Feb. 16, 2012, 10:33 a.m. EST MarketWatch (press release)

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, Feb 16, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Legislation to protect the integrity of Canada's immigration system was introduced today by Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.

The proposed measures include further reforms to the asylum system to make it faster and fairer, measures to address human smuggling, and the authority to make it mandatory to provide biometric data with a temporary resident visa application. "Canadians take great pride in the generosity and compassion of our immigration and refugee programs. But they have no tolerance for those who abuse our generosity and seek to take unfair advantage of our country," said Minister Kenney.

The new bill, Protecting Canada's Immigration System Act, proposes changes that build on reforms to the asylum system passed in June 2010 as part of the Balanced Refugee Reform Act.

The proposed measures would provide faster protection to those who genuinely need refuge, and faster removal for those who don't.


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