Proposed amendments in Canada’s immigration laws: Though government has defeated an NDP motion but Liberals final vote may trigger an election

Just before an expected second reading on Budget Implementation Bill (Bill C-50) this week, a recent confidence vote on the Bill defeated an amendment declaring that Bill C-50 should not be allowed to proceed for second reading because it contains policies (or proposed changes in immigration laws) that "fail to recognize that all immigration applicants should be treated fairly."

This amendment into the Bill C-50 was introduced by NDP immigration critic MP Olivia Chow in order to prevent the federal government's controversial amendments to Canada's immigration laws from passing with the federal budget. These controversial amendments propose greater selection powers to the minister to limit the number of new immigration applicants and allow the government to fast-track applications from the types of immigrants it wants, such as skilled workers, and freeze applications from others.

The House of Commons voted 201:68 against an NDP motion. If the NDP amendment had passed, it would have killed the budget bill along with the controversial immigration reforms.

The main reason of this survival was the support of main opposition Liberal party that voted in this confidence motion with ruling Conservative party. Despite having voted in the favor of proposed changes in Canada’s immigration laws, the Liberal party denounced these changes as regressive and anti-immigrant, and announced to further study the amendments because they have opportunity (at time of final reading) to defeat the legislation if necessary.

Remember, if the budget bill passes its second reading this week, it will then be reviewed by the House Standing Committee on Finance for a period of up to 60 days, before it will be returned to the House of Commons for third reading. At that time, political parties will have another chance to oppose the bill before it goes to Senate. If the bill passes Senate approval, it will become law.

After its defeat in declining to give second reading to Bill C-50, NDP leader Jack Layton has announced to table a new motion that will split the budget bill into two bills by separating the budget reforms and proposed immigration reforms. This new motion would allow the House Standing Committee on Finance to study, fix or remove the immigration portion of Bill C-50.

Meanwhile, the Liberals has decided to present their amendments to the proposed immigration reforms at the standing committee and confident that their amendments will pass with the support of the other opposition parties. If these amendments were rejected, then Liberals may go against the proposed immigration reforms during the final reading. This possible situation may trigger an election in Canada in coming June.