Electronic Monitoring

It's abundantly clear that Canada has a true problem with respect to the presence of illegal immigrants in the country.  The number has been put at 44,000 individuals with outstanding arrest warrants.  The result of would-be immigrants and refugee claimants whose declaration has been denied by Immigration Canada.  These people denied their claim for refugee status - deemed inadmissible - are those who choose not to comply with removal orders.

"By and large the majority of them - 80% of those cases - are failed refugee claimants without any criminality or security concerns.  They have absconded - they have not shown up for an immigration process or they have not shown up for their removal - so we have warrants for their arrest for removal." 
Peter Hill, director general of post-border programs, Canada Border Services Agency

Canada Border Services Agency maintains a log of those who enter the country, but there is no mechanism to list those who leave the country.  As a result, true figures of those remaining illegally in Canada are not available.  Mr. Hill estimates that it is possible that up to 20% of the figure of 44,000 illegal immigrants remaining in Canada may actually have left, but the Agency has no real way of knowing.

That's an obvious record-keeping inadequacy on the part of the Canada Border Services Agency, one that should be speedily rectified.  In the interim, the problem is real and must be tackled.  The Agency has already issued details on a number of individuals circulating within Canada with criminal records, inviting anyone with knowledge of their whereabouts to contact them.  Resulting from that initiative, a number of failed claimants who have overstayed their welcome have been removed.

A public safety committee of the House of Commons has recently issued a report with recommendations that government consider the use of electronic ankle bracelets for monitoring purposes.  Which might represent a method of curbing the number of denied claimants who defy removal orders.  That recommendation seems excessive, not at all in keeping with a society that values its democratic traditions.

The concept of using electronic ankle bracelets for such instances seems out of whack with Canadian values.  It might represent a reasonable initiative when criminals are involved.  But with the issue of people considered not a match for integrating well with Canadian society there are other conditions which might seem more humanely reasonable and in the long run, more persuasive.  Such a the use of bonds; where money is concerned people pay attention.

On this issue the New Democratic committee members do reflect the mindset of most Canadians when opposing the use of electronic monitoring on immigrants and refugees who haven't committed any criminal acts.  There is never any logical excuse to treat people in a manner that belies basic principles of decency and fairness.