenders stream should be implemented, and that the Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program should be made permanent.

With respect to settlement and integration, the party has called for the launch of a Credential Recognition Task Force.

Recent party activity

• Apr 5 – Oral Questions: Called on the Minister to apologize for implying former Afghan interpreters were security threats and for the processing rate of Afghan interpreters’ families (Hallan).
• Apr 5 – Oral Questions: Referenced a letter sent to the Minister on behalf of Afghan former interpreters’ families, called on the Minister to take action for interpreters (Thomas).
• Mar 29 – Oral Questions: Suggested the Minister lacked compassion for Afghan refugees, demanded further action on this file (Lawrence).
• Mar 25 – Twitter: Shared a National Post article on the number of Afghans who assisted the CAF and have been relocated to Canada, quoted an excerpt suggesting the Minister had declined to answer on the subject (Hallan).
• Mar 25 – Twitter: Shared a Globe and Mail article in which the measures offered to Ukrainians versus Afghans are framed as a two tiered system, alleged this was racist (Redekopp).
• Mar 23 – Debates: Suggested that the timeline for bringing Afghan refugees to Canada was impacting the mental health of parliamentary staff (Roberts).
• Mar 7 – Twitter: Claimed that the government had failed Afghans and that IRCC backlogs would lead to similar outcomes for Ukrainians (Hallan).
• Mar 4 – Oral Questions: Alleged that Ukrainian refugees were facing similar conditions to those impacting Afghan refugees, and claimed this was a result of government policy (Hallan).
• Mar 3 – Debates: Drew unfavourable parallels between Ukraine and Afghanistan, asked for visa-free entry for Ukrainians (Seeback).
• Mar 2 – CTV Power Play: Appeared on CTV Power Play arguing that immigration backlogs would negatively impact fleeing Ukrainians, citing the alleged failures of the Afghanistan operation to support this claim (Hallan).
• Feb 28 – Debates: Suggested that IRCC lacked a “sense of urgency” in reacting to the situation in Afghanistan, and urged the government to instill a sense of urgency at IRCC in coping with the situation in Ukraine (Paul-Hus).
• Feb 26 – Twitter: Shared a Globe and Mail article on Afghans who left their country and are now stranded in Ukraine, linked this situation to government policies (Hallan).
• Feb 20 – Twitter: Asked for a government plan to evacuate remaining Afghan interpreters (Hallan).

AFGH members

• Hon. Michael Chong (Wellington–Halton Hills, ON)
  • Vice-Chair of AFGH
  • Official Opposition Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
  • Topics of interest
    • International human rights
    • The situation in Ukraine
    • Democratic reform
    • Canada-China relations
    • Canada’s response to Afghanistan
    • National Security
• Jasraj Singh Hallan (Calgary Forest Lawn, AB)
  • Shadow Minister for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
• Alex Ruff (Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON)
• Hon. Kerry Lynne Findlay (South Surrey–White Rock, BC)
  • Shadow Minister for National Defense

Other active members

• John Brassard (Barrie-Innisfil, ON)
  • Opposition House leader

New Democratic Party

Top party issues

On Afghanistan, the party has criticised the government for inaction and called for more to be done in response to the humanitarian crisis, particularly for those at most risk who are inside their source country. They also seek to relax requirements for Afghan refugees to come to Canada.

Ukraine has recently become a focus for the party, with the NDP calling for the government to lift visa requirements for Ukrainians seeking a safe haven in Canada. NDP members have frequently compared the situation in Ukraine to Afghanistan.

On economic immigration, the party often advocates for aligning immigration levels with labour force needs. They call on the government to bring back an economic program for all skill levels.

The NDP calls for the appointment of an immigration Ombudsperson to provide independent oversight over IRCC in response to reports of a security breaches and alleged racism within the department.

Providing permanent residence upon arrival is a key recommendation put forth by the party as a means to reduce precariousness of migrant workers.

The party often intervenes on issues of the migrant worker rights and safety, and has called for expanding on healthcare, and for terminating both the Live-In Caregiver Program and Temporary Foreign Worker Program. They also advocate for removing language requirements in permanent residence applications.

On family reunification, the elimination of the lottery system and of caps to sponsoring parents and grandparents is a top issue, as is the reduction of backlogs in this line of business. The party has advocated for broadening the definition of family to include extended family.

With regard to refugees, a permanent resettlement program for LGBTI refugees is a frequent request by the party.

Recent party activity

• Mar 23 – Letter to Minister: Sent the Minister a letter advocating for an Afghan family seeking urgent refuge in Canada (Kwan).
• Mar 4 – Oral Questions: Asked for government action on Afghan refugees who are now embroiled in the crisis in Ukraine (Kwan).
• Mar 3 – Debates: Proposed extending Family Sponsorship Reunification to Ukrainian and Afghan refugees (Kwan).
• Mar 2 – Oral Questions: Called on the government to implement visa-free travel for Ukrainians coming to Canada, comparing the situation to Afghanistan (Singh).
• Mar 1 – CIMM: Argued that the government announced immigration measures for Afghanistan without adding staffing resources and immigration levels numbers, and proposed this approach not be repeated in addressing the situation in Ukraine (Kwan).
• Mar 1 – CIMM: Alleged that resources allocated to the Afghanistan operation were at the expense of other IRCC programs (Kwan).
• Feb 28 – Oral Questions: Characterized the evacuation of Afghanistan as a failure, urged the government to lift visa requirements for Ukraine (Singh).
• Feb 28 – Oral Questions: Asked that visa requirements for Ukrainians be lifted, compared the situation to Afghanistan (Kwan)
• Feb 28 – Letter to Minister: Asked the Minister to intervene on a case involving a family fleeing Afghanistan (Kwan).
• Feb 15 – Youtube: Held a virtual news conference with the Afghan Youth Engagement and Development Initiative discussing the status of Afghan refugees on the sixth month anniversary of the fall of Kabul (Desjarlais, McPherson).
• Feb 15 – Oral Questions: Asked for further government action on the evacuation of interpreters and refugees from Afghanistan (Kwan).
• Feb 15 – News Release: The NDP issued a news release calling on the government to take immediate action to help Afghan refugees (Kwan) (McPherson).
• Feb 11 – Letter to the Minister: Seeking assistance regarding a Permanent Resident application under the Privately Sponsored Refugee program (Kwan).

AFGH member

• Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East, BC)
  • Vice-Chair of AFGH
  • Long-standing Critic for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship; Critic for Housing
  • Topics of interest
    • Creating an Immigration Ombudsman
    • Measures for Afghanistan and Hong Kong
    • Adequate housing availability and affordability
    • Processing capacity and backlogs
    • Permanent residence on arrival for migrant workers
    • Rights, safety and precariousness of Caregivers and other migrant workers
    • Extending the definition of family for reunification
    • Withdrawal from the Safe Third Country Agreement and Roxham Road
    • Privacy concerns and transparency
    • Parents and Grandparents lottery system
    • Humanitarian and compassionate refusals

Bloc québécois

Top party issues

Quebec’s interests and the protection of the French language are at the forefront of party interventions. Francophone immigration is a top interest, and the party has proposed settlement incentives for Quebec (e.g. tax credits).The BQ has recently focused on acceptance rates of international students from African countries.

The situation in Ukraine has recently become an issue of significance for the BQ, with the party demanding action from the government on sanctions and displaced persons.

The party often compares the government’s response to Ukraine with its response to Afghanistan, with the implication that the allegedly lackluster response to Afghanistan is rooted in racism.

The party has proposed changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program including a transfer of the program to Quebec, a halt in annual LMIAs, and an increase on work permit and visa duration. They call for improvements to processing times in the agriculture sector and stressed the crucial role of migrant workers in food security.

On economic immigration, the party advocates for digitizing and expediting the processing of Quebec permanent resident applications. They previously called on the government to exempt Confirmation of Permanent Residence holders from travel restrictions.

With regard to borders and asylum, the party calls for increasing Quebec border management powers, and ending the Safe Third Country Agreement as a means to stop irregular migration.

On family reunification, the party calls for a transfer of the program to Quebec.

In the 43^rd Parliament, the party was a strong advocate for guardian angels.

Recent party activity

• Mar 21 – Twitter: Commented on Afghan study permits being refused by IRCC because the students are unlikely to return to Afghanistan (Brunelle-Duceppe).
• Feb 28 – Debates: Suggested that the “west” had demonstrated weakness through the situation in Afghanistan and that it would embolden hostile foreign entities (Bergeron).
• Feb 17 – Debates: Moved a motion in the House on support and assurance for Canadian NGOs operating in Afghanistan; this motion was not adopted (Brunelle-Duceppe).
• Jan 31 – AFGH: Inquired about immigration from Afghanistan (Brunelle-Duceppe).

AFGH member

• Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe (Lac-Saint-Jean)
  • Vice-Chair of AFGH
  • Critic for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and Human Rights; Vice-Chair of CIMM
  • Topics of interest
    • Francophone immigration, including international students from French-speaking countries in Africa
    • Immigration measures for Afghanistan
    • Taking a stand against China in relation to the Uyghur genocide
    • Suspending the Safe Third Country Agreement and irregular migration at Roxham Road
    • Quebec interests and protection of the French language
    • Human rights conflicts
    • Processing delays
    • Family reunification

Liberal Party of Canada

Top party issues

Party efforts are focused on achieving the Immigration Levels and has committed to resettle 40,000 eligible Afghan refugees.

On Ukraine, the LPC has pointed to government measures taken to address the situation and promised that more action will be taken.

Transformation and digitization in various lines of business is actively highlighted by the party and used a solution to modernizing the immigration system.

The government committed to improving processing times, collecting evidence to improve various policies and programs, and frequently highlights the importance of immigration in Canada’s present and future.

Recent party activity

• Mar 11 – Twitter: Pointed to the number of Afghan refugees settled in Canada and lauded Afghan women on the occasion of International Women’s Day (Minister Fraser).
• Mar 4 – News Release: Highlighted the number of Afghans that have come to Canada and announced new supports from Canadian educational institutions (Minister Fraser).
• Mar 4 – Oral Questions: In response to an inquiry on the status of Afghan refugees trapped in Ukraine, reasserted the government’s commitment to settling 40,000 Afghans (Minister Fraser).
• Mar 3 – Twitter: Noted a recent presentation to the University of Ottawa “University Women Helping Afghan Women” group, during which ideas to help Afghan refugees were discussed, with a focus on Afghan women (Lalonde).
• Mar 1 – CIMM: Asked why the government would consider visa-free entry for Ukraine when this measure was not offered for Afghanistan or Syria (Ali).
• Mar 1 – CIMM: Agreed with MP Kwan’s proposal that IRCC resources be added to cope with the situation in Ukraine rather than reallocated within the department as was done for the Afghanistan operation, as MP Dhaliwal believed this approach unsatisfactory (Dhaliwal).
• Feb 17 – Oral Questions: Pointed to the government’s ongoing commitment to settle 40,000 Afghan refugees (Minister Fraser).

AFGH Members

• Sukh Dhaliwal (Surrey-Newton, BC)
  • AFGH Chair
• Maninder Sidhu (Brampton East, ON)
  • Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Pam Damoff (Oakville North—Burlington, ON)
• Salma Zahid (Scarborough Centre, ON)
• Fayçal El-Khoury (Laval—Les Îles, QC)
• Yvan Baker (Etobicoke Centre, ON)