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Her Excellency the Governor General recommends to the House of
Commons the appropriation of public revenue under the circumstances,
in the manner and for the purposes set out in a measure entitled ``An Act
respecting immigration to Canada and the granting of refugee
protection to persons who are displaced, persecuted or in danger''.
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This enactment replaces the existing Immigration Act, providing
clearer, modern legislation to ensure that Canada's immigration and
refugee protection system is able to respond to new challenges and
opportunities. The enactment provides for
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(a) objectives that reflect the values of Canadian society;
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(b) effective reporting to Parliament through a complete,
consolidated annual report;
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(c) agreements that facilitate cooperation with provinces and foreign
states;
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(d) a description of the major classes of foreign
nationals - economic class, family class, and Convention refugees
and persons in similar circumstances;
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(e) recognition of Canada's commitment to the principle of the ``best
interest of the child'';
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(f) clear, objective residency requirements for permanent residents;
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(g) a strong, effective refugee protection program that incorporates
the protection grounds of the Geneva Convention and the
Convention Against Torture and the grounds of risk to life or of cruel
and unusual treatment or punishment;
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(h) a more efficient refugee determination process through greater
use of single member panels;
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(i) a Refugee Appeal Division within the Immigration and Refugee
Board to enhance fairness and consistency in decision-making;
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(j) tightened ineligibility provisions for serious criminals, security
threats and repeat claimants who seek access to the refugee
protection process of the Immigration and Refugee Board;
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(k) formalization of a pre-removal risk assessment to review
changed circumstances related to risk of return;
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(l) inadmissibility provisions for criminals, persons who constitute
security threats, violators of human rights and persons who should
not be allowed into Canada because of fraud, misrepresentation,
financial reasons or health concerns;
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(m) clear detention criteria with authority to further clarify detention
grounds in regulations;
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(n) enhanced procedures for dealing with security threats through
admissibility hearings and the security certificate process;
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(o) offences for human smuggling and trafficking with a maximum
penalty of life in prison;
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(p) penalties for assisting in obtaining immigration status by fraud or
misrepresentation; and
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(q) an immigration appeal system that enhances integrity and
effectiveness while maintaining fairness and legal safeguards.
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