Kenney tabled the guidelines Wednesday before the Commons immigration committee studying Bill C-43 -- the Faster Removal of Foreign Criminals Act.
He says the extraordinary power to block admission to Canada would only apply to foreigners who promote terrorism, incite hatred likely to lead to violence or encourage criminal activity."
It would also affect senior officials or relatives of senior officials in governments under Canadian or U.N. sanctions.
Still, New Democrat MP Jinny Sims calls the move "ill-considered."
"Our border services already have the power to bar people who are a threat to our security or whose actions constitute crimes, including hate speech, in Canada," she said.
Kenney says under current laws, some foreigners can't be blocked.
"They could be a crazy hatemonger inciting people to violence, but as long as they don't have a criminal record, haven't been involved in terrorism or something like that, they can come in," said Kenney said.
Meanwhile, Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux focused on reforms in C-43 that deny deportation order appeals to non-citizens sentenced to at least six months in prison.
"You have this sensational attitude of trying to make immigrants look as if they are a bad thing," an angry Lamoureux told Kenney.
The minister responded serenely.
"We say that residency in Canada is a privilege, not a right," said Kenney. "One of the few things we ask for you to maintain that privilege is that you not commit a serious crime in Canada."
Kenney says the current system leaves criminals free to re-offend while fighting deportation for up to three years after release form prison.
Ideally, he says, authorities would "take the paddy wagon from the prison to the airplane."
Original Article
Source: toronto sun
Author: Daniel Proussalidis
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