OTTAWA โ Canadaโs Conservative Party is calling for immediate action to deport Iranian regime officials living in the country after recent testimony before the Immigration and Refugee Board confirmed that individuals connected to the Islamic Republic have been residing in Canada.
Michelle Rempel Garner, the Conservative Shadow Minister for Immigration, released a statement Wednesday urging the federal government to strengthen enforcement and close legal gaps that she says allow regime-linked individuals to enter and remain in Canada.
โToday, the government confirmed that Iranian regime officials have been found living in Canada,โ Rempel Garner said in a statement.
โSome have even made asylum claims. All while Liberal appointees at the Immigration Refugee Board, low enforcement capacity and failures to update the law mean that these individuals are both choosing Canada as a destination and avoiding deportation once here.โ
Her remarks follow recent Immigration and Refugee Board testimony and a subsequent motion introduced by Conservatives at the House of Commons immigration committee.
The motion calls for several measures aimed at preventing individuals connected to the Iranian regime from entering or remaining in Canada.
Conservative Motion at Immigration Committee
According to Rempel Garner, the Conservative proposal asks the federal government to urgently enforce existing deportation orders against non-citizens connected to the Iranian regime.
The motion also calls for a review and update of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to strengthen inadmissibility provisions.
Specifically, Conservatives are asking the government to ensure that non-citizens are deemed inadmissible if they are involved in regime-linked businesses, spreading propaganda for the Islamic Republic, or participating in human rights abuses.
The proposal would also extend inadmissibility provisions to immediate non-citizen family members of Iranian regime officials.
Another element of the motion calls for the creation of an exemption from non-refoulement protections for non-citizen regime officials proven to be complicit in human rights violations.
Non-refoulement protections normally prevent individuals from being deported to countries where they could face persecution or harm.
Rempel Garner said that individuals involved in serious human rights abuses should not be able to rely on such protections to remain in Canada.
Calls for Greater Transparency
The Conservative motion also seeks greater transparency from the federal government regarding the presence of regime-linked individuals in Canada.
Rempel Garner called on the government to release the name of an alleged non-citizen Iranian regime official referenced in a Feb. 6, 2026 report by Global News.
She also asked the government to explain to the immigration committee why it prohibited media outlets from publishing that individualโs name.
In addition, Conservatives are calling for the government to table a report to Parliament explaining why it has not publicly disclosed the identities of known non-citizen Iranian regime officials or agents believed to be in Canada.
The motion also proposes changes to refugee screening procedures.
Conservatives are asking the government to stop approving refugee claims from countries whose governments are hostile to Canada unless the applicant undergoes an in-person interview first.
Concerns Within the Iranian Canadian Community
Rempel Garner said the issue is particularly sensitive for Canadians of Iranian heritage who fear interference or intimidation by agents connected to the Islamic Republic.
โAt a time when Canadians of Iranian heritage have grave concerns about the governmentโs ability to keep them safe from foreign interference, the Liberals must take immediate action to prevent agents of the Islamic Republic from entering Canada and deport those who have already arrived,โ she said.
Canada has taken several steps in recent years to increase pressure on the Iranian regime.
In 2024, the Canadian government formally designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization under the Criminal Code.
The IRGC is widely accused by Western governments of supporting militant proxy groups across the Middle East and carrying out operations on behalf of the Iranian regime.
The issue has also remained highly sensitive in Canada since the downing of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 in January 2020.
The aircraft was shot down by Iranian air defense forces shortly after departing Tehran, killing all 176 people on board.
Among the victims were 55 Canadian citizens and 30 permanent residents.
The incident intensified calls within Canada for stronger action against Iranian officials and agents linked to the regime.
Government Response Awaited
The Liberal government has not yet publicly responded to the Conservative motion introduced at the immigration committee.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has previously said that individuals linked to human rights abuses or terrorist organizations may be deemed inadmissible under Canadian law.
Officials have also stated that national security screening processes are used to identify individuals connected to foreign regimes engaged in repression or terrorism.
Rempel Garner said Canada must ensure that its immigration system does not provide safe haven to individuals connected to the Iranian regime.
โThe Iranian regime murdered innocent Canadians and is guilty of heinous human rights abuses,โ she said.
โThe Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has been designated a terrorist organization in Canada. Such individuals should be deported, not given endless opportunities to stay.โ
