Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Minister Diane Finley has begun her cross-Canada tour through which CIC will develop the framework for the new amendments to Canadian immigration legislation. Critics are asking why these consultations were not held months ago, before the Conservative government issued the changes to be applied to all applications received on or after February 27, 2008. In the meantime, these applications have been piling up at visa offices and will remain untouched until Minister Finley issues her instructions.

