There are several of these [human smuggling] syndicates actually competing with each other for this business. They were involved in the arms trade in the Sri Lankan war, but since the cessation of hostilities have sought a new business line, a new commodity to smuggle, and that is human beings, stated Jason Kenney, Canada's Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism said in an interview with The Globe and Mail.

He said, 'there’s a very interesting story on who is involved in the smuggling syndicates on the Canadian side ... and what’s happening to people smuggled here once they arrive? Because typically they are only paying about 10 per cent of their $50,000 fee up front. The balance represents a form of indentured status to the smuggling syndicate upon arrival in Canada. I’ve been told, by the Australians for example, that they believe those debts are paid off in part by compelling people to take part in criminal activity ... This is where you cross the line from smuggling to trafficking'.

The Minister also stated that Canada fundamentally disagrees with Amnesty International's objection of long detention of refugees.

'The UN convention doesn’t say anything about detention... They [AI] invent stuff that’s not in the convention. The reality is that international law recognizes that governments have the right to detain unidentified migrants, and to enforce their immigration laws.

'At least this particular branch of Amnesty International in Canada has become totally disconnected from reality when it comes to the need for a balance between our humanitarian obligations and a regulated immigration system', he emphasized.

'I should say contextually, that since the cessation of hostilities in Sri Lanka, some 100,000 Sri Lankan refugees living in Tamil Nadu, India, have since voluntarily returned to Sri Lanka. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has facilitated the voluntary return of many Sri Lankans living with temporary status in southeast Asian nations. The Canadian Border Services Agency has done a survey which indicated that a majority of successful Tamil asylum seekers in Canada have subsequently returned, at least for visits, to the country where they allegedly feared persecution', the Minister stated.

He added that since the arrival of the last vessel to Canada, there’s been a very significant drop-off in the general public support for immigration, and public support for refugee protection in particular.

The Minister said that some 60 per cent of Canadians have said Canada should prevent the boats from entering Canadian territorial waters in the first place – which implies the use of force and the risk to human life.

'In terms of charges of [Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam] activists ... the LTTE only became a listed, proscribed terrorist organization in 2006 when we took office. My understanding is that the security agencies recommended twice to the Liberal Cabinet that the LTTE be proscribed, but they refused to do so, obviously for domestic political reasons, which I think is one of the biggest scandals of the previous Liberal government, to be honest with you', Minister Kennedy stated.

'So it’s only been essentially four years that the law enforcement agencies have been able to focus on the Tigers. And I think there have been more arrests, I’m not saying more convictions, but certainly more arrests, in both Montreal and Toronto', he added.

There is robust intelligence on these smuggling networks, and without commenting on details, they should know that we and our partners are onto them, the Minister stated.