Immigration Minister Marc Miller defended his government’s security measures as MPs questioned the federal government’s security checks for visa and immigration applicants following recent arrests in alleged terrorism plots.
Conservative MPs accused the Liberals of removing certain security checks, such as police certificates, while the government says the requirements have remained the same.
“Your government removed the security checks… You know that a terrorist plot was foiled with the help of U.S. intelligence. You know that he was off to Brooklyn to kill Jews,” Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman put to Miller during the committee meeting. “Have you removed, or have you reinstated, that requirement for security checks that you previously told Canadians that were in place?”
“My question to you, MP Lantsman, is should we assume that were police certificates to have been attained, we would have apprehended this individual,” Miller responded, adding that the government is “confident in the way our biometric system works in the progressive screening that operates in our country.”
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Miller told reporters on Sept. 10 that Khan had applied for a student visa in May 2023 and entered Canada in June of that year.
In a separate incident on July 28, a Toronto father and son were arrested by the RCMP in Richmond Hill, Ont., and are facing nine different terrorism charges, including conspiracy to commit murder on behalf of the terrorist organization ISIS. The RCMP said Ahmed Eldidi and his son Mostafa Eldidi were in the “advanced stages of planning a serious, violent attack in Toronto.”
In his opening statement before the committee, Miller said he shared Canadians’ concerns about the three arrests, and that he would attempt to provide as much information as possible. He said Ahmed Eldidi had his initial temporary resident visa application refused because of concerns he would not leave Canada at the end of his authorized stay, but his second application was approved after the officer was satisfied he merely intended to visit Canada.
Government ‘Confident’ in Immigration System
Conservative MP Raquel Dancho alleged at the committee hearing that in 2018, the Liberal government removed the mandatory requirement for police background checks from some countries like Pakistan. IRCC’s website currently states that those applying for permanent residence, citizenship, or the International Experience Canada program “may need to provide a police certificate for any other programs” if they have a prior criminal record.
“What we do know and understand is that your government, in the past, has directed public servants to fast-track immigration procedures, to cut some corners, bring in people as quickly as possible, and now we have a situation with three alleged terrorists on our hands, so it is reasonable to believe there could be more,” she said.
Dancho then asking Miller to comment on what steps the government has taken to prevent more alleged terrorists from entering Canada through the immigration system.
Miller responded that the results of an internal investigation into any “deficiencies” leading to the alleged terrorists gaining entry to Canada would be made public in the coming weeks. He added every applicant for temporary or permanent residence is required to submit biometrics such as fingerprints and biographic information.
He also noted immigration officers can ask for police certificates, but there are “questions around the validity and the reliability of such certificates.”
When Dancho questioned whether the federal government had reinstated the security requirement allegedly removed in 2018, Miller responded she was “assuming the reliability and validity of police certificates when our screening process is a lot more comprehensive.”
In an emailed response to The Epoch Times, IRCC said there have been “no changes to requirements for temporary residents” and all visa-required foreign nationals are carefully assessed by IRCC officers to ensure they are eligible to enter Canada.
IRCC did not provide a clear answer regarding the removal of the requirement for police certificates for study permits in 2018, stating that “Police certificates may be required, at the officer’s discretion.”
NDP MP Alistair MacGregor inquired about the radicalization leading to terrorist plots, questioning whether it occurs abroad or after individuals have arrived in Canada. Miller responded that it is a combination of both, noting a rise in radicalization among younger Canadian populations.
Miller also highlighted the significant increase in the number of people seeking to immigrate to Canada, emphasizing that it is a privilege and not a right. He acknowledged that while wait times can be frustrating, security checks will not be compromised.
Temporary and permanent immigration to Canada has surged in recent years, with targets set to reach 500,000 by 2025 and the number of permanent residents expected to double from 2021 to 2024, surpassing 2.7 million. The number of work permit holders exceeded half a million in 2021 and rose to over 1.3 million in the second quarter of 2024.
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