NEWS RELEASE | Oct. 28, 2004 | Andrew Telegdi, P.C., M.P.
Kitchener-Waterloo

Contact: Reevin Vinetsky: 613-996-7890

STANDING COMMITTEE ON CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION ANNOUNCES PRIORITIZED WORK PLAN

OTTAWA, October 28, 2004: Hon. Andrew Telegdi, chair of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration today announced the following prioritized work plan that the committee intends to pursue in the fall session of Parliament.

1. Citizenship issues in the context of updating the 1977 Citizenship Act (including the “Lost Canadians” issue)

2. Recognition of the foreign experience and credentials of immigrants

3. Family reunification issues (including the family class sponsorship program, the delays in reuniting the families of refugees who have been granted Canada’s protection by the Immigration and Refugee Board, and family reunification issues arising in the context of the private sponsorship of refugees program)

4. Regularization of people in Canada without legal status

5. Refugee issues (including the delay in implementing the Refugee Appeal Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board, the problems – particularly processing delays – in the private sponsorship of refugees, upcoming implementation of the Safe Third Country Agreement, Decision-making at the Immigration and Refugee Board)

6. Members concerns about the burden placed on their constituency offices with respect to immigration and refugee issues

7. The security certificate process

8. Deportation of Young Offenders

On the occasion of the announcement, Telegdi said:“I am very pleased with the choices the committee made regarding the specific issues they have decided to address as well as their order of priority. We have a formidable task ahead of us, but I am confident that we will meet the challenge.”

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Rachelle Cyr-Kelderman
S.A/A.S
Bureau de l'honorable Andrew Telegdi, P.C.,M.P.
tel: 996-5928
fax: 996-6251

[W.Z. It appears that the new Citizenship of Canada Act will not be tabled in Parliament until early 2005. Bill S-2 of Senator Kinsella concerns the "Lost Canadians" issue, which is to be discussed during CIMM meeting #7 on Nov. 04, 2004.]