QUESTION PERIOD — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Immigration System
February 12, 2026
Government leader, newcomers who are here legally and have been building a life in our country are seeing growing delays in permanent residency processing. Ukrainians who arrived under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel program, Venezuelans fleeing political and economic crisis, Hong Kongers fleeing Beijing’s dictatorship and the Sudanese escaping genocide wait for years, with little clarity on when their cases will be resolved. These delays prevent families who have been contributing fully to their communities from planning for the future.
Senator Moreau, how does your government justify a system that leaves so many lawful applicants in uncertainty, unable to achieve permanent residency despite meeting all of Canada’s immigration requirements?
Thank you for the question, Senator Housakos. The government knows that Canadians want a strong and fair immigration system that provides protection for those in need while applying rigorous admissibility standards for those seeking entry. For instance, I know that for Ukrainian cases Canada has opened a fast track for some of those who are applying for Canadian permanent residence, and my information is that, at this time, 2,500 Ukrainians have obtained permanent residence.
Now, those inquiries take time. Canada needs to have a very strong immigration system, and that’s what the government is trying to provide.
Government leader, I have been hearing from many from various communities — from Ukrainians, from Hong Kongers — that it is taking a far longer time than necessary and reasonable. These people’s lives are in limbo. While these families await timely protection, others are exploiting our immigration system just because of criminal convictions. The inversion of our priorities seems to be happening.
Shouldn’t your government ensure that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada protects Canadians from criminal foreign nationals while fulfilling its humanitarian obligations and that it finds a way to do that a lot more expeditiously?
You are well aware — and I think that Senator Martin and yourself made a speech recently on Bill C-12, and I understand that the minister herself will be at committee this afternoon — Bill C-12 is looking to improve on some of the aspects of the immigration system. I am sure that both the National Security Committee and the Social Affairs Committee will ask the appropriate questions to the minister. I know that the minister —
Thank you, Senator Moreau.
