Debates of February 1, 2006 (day 20)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise on the heels of my Member’s statement which was about the lack of citizenship courts here in the Northwest Territories and specifically in Yellowknife. Mr. Speaker, even though typically citizenship ceremonies would be a federal issue, citizenship court is only held here in Yellowknife once a year. Is the Minister aware of this? What is he doing about this problem? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Bell.

Return To Question 308-15(4): Canadian Citizenship

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am aware of the concern. The Member is right that, under the federal Constitution Act, it is the federal responsibility for these issues. Nonetheless, we are concerned. I did hear the story on CBC and have inquired into the reasons behind what seemed to have happened here. I get the sense from the federal government that setting it up one time a year on July 1st allowed it to be more special. They thought that this was an approach that they wanted to continue with. I have had discussions with our Minister responsible for immigration, Minister Dent, and he has agreed and has proposed to take the approach of writing the newly appointed federal Minister for immigration to suggest that we need to have a mechanism for making sure this can happen here more frequently. We will probably suggest that it need not be a judge. Under the legislation, there are provisions for other people besides judges to undertake citizenship oaths on behalf of Immigration Canada. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 308-15(4): Canadian Citizenship

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the information that the Justice Minister offered. He was quite right that you do not have to be a judge to do this. But, on the short term, we are still suffering under the circumstances of only having this once a year. He is right; I would hate to see July 1st lost as a very important day for new Canadians. Perhaps, would the Minister commit today on the fact that we should contact our territorial counterparts and maybe look at creating a citizen court circuit for the whole North, including the Yukon and Nunavut? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 308-15(4): Canadian Citizenship

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think we could probably go even a step further and have some discussion with other provincial and territorial jurisdictions, because I have looked into the numbers. Apparently, there are only 19 citizenship judges appointed in Canada representing just five of the 13 jurisdictions. That leaves Atlantic Canada, Saskatchewan and the North without citizenship judges. Obviously we need another approach. I think this is something that our Minister of Immigration will take up with the newly appointed federal Minister. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 308-15(4): Canadian Citizenship

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that is good news by all means. But would the Minister commit today that he will make every process and possibility of happening that we create accreditation for either Supreme Court justices in the Northwest Territories to perform this duty, or someone else applicable that could do this duty? Would he make that commitment that we could do this and work towards this right away? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 308-15(4): Canadian Citizenship

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I understand, there is nothing preventing a Territorial Court judge from conducting this right now. RCMP officers have been used in the past. We could use the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories. There are provisions for this in the Act, currently. It is just a matter of having the federal Minister designate these people as such. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 308-15(4): Canadian Citizenship

Thank you. That makes the next question even easier. Will he commit today that he will write the federal Minister as soon as they are appointed to make sure this happens right away? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 308-15(4): Canadian Citizenship

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Minister Dent, in our discussions today, had already indicated to me that he intended to do this. I know he intends to do it as soon as possible and, in fact, as soon as we see who the federal Minister will be. I know that we will have some more discussions around that. But I think we can get back to the Member with a response from the federal Minister as soon as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.