#111 – Security Screening Delays and Chinese Espionage Allegations, with Lev Abramovich

Lev Abramovich is a Canadian immigration lawyer in Toronto.

We discuss ongoing security screening delays at IRCC, particularly for Chinese and Iranian nationals, mandamus applications, the expanded definition of espionage in Canadian immigration law, and how recently legislation to combat foreign interference in Canada may further hinder access to justice.

Previous episodes discussing this growing issue include Episode #85 and Episode #96.



#110 – A Former Visa Officer on Locally Engaged Staff and Reconsideration Requests, with Martin Levine

Martin Levine was a Visa Officer and Analyst at Citizenship and Immigration Canada from 1978 – 2009. He then worked as a contract employee as an ATIP Analyst for numerous federal departments. He previously appeared on Episode #108.

We discuss locally engaged staff, reconsideration requests, recording visa office interviews, IRCC office politics, visa officers as police officers vs. social workers, rude lawyers and whether people should join the civil service.



#109 – DUIs and Dangerous Driving, with Kyle Lee

Kyla Lee is a criminal defense lawyer at Acumen Law and the host of the Driving Law podcast.

In this episode Kyla answers dozens of questions about common driving offenses, including impaired driving and dangerous driving. Topics include how these offenses work, roadside prohibitions vs. criminal charges, defenses to impaired driving charges, distracted driving and more.



#108 – A Former Visa Officer on The Culture at IRCC, AI, and Obstacles to Change, with Martin Levine

Martin Levine was a Visa Officer and Analyst at Citizenship and Immigration Canada from 1978 – 2009. He then worked as a contract employee as an ATIP Analyst for numerous federal departments.

This episode is like reading the results of an Access to Information Act on how IRCC works, and then asking questions of the person who wrote it. We discuss the culture at IRCC, whether artificial intelligence will improve decision making, whether visa officers should have more discretion, budget cuts and training issues and how the biggest obstacle to meaningful change at IRCC might be the Treasury Board.