Chamber
commons
Stage
1st Reading
Introduced
Jun 18, 2025
Progress
This bill creates an independent Ombud office to investigate fairness and discrimination complaints against Canada's immigration department.
Key Changes
- Creates a new independent Office of the Ombud for the Department of Citizenship and Immigration
- Allows any person to file a complaint about unfair or discriminatory treatment by Immigration Canada
- Gives the Ombud power to summon witnesses, compel documents, and conduct formal investigations
- Requires the Minister to respond to the Ombud's recommendations and explain any that are not followed
- Requires annual reports and allows special reports to be tabled in Parliament
- Mandates a parliamentary review of the Act every five years
Gotchas
- The Ombud can only make recommendations — they cannot overturn or change immigration decisions directly, limiting enforcement power.
- The Ombud generally cannot investigate matters that occurred before the office is established, unless the Minister specifically requests it.
- Complainants must typically exhaust other available remedies before the Ombud is required to investigate their complaint.
- The Ombud is not permitted to access Cabinet confidences, which could limit the scope of some investigations.
- The Ombud and their staff cannot be compelled to testify in legal proceedings about information gathered during investigations, except in prosecutions under this Act.
- The bill comes into force 180 days after royal assent, giving time for the office to be set up before it begins operations.
Who's Affected
- Immigrants, refugees, and people applying for citizenship who interact with Immigration Canada
- The Department of Citizenship and Immigration (IRCC) and its staff
- The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
- Advocacy groups focused on immigration and anti-racism
- Racialized and marginalized communities who may face systemic discrimination in immigration processes
Vibes
0 responses
Gotchas
- The Ombud can only make recommendations — they cannot overturn or change immigration decisions directly, limiting enforcement power.
- The Ombud generally cannot investigate matters that occurred before the office is established, unless the Minister specifically requests it.
- Complainants must typically exhaust other available remedies before the Ombud is required to investigate their complaint.
- The Ombud is not permitted to access Cabinet confidences, which could limit the scope of some investigations.
- The Ombud and their staff cannot be compelled to testify in legal proceedings about information gathered during investigations, except in prosecutions under this Act.
- The bill comes into force 180 days after royal assent, giving time for the office to be set up before it begins operations.
Summary
Bill C-212 would establish the Office of the Ombud for the Department of Citizenship and Immigration. The Ombud would be an independent officer appointed by the Governor in Council, with the job of examining whether Immigration Canada's practices are fair, unbiased, and free from racism and discrimination — including systemic racism and systemic discrimination. Anyone who believes they were treated unfairly by Immigration Canada could file a complaint with the Ombud. The Ombud could investigate complaints, review departmental policies and programs, identify patterns of unfairness, and make recommendations to the Minister. The Ombud would also be able to launch investigations on their own initiative or at the Minister's request. This bill was introduced as a private member's bill by MP Jenny Kwan. It responds to long-standing concerns about bias, racism, and unequal treatment in Canada's immigration and citizenship system. The Ombud would report annually to Parliament and could issue special reports on urgent matters.
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Vibes
0 responses