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URGENT: The Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration has been informed that they must report on Bill C-50 Immigration Section to Parliament by May 9th

Dear Friends,

Some of you are aware that the Conservative government introduced major controversial changes to the Immigration Act. People who now qualify for landed immigrant status and have paid their fees will no longer be guaranteed a Visa but will have to depend on the discretion of the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, who may issue a visa.

Under the new legislation, the immigration minister would have the authority to:

Limit the number of immigration applications Canada accepts.
Deny admission to applicants already approved by immigration officers.
Block the entry of would-be immigrants “by category or otherwise”

This is what Bill C-50 would do. If the minister wanted to block the inflow of relatives sponsored by family members in Canada, she could do it. If she wanted to exclude immigrants from certain countries, she could do it. If she wanted to propel foreign workers needed by a government-friendly employer to the front of the queue, she could do that too.

The minister could issue an instruction overriding all of the existing criteria.

What this means is that Canada would no longer be an immigrant-welcoming country. It would be a rich Western power that shops for high-value immigrants. Federal officials would no longer use objective standards to determine whether an individual qualifies for a visa. This minister would be able to set and change the rules at will.

The government is also proposing to issue hundreds of thousands of temporary work permits.

I apologize for the short time frame of this notice. The Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration begins the reporting stage of this legislation on Monday, April 28th, 2008. The standing committee must report to Parliament by May 9th, 2008

Barbara Jackman, renowned immigration lawyer, will be in attendance to explain and discuss the magnitude of the changes to the Immigration Act.

You views are essential to this debate. I hope you, or your representative can attend.

Meeting details:

Bingemans Conference Centre—Ballroom E

Saturday, April 26, 2008

10am-1pm

425 Bingemans Centre Drive, Kitchener

Sincerely,

Hon. Andrew Telegdi, P.C., M.P.

Please RSVP to telega1a@parl.gc.ca if you plan to attend or with any comments, questions, concerns or suggestions.