44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 5, 2022 10:00AM
- May/5/22 10:41:29 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am rising today on a question of privilege concerning inappropriate government interference in the work of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration.
Yesterday afternoon, my office received an email from the hon. member for London West. He forwarded an email chain concerning the preparation of drafting instructions for a report on a study the committee has been conducting on differential outcomes.
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- May/5/22 2:30:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is clear to me that there is an immigration crisis. However, when the Bloc asked the Prime Minister whether it would be a good idea for Quebec to have more control, the Prime Minister did not once talk about a solution, not once. He said, “immigration will, by and large, always be under federal control.... I realize our Bloc friend is not happy about this, but Quebec is not yet its own country”.
Is it out of sheer stubbornness that the Prime Minister refuses to collaborate more effectively with Quebec's immigration department? Is that the reality?
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- May/5/22 2:30:39 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we know that immigration is essential to Canada's economy and to Quebec's economy.
As the member opposite well knows, Quebec sets its own immigration targets. We will always work closely with the Government of Quebec to ensure that the immigration system continues to work for Quebeckers and for all Canadians.
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- May/5/22 2:31:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I believe that we do not understand one another. When Quebec asks for authority to resolve the immigration crisis, the Prime Minister slams the door in its face, saying that Quebec is not a country and that this is Canada's job.
If that is so, then Canada should do its job and get to work on the 29,000 files that have been sitting in Ottawa for years. The immigrants who submitted them were selected by Quebec, are already living in Quebec and want to settle in Quebec.
Unfortunately, the machine is broken. If the government refuses to fix it and refuses to let Quebec take care of it, what then?
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- May/5/22 2:31:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our government works closely and effectively with the Government of Quebec.
Last year, Quebec welcomed more than 50,000 new permanent residents. This year, Quebec has significantly increased its immigration targets, which will help reduce wait times.
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- May/5/22 2:43:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, there is an immigration crisis, but when Quebec asks for more control to address the issue itself, the Prime Minister says that Canada will continue to be in charge because Quebec is not a country. It is as simple as that.
Imagine hearing that when you are one of the 29,000 immigrants living in Quebec whose application is stuck in Ottawa's broken machinery. They will not help because Quebec is not a country. Is that really their answer? How pathetic.
Has the Prime Minister forgotten that we are talking about real people with real problems?
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- May/5/22 2:44:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the member is right: Quebec selects the majority of itans immigrants. Every year, Quebec issues more Quebec selection certificates than the immigration thresholds set out in Quebec's immigration plan.
The federal government cannot process more files than Quebec asks it to. We cannot exceed Quebec's thresholds. We will respect Quebec's jurisdiction in immigration. We will process applications in accordance with Quebec's plan.
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- May/5/22 2:46:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we know that immigration is an integral part of addressing the labour shortage. IRCC is prioritizing work permit processing for in-demand occupations in industries such as health, agriculture, food and seafood production.
I would like to point out that in the first quarter of 2022, we processed more than 100,000 work permit applications, nearly double the number of work permits processed over the same period last year.
We will continue to ensure that Canadian employers have access to workers.
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- May/5/22 2:46:48 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I always appreciate the opposition's questions, and I am always grateful to my colleagues for their support for immigration and the work our government is doing for temporary foreign workers, because we know they play an important role and are vital to food security.
I would also like to emphasize that these people are entitled to safety. We have taken several measures over the past few months, and we will continue to accept applicants.
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- May/5/22 3:09:21 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, business owners from such sectors as manufacturing, agriculture or tourism are struggling to address the labour shortage. It is even worse for francophone business owners. On top of all of the red tape, they are having to wait up to 30 months, which is two and a half years.
Does the Minister of Immigration realize how much irremediable damage this is doing to our economy? What will he do right now to address this issue and show respect for our francophone entrepreneurs?
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