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Business Standard
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Canada's immigration system vulnerable to abuse? What IRCC report reveals
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has confirmed multiple cases of internal misconduct, including a bribery attempt involving the approval of study permits—raising concerns over the system's vulnerability to insider abuse. The findings were released last week in the department's annual misconduct report covering the 2023–2024 period. The IRCC, which processes millions of immigration applications each year, employs more than 11,000 staff across units handling study permits, work permits, permanent residency and refugee claims. According to the report, 62 out of 76 internal investigations led to confirmed misconduct. These included harassment, privacy breaches, and violations of the IRCC's code of conduct. Bribery attempt and insider threats In one case, a processing agent used an internal messaging tool to ask a colleague whether they would accept money to approve a study permit. The agent later claimed the message was sent by someone else using his laptop—a person to whom he allegedly owed money. The case has led to renewed scrutiny of internal controls at IRCC. 'Insider misconduct poses a serious threat to the fairness and integrity of Canada's immigration system, particularly within high-volume visa streams where oversight is inherently more challenging and the stakes for applicants are significant,' said Ketan Mukhija, senior partner at Burgeon Law. Conflict of interest and inappropriate conduct The report identified three employees in breach of IRCC's code of conduct. One was caught making disparaging remarks about clients from a specific country. Another officer developed a personal relationship with an asylum claimant staying at an IRCC-run hotel. The staff member gave the claimant advice on navigating the department, provided preferential treatment, and co-signed a car loan. This led to an unpaid suspension for conflict of interest. Marriage fraud flagged among applicants IRCC also recorded cases of marriage fraud—where applicants attempt to gain immigration benefits through fake relationships. Officers are trained to detect 'marriages of convenience', which are criminal offences under Canadian immigration law. Expert criticism of oversight during Trudeau years Darshan Maharaja, a Canada-based immigration analyst, said the problem has grown over several years, particularly after Covid-19 restrictions were lifted. 'Looking from the outside, it seems that during Prime Minister Trudeau's tenure, scrutiny and oversight of the visa applications and approvals became very lax. For example, a couple of years ago, there was the case of 700 Indian students who had come to Canada on study visas based on fake admission letters from Canadian colleges. Over the past five years, the integrity of the immigration system was allowed to deteriorate significantly. The internal misconduct by IRCC staff is, in my view, a result of this deterioration,' Maharaja told Business Standard. Maharaja added, 'Canada's current immigration system is highly vulnerable to abuse by both insiders as well as outsiders. Some of the measures that were introduced last year to strengthen the system, such as requiring study permit applicants to submit proof of having secured residential accommodation, are not foolproof.' Disciplinary actions taken IRCC said it had taken a range of actions against staff found guilty of misconduct. These included: Written reprimands Unpaid suspensions Terminations Revocation of security clearances The department said it would introduce training and awareness programmes to encourage ethical conduct among staff. 'The goal of this report is to build confidence in our accountability systems,' IRCC said. 'The department plays a critical role domestically and globally—from managing temporary entries to settling newcomers, granting citizenship, and issuing passports.' Immigration policy under review The release of the report comes as the Canadian government works to limit the number of new arrivals. Under its 2024 immigration plan, the federal government has announced cuts to international student and temporary worker numbers. Permanent resident admissions will be capped at under 1% of the population annually, with overall immigration levels expected to be brought to what the government calls 'sustainable levels' by 2027. While IRCC says it has already introduced safeguards such as digital monitoring, reliability screening and task rotation, experts say more targeted enforcement is needed. 'These measures must be strengthened particularly in the areas of digital access controls, real-time monitoring, and whistleblower protections to effectively prevent insider abuse and curb exploitation by organised immigration networks,' said Mukhija. 'I believe that the system needs a major overhaul in order to serve the best interests of Canada and the visa applicants,' said Maharaja. Canada on Wednesday released details of its proposed Strong Borders Act, a Bill that could reshape how the country handles temporary residents and asylum seekers. The legislation, if passed, would allow authorities to suspend or cancel immigration documents, introduce stricter rules on asylum eligibility, and improve information-sharing across government. The proposed changes are expected to affect a wide range of immigrants, including Indian nationals, who continue to represent a large share of Canada's temporary and permanent migration flows. As of January 1, 2025, Canada had around 3.02 million temporary residents—students, workers and others—accounting for 7.3% of the country's total population. India remains the top source of new permanent residents, and Indian nationals are also a notable presence among asylum seekers. Total asylum claims had reached a record high of 470,029 by April 1, 2025.
Bloomberg
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
What's Next for Canada-India Ties After G-7 Reset
By and Sudhi Ranjan Sen Save The relationship between Canada and India had been strained since the Trudeau government accused New Delhi's diplomats of backing violence and harassment against Sikh separatists living in the North American country. The dispute led to tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomatic officials. But a detente appears to have been reached after a near two-year standoff. The improvement in bilateral relations comes as Prime Minister Mark Carney is now in charge in Canada, and as both nations look to blunt the impact of US tariffs.
Cision Canada
a day ago
- Health
- Cision Canada
Draft vaping regulations: Four Years Later, It's Time to Finalize a Federal Ban on Flavoured Vapes Français
, June 19, 2025 /CNW/ - After four years of government inaction, antitobacco groups are calling on the new federal government to accelerate the approval of public health measures to protect children from nicotine addiction. On June 19, 2021, Health Canada released draft regulations that would have stopped tobacco and nicotine companies from adding flavourings and sweeteners to vaping liquids. At the time, Health Canada said the regulation would help address the "rapid increase in youth vaping in Canada" and acknowledged that "desirable flavours [are] believed to have contributed to the rise in youth vaping." Yet despite repeated promises by the Trudeau government that this important protective measure would be finalized " soon," tobacco companies have continued to receive permission to use flavours that lure young people into nicotine use, a practice they maintain to this day. "Banning nicotine flavourings in vaping products sold on the open market is a fundamental and necessary measure to protect young people from becoming addicted to tobacco industry products," explained Flory Doucas, Co-Director of the Quebec Coalition of Tobacco Control. "Without these controls, companies will continue to exploit the curiosity and taste preferences of youth, drawing them into drug use that poses significant risks to their developing brains and overall health. Flavourings also make the products more fun and seemingly more innocuous to use, which diminishes young people's understanding of the inherent product risks." Despite support for a flavour ban from major health agencies, provincial and territorial governments, as well as repeated calls for such a ban by provincial and federal medical officers of health, including Dr. Theresa Tam from the federal government's own Public Health Agency, these regulations have been repeatedly postponed following meetings with tobacco and nicotine companies. "Bowing to industry pressure has already harmed hundreds of thousands of Canadian children and will continue to do so until these products are taken off the market," said Cynthia Callard, Executive Director of Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada. Health Canada's most recent Canadian Student Alcohol and Drug Survey estimated that 27% of Grade 12 students were vaping, half of whom do so every day. "This year's high school graduates were in middle school when these regulations were first proposed. Endless dithering by the federal government has needlessly allowed an entire new school cohort to be victimized by nicotine marketing," added Ms. Callard. Using data from this government survey, Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada has added a counter to its Blog to display the estimated number of high school students who have started vaping since the Honourable Marjorie Michel became Health minister on May 13, 2025. Les Hagen, Executive Director of Action on Smoking & Health challenged government inaction: "How many more teenagers need to become addicted to nicotine before the federal government decides to finally step in? Can the Health Minister please inform Canadians of the threshold number of addicted youth required to justify federal restrictions on flavoured vaping products? Will the minister follow the advice of her Chief Medical Health Officer, and the medical officer in every province and territory?" "Measures to prevent addiction and disease among children contribute to a strong Canadian economy and serve a nation-wide purpose" added Cynthia Callard."We urge Minister Michel to forward the finalized regulation to cabinet for approval without further delay." SOURCE Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control
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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Canada confirms Khalistani extremists using its soil to target India
In a rare admission, Canada's top intelligence agency has echoed what India has been warning about for years — that Canadian soil has become a breeding ground for Khalistani extremism. In its 2024 annual report, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) has confirmed that Khalistani extremists continue to operate from within Canada, raising funds, promoting propaganda, and planning violent acts — with India as their primary target. 'Khalistani extremists continue to use Canada as a base for the promotion, fundraising or planning of violence primarily in India,' the report stated, marking the first official acknowledgment of this scale. This is a significant moment for Indian diplomacy, which has long called out Ottawa for turning a blind eye to anti-India elements under the guise of free expression. A diplomatic flashpoint The report's timing couldn't be more crucial. It comes months after a diplomatic firestorm between India and Canada, triggered by former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau's controversial claim in the House of Commons in September 2023. Trudeau alleged that Canadian security agencies were probing 'credible allegations of a potential link' between the Indian government and the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a designated Khalistani terrorist, in British Columbia. India rejected the claim as 'absurd' and retaliated by expelling a top Canadian diplomat. The CSIS report now casts the debate in a new light. Nijjar, chief of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), was gunned down outside a gurdwara in Surrey on June 18, 2023. His death sparked a cascade of allegations, diplomatic expulsions, and eventually, a pause in trade talks between the two countries. ALSO READ | Tracing extremist roots in Canada The CSIS report also highlights that since the mid-1980s, Canada has witnessed politically motivated violent extremism (PMVE) from Canada-based Khalistani extremists (CBKEs). While drawing a distinction between peaceful advocacy and extremist violence, it clearly identifies a "small group" exploiting Canadian freedoms to pursue a violent agenda against India. 'Real and perceived Khalistani extremism emerging from Canada continues to drive Indian foreign interference activities in Canada,' the report notes, acknowledging that India has responded with its own counter-efforts to mitigate threats from extremist actors. When Canada backtracked: The 2018 report controversy This isn't the first time Khalistani extremism has featured in Canada's official documents. Back in December 2018, Canada's Public Report on the Terrorist Threat mentioned 'Sikh extremism' for the first time, warning of limited attacks but ongoing support from Canadian soil — especially through financing. However, the then Liberal government led by Trudeua faced backlash from Sikh advocacy groups. Accusations flew thick and fast, with Khalistan supporter and Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun alleging that Trudeau was branding Sikhs as 'terrorists' while relying on them for votes. The Truedeau government then revised the report in April 2019 — quietly removing all references to Sikh extremism and Khalistan. The new version cited a need to 'eliminate terminology that unintentionally impugns an entire religion". Coincidentally, the edit came just hours before Trudeau and his then defence minister Harjit Sajjan attended a Baisakhi celebration hosted by the influential Khalsa Diwan Society in Vancouver. Former Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh slammed the revision, calling it a 'dangerous' political move aimed at appeasing the Sikh vote bank. Signs of a reset? Interestingly, the latest report's release closely followed a high-stakes meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the G7 Summit in Alberta. Both sides agreed to restore diplomatic channels by appointing new high commissioners and resuming stalled trade negotiations. Carney, defending his outreach, highlighted India's global economic weight and the need for dialogue, even amid fierce criticism from certain Canadian quarters.
CBC
2 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
A Canada-Israel rift is widening over UN votes and sanctions
Social Sharing Israel's war with Iran has temporarily delayed a reckoning with some of its main Western allies, but seems unlikely to close what has become a yawning gap between them over its conduct in Gaza and the West Bank. "The relationship's not in great shape," said former Canadian ambassador to Israel Jon Allen. "Frankly, it shouldn't be." The gulf between the Canadian and Israeli governments widened further on June 12 as the Carney government took a firmer position against Israel's war in Gaza than its predecessor, voting for a UN motion similar to one that the Trudeau government had abstained on in September. At the time, the government explained that while it supported "the creation of the Palestinian state" and the International Court of Justice's role "in upholding the international rules-based order," it could not "support a resolution where one party, the state of Israel, is held solely responsible for the conflict." The Trudeau government also flagged concern over language that "aligns" with the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement targeting Israel. Canada's reservations appear to have fallen by the wayside. While neither UN resolution directly called for boycott or divestment of Israel, the earlier one did demand targeted sanctions on individuals engaged in "settler violence" — something Canada ultimately did last week. After initially agreeing to discuss the vote with CBC News, Global Affairs Canada rescinded approval of an interview request with Canada's permanent representative to the UN, Bob Rae. The department did not to explain its change of posture. WATCH | Netanyahu says Canada is 'emboldening Hamas': Netanyahu accuses Carney of 'emboldening Hamas' after D.C. shooting 27 days ago Duration 1:39:07 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attacked Canada, France and the U.K. in his response to the killing of two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington, saying that 'when mass murderers, rapists, baby killers and kidnappers thank you, you're on the wrong side of justice.' Israel's Ambassador to Canada Iddo Moed responds to the countries' joint warning of sanctions over Israel's expansion of the war in Gaza, telling Power & Politics that 'Israel has the capability of conquering Gaza in half a day.' Plus, NDP interim leader Don Davies addresses a letter from three of the party's seven MPs calling out his selection as leader. Allen said Israel's reaction to Canada's threat of sanctions in May inflamed the situation. "Bibi [Netanyahu's] response, I thought, was despicable. It was vile," he told CBC News, as the Israeli prime minister connected a joint statement from Canada, the U.K. and France to the killing of two Israeli diplomats in D.C. "It was using the worst of allegations to score political points." Tensions between Israel and Canada remain high over the sanctioning of two Israeli cabinet ministers. But under the Trump administration, there's no reason Israel would worry about the U.S. applying any such pressure. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Canada, Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Norway to reverse course. The U.S. ambassador to Israel invited the sanctioned ministers, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, to the U.S. embassy in a show of support. Ambassador Mike Huckabee said the sanctions against them were "a shocking decision," arguing "they have not conducted any criminal activity." But the two have long histories of racist and violent rhetoric and both have previously spent time in Israeli government custody for their words and actions. The five Western governments pointed to repeated inflammatory statements by the ministers encouraging the use of starvation and other illegal methods in Gaza, and their repeated calls for its population to be displaced and replaced with Jewish settlers, as justification for the sanctions. The U.S. also recently warned other governments not to attend a planned summit, to be hosted by France and Saudi Arabia at the UN, that aims to revive the hope for a two-state solution — an objective long held by most of the world including the U.S. outside of the two Trump administrations. Rubio sent a diplomatic cable threatening other countries with unspecified consequences if they took part, according to Reuters. An official with Global Affairs Canada told CBC News that Canada decides its own foreign policy and would not be influenced by the U.S. note. That summit has been postponed due to the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Iran. But Allen thinks it likely that Canada will ultimately attend, regardless of any pressure from Washington. 'There is no peace process' The former diplomat said Canada could likely expect blowback from the U.S. if it were to officially recognize a Palestinian state, but argues it would probably be less serious than what he experienced in Washington when the Chrétien government opted to sit out George W. Bush's invasion of Iraq. Allen was invited to testify on the topic at the Commons foreign affairs committee last year, where he said he saw "overwhelming" support for the idea — including by members of the Liberal caucus. "But obviously the government is weighing its classic relationship with Israel, and its relationship with the U.S., and its relationship with the diaspora community here on that one," Allen said. WATCH | Trump doesn't rule out bombing Iran: Trump weighing use of U.S. bunker-busters in Israel's fight with Iran 6 hours ago Duration 5:25 Spain, Ireland and Norway all recognized the state of Palestine during the course of the current Gaza war, as do 144 other countries. He expects Canada would do the same "in conjunction with the U.K., France, Australia, for example." He said the strongest argument to do so is to show Israel it doesn't have a "veto" over when Palestinian territories could become a country. "They expand settlements, they advocate the depopulation of Gaza. And then they say, oh, you know we have to have a peace process in order to recognize a Palestinian state," Allen said.
