Hon. Victor Oh moved second reading of Bill C-242, An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (temporary resident visas for parents and grandparents).

He said: Honourable senators, I rise today to speak as sponsor of Bill C-242, An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (temporary resident visas for parents and grandparents), introduced in the House of Commons by Mr. Kyle Seeback, Member of Parliament for Dufferin—Caledon.

I have the privilege to support a bill that would advance the rights of family reunification for parents and grandparents with children and grandchildren who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada.

Bill C-242 aims to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, or IRPA, in regard to the super visa, brought in by the Conservative government in 2011. In its current state, this super visa is a multiple-entry visa for 10 years that allows grandparents and parents to reunite with their Canadian children and grandchildren here in Canada.

To be approved for the super visa, applicants must first have a signed letter from their child or grandchild that officially invites them to Canada. The child or grandchild must be able to prove that they can financially support the applicants for the duration of their visit.

The applicants must also be admissible on medical grounds through a medical exam and have private medical insurance from a Canadian insurance company. This insurance must have at least $100,000 emergency coverage and be valid for one year from the date of entry. Proof that the insurance is paid in full is also required.

Bill C-242 makes two amendments to the IRPA regarding the super visa. The first amendment is to allow the applicants to purchase health insurance from a company outside of Canada. Of note, these companies would have to be pre-approved by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. As a result, this would allow increased competition between Canadian and foreign insurance companies, thus reducing the price of premiums.

One of the reasons why reducing these prices is important is the fact that the cost of private health insurance can be expensive, particularly for lower-income people. This cost is on top of the application fee for the super visa, plane tickets and the medical exam, plus other expenses. Taken together, these costs could serve as an impediment for parents and grandparents to reunite with their children and grandchildren here in Canada.

It’s important to note that in order to be eligible for the super visa, applicants must pass a medical exam. Applicants will have passed this exam and proved they do not have any pre-existing health conditions, major issues or concerns that could consequently place a burden on Canada’s health system.

I would also like to note that this bill addresses any potential issue of the foreign insurance company not paying the Canadian health care system or health provider by requiring the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to approve the health insurance policy prior to the approval of the super visa. This measure will significantly mitigate the risk of any unpaid claims.

In addition, this amendment would lower the cost of insurance for those trying to use the super visa, and the proposed safeguard would ensure that Canada’s health care system and its health providers are protected from any unpaid claims.

The second amendment being proposed is to extend the authorized time a grandparent or parent is allowed to enter and remain in Canada from the original two years to five years over a ten-year span.

It’s important for me to note that there was a recent change. If applicants applied on or after July 4, 2022, they may be eligible to stay for up to five years at a time. Further, some applicants may also be able to stay for five years if they applied before July 4 but didn’t arrive in Canada until after this date. For those who received the visa or entered Canada before July 4, their time remains two years. This amendment to make it permanent for five years is important so that all future applicants may share this benefit.

This amendment would provide additional time for the parents or grandparents to spend time with their family without worrying about having to leave Canada so often. Further, this allows the grandparents to save money by not having to purchase a plane ticket to leave Canada and instead contribute to their family. Again, this consideration becomes even more important when we think of lower-income people in or visiting Canada.

Another improvement this bill requires would be for the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to prepare a report on reducing the minimum income that the child or grandchild of a foreign national must have to be approved for a super visa.

I strongly believe that this element deserves our thoughtful consideration given the potential impact on many new Canadian families. As you are no doubt aware, it is not uncommon for new immigrant families to struggle at first when they move to Canada. Perhaps the jobs they qualify for don’t pay enough, or their credentials from their country of origin don’t translate here, and they have to take a job that pays lower wages. Whatever the reason, there are many immigrant families who cannot apply for the super visa because they simply don’t meet the income test.

Some might argue that grandparents or parents would not contribute to the Canadian economy. However, having grandparents does help the economy by providing support to families and allowing Canadian parents to go to work. Many of the families who sponsor their parents or grandparents for the super visa are in the Canadian workforce or own their own family business. By having the parents or grandparents here in Canada, they are able to watch the children while the parents go to work. They could even directly help with the family business.

That support allows the parents to continue contributing to the Canadian economy because of that extra help and aid. Further, parents who otherwise couldn’t afford childcare and who, therefore, would not be able to work are now able to leave their children with the grandparents and go to work.

According to the study What do Sponsored Parents and Grandparents Contribute? by Madine VanderPlaat, Howard Ramos and Yoko Yoshida:

. . . not only is the family good for the well-being of the individual, it is good for society as a whole because access to family relationships and networks can support and mitigate the settlement and integration process. By providing child care and/or labour to family owned businesses, sponsored parents and/or grandparents can contribute to the overall economic well-being of the family and support the educational pursuits and labour market activities of other family members. . . . In addition, the possibility of sponsoring relatives may be an important element in attracting and retaining immigrants.

Colleagues, Bill C-242 is important for our country and for Canadians with families across the globe. If passed, this bill would reduce barriers to family reunification so that Canadians can benefit from familial support while also contributing more actively to the Canadian economy.

The benefits of this bill are significant to those families. That is why I rise today to support Bill C-242. I encourage you to do the same.

Thank you.

(On motion of Senator Omidvar, debate adjourned.)

[Translation]

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Simons, calling the attention of the Senate to the challenges and opportunities that Canadian municipalities face, and to the importance of understanding and redefining the relationships between Canada’s municipalities and the federal government.