NEW REPORT HIGHLIGHTS CITIZENSHIP FRAUD, VETS DRUG BENEFITS
May 03, 2016
By Bob Komsic
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Michael Ferguson’s just released spring report has them squirming again in Ottawa.
Here’s why:
The federal Auditor General finds Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada lacks a systematic way of identifying and documenting fraud risks among applicants, resulting in people being granted citizenship based on incomplete info or background checks.
The Mounties and Canada Border Services Agency do not consistently share important details about criminal charges and potential residency fraud with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
For example, between 2008 and 2015, 50 different applicants used the same address on their applications during overlapping time periods.
Seven became citizens before the address was flagged during a fraud investigation.
The AG says citizenship officers did not always follow standard procedure of checking travel documents against the department’s database of lost, stolen and fake documents.
Out of 38 criminal cases since 2010 involving a permanent resident or foreign national, the Mounties shared relevant details with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada in just two of them.
Ferguson’s report also found Veterans Affairs Canada lacks adequate limits on the soaring cost and usage levels of marijuana for medical purposesĀ among ex-soldiers.
The audit estimates the cost could hit $25-million this year.