Immigration Minister Marc Miller told the Commons Immigration Committee Monday he wants no votes from friends of Israel who equate criticism with antisemitism. Miller further said the immigration department has raised the cap on Canadian visas issued to Gazan refugees from 1,000 to 5,000, per Blacklock’s Reporter. Speaking to the committee, Miller pointed to the conflation of criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Israeli government with antisemitism as damaging to the political system in Canada “I don’t want their vote,” Miller told the committee.“Perhaps we have underestimated the damage this has caused us as a country and the divisive politics that comes out of it. I don’t need votes from this. I just need people to stay alive.”“I don’t want the vote of someone who thinks legitimate criticism of the Netanyahu government which I share equates to picking on Jews in this country and targeting them. Those people who have that type of thinking, I don’t want their vote.”Miller said his Department of Immigration to date had approved 2,903 applications from Gazans seeking to enter Canada. So far more than 8,000 have applied.“How many extended family members of Canadians or permanent residents have left Gaza?” asked Liberal MP Salma Zahid.“The number of visas that have been issued as part of the Gaza public policy, directly to your question, is 250,” replied Miller.In December, Miller waived immigration rules to grant travel permits to Gazans with extended family in Canada. Initially he said the immigration department was “thinking in the hundreds,” but that number lept to 1,000 cousins, in-laws and other distant relatives of Canadians or permanent residents.In addressing the announcement of the cap being jacked 500% to 5,000 Gazan applicants on Monday, Miller said, “We want to get those people out. We want them to be safe.” Miller initially claimed there was “an extensive vetting system that is done on the ground” to ensure Gazans let into Canada posed no security risk — however Miller admitted that was not the case.“Are all temporary residents who come to our country including international students required to submit a police clearance certificate and criminal background check before they enter Canada?” asked Conservative Arpan Khanna.“On the issue of police certificates, we do not as a routine matter require those for our temporary residents,” replied Miller.“When the media clearly asked you, are criminal background checks done, and you said yes,” said Khanna. “And when media asked how that worked, you said if they had a criminal background they are not allowed into the country. Now you’re telling me police clearance certificates and criminal background checks at the country of origin are not completed.”“I said we did verification. That’s what we do. That is true,” replied Miller, adding that Gazans who managed to leave the war zone with Canadian temporary visas were later fingerprinted.“How many of those who have been let into Canada, temporary residents, have had to submit police clearance certificates?” asked Khanna.“You would have to ask over what time period,” replied Miller.Liberal MP Shafqat Ali blamed the Conservatives for causing MPs pain with their questioning. “Sadly Conservatives are using this human tragedy for their political advantages which is really, really painful,” said Ali.“Conservatives have not once called for a ceasefire since this tragedy started. This is the tragedy of this century.”“I agree with the point you are making, MP Ali. There are people dying,” replied Miller.
