moved for leave to introduce Bill C-213, An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (cessation of refugee protection).

Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce a private member's bill to repeal the unjust and unfair Conservative laws targeting refugees and protected persons in Canada.

Again, I thank my NDP colleague, the member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, for seconding the bill.

In 2012, the Conservatives brought in Bill C-31, an unjust and punitive bill. It amended the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act by giving CBSA and the Department of Justice the power to retroactively bring cessation applications against permanent residents of Canada if refugees and protected persons have to re-avail themselves of protection after temporarily travelling back to their country of origin. That means people are unable to travel back for any reason. No matter how much time has passed, whether the conditions in their country have changed or whether they have resettled permanently in Canada, had children and established their families in the community, they cannot travel back, even to visit a dying loved one for a last time, without risking the loss of their permanent status.

These cessation provisions are wrong and unjust. I hope the members in this House will support the bill and bring forward just policies for refugees.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Jenny Kwan

$629,698.00