Public Safety and National Security

This House of Commons committee meeting on public safety and national security studied the integrity of Canada’s immigration and border enforcement systems, particularly regarding the removal of inadmissible individuals and the handling of cases involving the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Appearing were Minister of Public Safety Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Lena Metlege Diab, Deputy Minister of Immigration Ted Gallivan, and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) President Erin O’Gorman.

Minister Anandasangaree stated that the CBSA prioritizes removing individuals posing public safety risks, noting a record 22,500 removals in 2025, with nearly 1,200 linked to serious concerns like criminality and national security. He highlighted that 17,800 applications were reviewed for potential IRGC links, 239 visas were cancelled, and 26 individuals are currently tracked for removal, with CBSA independently reviewing all names submitted by the public. He also noted that Bill C-12 provides tools for outbound container searches and mail inspections to combat fentanyl trafficking.

Minister Diab emphasized that Canada’s screening process is multi-layered, involving identity, eligibility, and admissibility checks from the visa stage onward, and that no IRGC member was admitted to Canada in the case under discussion. She declined to comment on individual cases for privacy reasons, stating the visa was annulled before the individual landed, and stressed that the government designated the IRGC as a terrorist organization and is learning from the incident ahead of the FIFA games.

Deputy Minister Gallivan acknowledged that a mistake occurred in the IRGC-linked visa case, as timely action would have been ideal, and he took accountability for the failure under his watch. He noted that in cases with inconclusive security information, IRCC agents grant entry in 46% of instances, a figure he wants to scrutinize, and committed to changing the wording of a letter to asylum seekers that was criticized as misleading.

President O’Gorman explained that removal procedures for inadmissible individuals involve multiple recourse steps, including appeals to the Immigration and Refugee Board and Federal Court, and that delays often stem from non-cooperative foreign governments in issuing travel documents. She stated that CBSA prioritizes removals for serious inadmissibilities, detaining flight risks when necessary, and that officers make inadmissibility determinations at the border, which are then adjudicated by the IRB.

The committee’s questioning was marked by repeated exchanges where Conservative members pressed ministers on who authorized the IRGC-linked visa and whether they were briefed beforehand, with ministers citing privacy and the independence of officials. A Liberal member clarified that the individual was denied entry at the airport, and another noted that the system worked to prevent admission. No procedural debate, motions, or votes were recorded in the transcript.