RCMP officers patrol a wooded area on the Canada-U.S. border in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Que., in January.Graham Hughes/Reuters
Ottawa would have to report to Parliament every month on the number of foreign nationals who have been deported, including those with criminal convictions, under changes to the government’s border bill pushed through by the Conservatives.
A slew of amendments to Bill C-12, including boosts to immigration enforcement, passed in a marathon meeting of the Commons public safety meeting on Tuesday evening, where MPs scrutinized the bill until midnight.
The committee voted for detailed monthly reports to Parliament on the number of deportations, including on where people came from and their age and gender, despite objections from a senior border official who argued that quarterly or annual reports would paint a clearer picture.
The amendment, proposed by the Conservatives, follows a report earlier this year that hundreds of convicted criminals facing deportation have gone missing.
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree gutted the government’s original strong-borders bill earlier this year and introduced a watered-down version known as Bill C-12. He had removed controversial clauses that were sharply criticized for threatening personal privacy, in an attempt to get opposition support.
Conservative amendments to borders bill would make sweeping changes to asylum system
The new border security bill considered in committee retained changes tightening Canada’s immigration and asylum system, including a ban on claiming asylum from people who have been in Canada for more than a year.
Bill C-12 has been sharply criticized by migrants’ groups. But the Conservatives attempted to beef it up further, including with amendments bolstering penalties for human trafficking.
The public safety committee approved a proposal to impose a fine of up to $25-million on organizations convicted of human trafficking. This would come on top of a penalty of up to $1-million for individuals convicted of human trafficking who could also face up to life in prison.
Parliament would have to report annually on the cost of federal benefits paid to refugee claimants, as well as the number of deportation orders enforced within 30 days, with reasons for any delays, under other changes approved in committee by MPs.
In addition, Ottawa would need to report annually on the amount it is spending on health care benefits for asylum claimants, including for eye exams, glasses and physiotherapy, after an amendment proposed by the Conservatives passed. Parliament would also be told what steps have been taken to ensure that unsuccessful asylum claimants are not receiving federal benefits, except for emergency health care.
The government must now decide whether it will try to reverse Conservative-led amendments passed in committee when the bill returns to the floor of the House of Commons. Liberals did not vote against all the opposition amendments.
Minister guts strong-borders bill, removes clauses giving law enforcement warrantless powers
But the committee rejected a Conservative proposal to bar asylum claims from people who come here via a European Union or G7 country.
Several Conservative amendments were voted through with the support of the Bloc Québécois.
Under one amendment that passed, an asylum seeker who returns to the country they are fleeing, for example for a funeral, wedding or birthday party, while their claim is being considered in Canada would have their application for refugee status terminated.
A foreign national considered a danger to national security in Canada would automatically be subject to a warrant, removing the discretion of a border officer to decide whether to issue one.
The NDP, which does not have official party status, cannot vote on bills in committee or amendments. But it proposed a series of amendments to Bill C-12 on Tuesday, all of which were rejected by the committee.
However, on the floor of the House, NDP MPs would be able to vote on amendments, giving them the option to support the Liberals if they try to reverse Conservative-led changes.
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The bill would enable the immigration department to cancel visas or permanent-residency applications and other immigration documents en masse if it is deemed in the public interest. This sweeping power has been criticized by migrants’ groups, refugee advocates and immigration lawyers.
The Liberals proposed an amendment, which passed in the committee, to narrow down how this sweeping new power could be used to try to address concerns. After the change to the bill, the immigration department could cancel or halt immigration applications “in the public interest” in order to address administrative errors, fraud, public health, public safety or national security.
The Conservatives proposed an amendment, which was passed, to make the immigration minister come before the committee to explain if immigration documents are cancelled or paused, to explain why, and to report to Parliament.
Karen Cocq, co-executive director of the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, said the amendments would still give the government powers to cancel immigration applications.
“PM Carney said he would stand up to Trump-style politics, but instead his government is ramming through a profoundly discriminatory piece of legislation like Bill C-12 – giving it just three weeks of study and refusing to hear from anyone who would be impacted – despite resounding opposition from civil society,” she said in an e-mail.
NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan, in a statement, accused the government of mimicking “Trump-style policies” to clamp down on migrants. She accused the Liberals of teaming up with the Bloc and Conservatives “to force the bill through committee without proper scrutiny.”