SOCI – Committee & Appearance Overview – December 5, 2024

About the Committee

Mandate

The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (SOCI) has the mandate to examine legislation and to study issues related to cultural affairs and the arts, social and labour matters, health and welfare, pensions and housing. It is also responsible for considering fitness and amateur sport, employment and immigration, consumer affairs and youth affairs.

Studies & Legislation

A full list of studies and legislation the committee has considered in the 44th Parliament can be found here.

SOCI recently completed a study on Bill S-235, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and presented their twentieth report with amendments to the bill.

Appearance Background

Background

Bill C-71, An Act to Amend the Citizenship Act (2024) was introduced in the House of Commons on May 23, 2024. Since September, the House has been seized with two motions of privilege that have halted all other debates. Bill C-71 is expected to be the first item of business when these motions are disposed of.

To note, On November 21, 2024, Minister Miller agreed with the Department’s recommendation to seek a further extension of the suspension of the declaration of invalidity relating to the Bjorkquist decision. He agreed to an extension of three months.

The Senate began pre-study motion debates on November 21, 2024. On November 28, 2024, the Senate passed a motion for the SOCI committee to proceed with the pre-study on Bill C-71.

Appearance Strategy

Minister Miller has been invited to appear, delivering a five-minute opening statement, followed by rounds of questioning from committee members. Officials will remain for the second hour to answer further questions.

The following IRCC officials will appear in support of Minister Miller and remain for the second hour:

• Harpreet S. Kochhar, Deputy Minister
• Pemi Gill, Assistant Deputy Minister, Service Delivery
• Uyen Hoang, Director General, Citizenship Policy
• Erika Schneidereit, Legal Services
• Stephanie Jay-Tosh, a/Senior Director, Legislation and Program Policy

Environment Scan

It is anticipated that questions will focus on:

• Substantial connection to Canada
• How many people will be affected
• Canada’s international legal obligations to asylum seekers
• Increasing volumes of asylum seekers
• Processing delays
• Front-end processing and decision-making of asylum claims
• Fairness and transparency in the inadmissibility decision-making process
• Mexico visa limitations
• Impact of Division 38 changes on the ability to make refugee claims
• The Designated Country of Origin (DCO) Regime

Committee & Appearance Overview

Committee Membership

Senator Rosemary Moodie – ISG – (Ontario)
Chair

Wanda Thomas Bernard – PSG – (Nova Scotia – East Preston)
Deputy Chair

Victor Boudreau – ISG – (New Brunswick)

Donna Dasko– ISG – (Ontario)

Sharon Burey– CSG – (Ontario)

Marie-Françoise Mégie– ISG – (Québec – Rougemont)

Flordeliz (Gigi) Osler – CSG – (Manitoba)

Patrick Brazeau– Non-affiliated – (Quebec - Repentigny)

Chantal Petitclerc– ISG – (Québec – Grandville)

Rene Cormier – ISG – (New Brunswick)

Tracy Muggli – PSG – (Saskatchewan)

Judith G. Seidman – C – (Québec – De la Durantaye)

Conservative Party of Canada

SOCI Members

Judith G. Seidman
(Quebec – De la Durantaye)

Top Party Issues

The Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) has been critical of the government for perceived inefficiencies in a “broken” immigration system.

Comments have been focused on the security of the asylum system and on immigration volumes, as opposed to making the system more efficient. It is expected the CPC will oppose these measures.

Recent Party Activity

• November 29 – Debates: Questioned why Bill C-71 was not proposed earlier to meet the original court ordered deadlines. (Plett)
• May 1 – SOCI: Voiced concerns of the unintended consequences of amending both the Citizenship Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. (Seidman)
• April 9 – Question Period: Stated the immigration system is broken and highlighted the $115 million spent to house asylum seekers at hotels in Niagara Falls, over 28,000 refugee claimants awaiting deportation, 34,000 asylum seekers awaiting security screenings, and that the oldest file awaiting screening dates to May 2019. (Plett)
• March 21 – SOCI: Raised concerns on the Minister being able to grant “whoever” citizenship with the proposed amendments to Bill S-235. (Seidman)
• February 7 – SOCI: Inquired how students of unintended consequences may understand the implications of the Ontario Supreme Court decision on the first-generation limit for those born abroad. (Seidman)

Independent Senators Group

SOCI Member

Rosemary Moodie
(Ontario)
Chair

Rene Cormier
(New Brunswick)

Chantal Petitclerc
(Quebec – Grandville)

Donna Dasko
(Ontario)

Victor Boudreau
(New Brunswick)

Marie-Françoise Mégie
(Quebec – Rougemont)

ISG Profile

The Independent Senators Group (ISG) does not function as a conventional political party, Rather, it governs itself through a set of guiding principles, and invites like-minded senators to join under its banner.

The ISG’s purpose is to: share information and expertise, engage in dialogue, take collective action on bills or issues that the ISG as a whole has designated as priorities, and build on their Modernization Agenda, through which they promote changes in Senate rules and practices.

Members of the ISG generally approach issues independently, and without whipped votes (with the exception of agenda items designated as ISG priorities).

Recent Group Activity

• June 5 – Debates: Inquired if the government will consider an amendment to Bill C-71 to correct the inequality for Canadians born abroad and adopted by Canadian parents. (Arnot)
• May 28 – Debates: Stated that not one Senator in the SOCI committee disagreed on the need for immigrant minors who aged out of care to have a route to citizenship. (Omidvar)
• May 13 – Twitter: Shared an article on refugee claims by international students that highlighted the growing number of displaced people globally and that refugee fraud is rare (Omidvar).
• April 17 – Twitter: Shared that asylum seekers from Gaza and Sudan face prejudiced policies and bureaucratic hurdles (Omidvar).
• March 22 – Question Period: Asked why people who escape Gaza to Egypt are told by IRCC officials that they must return to Gaza to complete their TRV application forms (Omidvar).
• March 21 – SOCI: Inquired if the amendments proposed by Senator Jaffer to Bill-235 would be inclusive to all children. (Petitclerc)
• February 7 – SOCI: Inquired if there is a risk of different treatment between children returning to their parents and those who never left the child welfare system in relation to citizenship grants. (Petitclerc)
• January 15 – Twitter: Shared a link on what the recent court ruling on Canada’s Citizenship Act means for lost Canadians. (Omidvar)

Progressive Senators Group

SOCI Members

Wanda Thomas Bernard
(Nova Scotia)
Deputy Chair

Tracy Muggli
(Saskatchewan)

PSG Profile

The Progressive Senators Group (PSG) does not function as a conventional political party, rather, it governs itself through a set of guiding principles, and invites like-minded senators to join under its banner.

The PSG formed in 2019 as a more progressive, unstructured offshoot of the ISG. The group does not whip votes.

The PSG believes that Canadians share a responsibility to advance the public good, including advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. They view government as a positive force in advancing the public interest.

Recent Group Activity

• May 17, 2023 - SOCI: Asked how successful the measures put in place for Syrian refugees were and how IRCC plans to make shorter wait times for refugee applicants (Cordy).

Canadian Senators Group

SOCI Members

Sharon Burey
(Ontario)

Floredeliz (Gigi) Osler
(Manitoba)

CSG Profile

The Canadian Senators Group (CSG) was founded in November 2019 by 11 senators who share an interest in furthering the modernization and independence of the Senate, while actively representing regional interests in the Senate Chamber and in committees.

CSG members act and vote independently. There is no requirement or expectation for members to agree on all issues or to vote en bloc. Each member will continue to work with all senators on legislation and important issues to Canadians.

CSG senators are committed to maintaining openness and transparency, engaging in solid research and robust debate, and preserving the highest level of decorum in the Senate Chamber.

Recent Group Activity

• May 29 – Debates: Inquired if the government should seek an extension to the June 19 deadline to fix Bill C-71. (Quinn)
• March 21 – SOCI: Asked how the process of grants rather than automatic citizenship would address the situation of young adults without citizenship once they enter the legal system. (Osler)

Non-Affiliated

SOCI Members

Patrick Brazeau
(Quebec - Repentigny)

Profile

Senators have not affiliated themselves with any group or party.

Recent Group Activity

• November 21 – Debates: Called upon a motion for committee to study Bill C-71 (Gold).
• December 12, 2023 – Twitter: Shared about the Humans In Flight project and understanding how we can all contribute to the global refugee crisis (McPhedran).
• June 28, 2023 – Twitter: Shared that Canada can do much better in responding to the Rohingya Refugee crisis (McPhedran).
• June 21, 2023 – Debates: Noted that changes to IRPA in Budget 2023 were substantial and merited deeper scrutiny. Highlighted that refugee caps may result in the exclusion of those most in need of refugee protection and that increased use of AI-assisted decision making in the refugee claimant process is of great concern (McPhedran).
• May 17, 2023 - SOCI: Asked how decreasing the number of refugees accepted helps desperate people who need to come to Canada and meet our criteria (McPhedran).