QUESTION PERIOD — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Border Security
March 24, 2026
Speaking of shame, government leader, let’s talk about your government’s immigration record.
The Auditor General came out with a devastating report, highlighting how there are about 150,000 illegal foreign student worker permits that have been issued by your government, and only 2.6% have been investigated. What happens, of course, as a result? Minister Fraser and Minister Miller, the architects of this catastrophe, get a big promotion.
I know your government likes to hide behind certain realities, but it was your government that created irregular immigration — which was a fancy word for illegal immigrants to come through Roxham Road and other means — and, of course, we find ourselves in the catastrophe we are currently in.
When will your government step up and realize that Bill C-12 is a step in the right direction, but there is regulation in place — and that has been in place — that hasn’t been used to get the officials in Immigration Canada to start doing their job, follow up on illegal permits, make sure they are suspended and make sure they have been sent back to where they should be?
I’m happy to listen to you saying that Bill C-12 is a good proposition. I’m looking forward to Royal Assent on Bill C-12.
That being said, I answered Senator Miville-Dechêne earlier that the government is investing unprecedented amounts in the RCMP and in the Canada Border Services Agency to ensure that our immigration system is protecting Canadians and takes anybody who is a threat to Canada very seriously.
Bill C-12 is a good bill, yes; it was constructed by a team of parties in cooperation on the House side.
What is not good, however, is that the government is not putting into place measures and regulations that are already available to them to ensure that Immigration Canada runs properly.
I hate to break it to you, but spending all the money in the world is not going to solve anything. I’ve been in business my whole life. There is a basic principle that you don’t need to spend more money and hire more people in order to become more efficient.
When will Immigration Canada start taking their job seriously and start dealing with all these illegal permits we have in this country?
When we spend more on security, you are against the measure. When we cut expenses, you say, “Well, the government is not doing enough.”
I think that you have to be realistic here. We are improving our security at the border with Bill C-12. We are improving our security at the border by investing more in the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency. At least, Senator Housakos, you should recognize this.
