October 30, 2025
RED FM News Desk
Immigration Minister Lena Diab is defending a measure in the federal government’s new border security bill that would allow her department to pause or revoke immigration applications in the “public interest,” a term she says is intentionally not defined.
Diab told the House of Commons immigration committee Thursday that the flexibility built into Bill C-12 is meant to let Ottawa respond quickly to unforeseen events such as national security threats or global health emergencies.
She said the government wanted to ensure it could act decisively in situations it could not predict, and that a rigid definition could limit its ability to protect Canadians.
The minister said the powers could have been useful during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the government faced widespread travel restrictions and disruptions to visa processing.
Tara Lang, director general of integrity policy and programs at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, told the committee the same authority could have been used to grant a mass extension of visas for health-care workers during the pandemic.
Conservative immigration critic Michelle Rempel Garner pressed Diab to clarify what safeguards would prevent misuse of the power, arguing that leaving “public interest” undefined could open the door to political abuse.
Diab said any decision to use the measure would require cabinet approval, calling that an important check on ministerial authority.
The government says the measure would provide a necessary tool to manage emergencies, while opposition MPs warn it gives too much discretion to the minister.
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