To British Bulldog......
Ok, this is getting ridiculous and I commend you for your patience when many other people (me included) would have gone insane already. Don't feel low and miserable. I don't care that your application may be slightly different from the norm because you are sponsoring people living in a couple of different countries, that is not a good reason for CIC to be taking TWO months to give you an answer when you should be waiting one. And the fact that upon calling they cannot give you an iota of information is also upsetting.
If you are a Canadian citizen, why not contact your local MP to get them to pressure CIC for an answer? Another thing is the CAIPS notes - these are the intricate notes used by CIC to record aspects of your application throughout the process, and having to wait an abnormally long amount of time (w/ no information) during the first stage approval would be one good reason to get them, in my humble opinion. You might want to get some info on them from people who have actually ordered, but here is the basic info I copied from one of the more expert people on this forum:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/forms/IMM5563B.pdf
fill in the firm with the required details i.e.:
a) Visa post (e.g. Buffalo, NY etc.)
b) File number (e.g. BXXXX..)
c) Date of Birth
d) Your Postal address (In Canada address only)
2) Check on the box for the CAIPS notes request in the form.
3)Provide a photocopy of your valid permit/visa in Canada (Person requesting).
4) Write a cover letter requesting the notes (Person who requests writes that).
Post all the papers together to :
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator
Narono Building
360 Laurier Avenue West, 10th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1L1
Tel.: (613) 957-6512