NOTES FOR AN ADDRESS BY
THE HONOURABLE MONTE SOLBERG
MINISTER OF CITIZENSHIP
AND IMMIGRATION
Before a meeting of the
Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration
Ottawa, Ontario
May 10, 2006
Check against delivery
* * * * *
INTRODUCTION
Good afternoon, Mr. Chair and honourable members.
I am pleased to be appearing before you today. With me is Janice Charette, Deputy Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. I appreciate your invitation to address the Standing Committee. I am proud to have the chance to update this committee on the important work accomplished by our department.
First, I want to tell members that I believe we can work together to solve problems and make the citizenship and immigration system more responsive to the needs of Canadians and those wanting to come here.
I have already met with many members of the Committee over the past few months. I have been listening, and I am pleased to discover that, for the most part, we agree on the challenges that need to be addressed. It is also clear to me that there is considerable commitment, knowledge and expertise at this table for finding attainable solutions.
I have also been meeting with stakeholders, including many of my provincial counterparts. They are telling me they want to work with our government to create a fair immigration system that protects people in need and encourages those from other countries to contribute to the Canadian economy.
I have also spent hours with members of Parliament from all parties. I know that for the many, many hours I have spent meeting with MPs, they dedicated many more hours listening to the views of the constituents they represent regarding our immigration system.
It is clear there are many challenges. The reason I am here is to ask the Committee for its help and guidance in meeting them.
CHALLENGES
Our government has been in office little more than 100 days. In that time, I have already observed some issues that have a long history.
Refugee determination
There are nine million refugees overseas in need of protection and Canada must do its part to give them aid and refuge. That is our moral obligation.
However, significant resources are spent on claims made within Canada by individuals who do not require refugee protection. Despite the fact that the backlog has been significantly reduced, too often our in-Canada refugee determination process is complex, slow, costly and inefficient.
Our country must ensure that we are able to help those who really need protection, while dealing with these realities. We look forward to hearing your ideas on how the system can be improved for all involved.
Backlog
The attractiveness of Canada to newcomers has resulted in more immigration applications than we are able to accept. Last year, Parliament set a goal for the government to welcome 220,000 to 245,000 new permanent residents. We exceeded that. We brought in 260,000.
Even so, over the last number of years, the backlog of people wanting to come to Canada has grown to 800,000 people.
Undocumented
This runs squarely into another problem facing Canada’s immigration system. Canada, particularly its major cities, is an attractive place for people without legal status to stay and work. Without a doubt, they tend to be hardworking people. But the problem remains: they have come to Canada illegally. The previous government removed tens of thousands of these undocumented workers and sent them back to their home countries. They understood that if there were no consequences to entering Canada illegally, there would be hundreds of thousands more who would attempt to come here illegally.
Then there is the issue of fairness. What message would it send if we suddenly gave legal status to people who came here illegally while those who have played by the rules sit in line, often for years? I urge my colleagues to work with me to find ways for people with blue-collar skills to come to Canada legally.
Programs
We currently have several programs that address labour market challenges for skilled and unskilled workers.
The Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW) program is designed to respond to local and job-specific needs. Last year, over 95,000 qualified foreign workers came to Canada. The TFW program also gives workers the chance to boost their language skills and become more familiar with Canadian life. If they later choose to apply for permanent residency, their Canadian experience will improve their chances of meeting the criteria for residency.
Provincial nominee programs match newcomers with labour market needs. The provinces play an important role. Quebec selects its own skilled workers, and the Provincial Nominee Program helps other provinces support the immigration of individuals who have the skills and other attributes needed to fill worker shortages. But the program could be used more and we are prepared to help the provinces and territories do that if they so choose.
ACTION
But while there are many challenges, we are not standing idle. Our government has already started to make changes that improve the citizenship and immigration system.
Reducing the Right of Permanent Residence Fee
Canadians and this government value immigrants. In the 2006 budget, we reduced the Right of Permanent Residence fee from $975 to $490, effective immediately.
International Student Off-Campus Work Permits
As well, I recently announced that foreign students in our universities and colleges will be allowed to compete for off-campus jobs on a level-playing field with their Canadian peers. We estimate approximately 100,000 students will benefit from this initiative, in all parts of Canada.
The program will increase Canada’s attractiveness as a destination for students, and it will allow foreign students to gain valuable Canadian experience that will benefit both them and us.
Recognizing Foreign Credentials
We have also committed $18 million to hasten the recognition of foreign credentials. This priority was an important element of our electoral campaign. Given the shared jurisdiction of the provinces and Canada for immigration, we recognize the need to consult with our provincial partners.
Funding Settlement Services
The government is allocating an additional $307 million to settlement funding over the next two years, over and above investments provided in recent budgets. This funding will give newcomers access to whole networks of people and services that are there to help them succeed.
It also allows us not only to deliver on our commitment to fund the Canada-Ontario Agreement, but provides additional funding to other provinces and territories outside of Quebec to address integration challenges faced by newcomers.
Prime Minister Harper had committed to addressing this file. And he has done so.
Supporting Families (Foreign Adoptions)
And, our government made an election commitment to support Canadian parents who adopt foreign-born children overseas by introducing legislation that will extend citizenship to these children. I am confident we will be able to deliver on our pledge.
CONCLUSION
We don’t have all the answers.
We do, however, believe that the answers must reflect fairness and compassion for individuals while protecting the security of our borders and the integrity of our immigration system. We need to find a balance. I look forward to working with members of the Standing Committee to find the right balance.
Despite rumours to the contrary, I am not a complete stranger to the subject of immigration and the immigration system. I live in Brooks, Alberta, home to 1,200 former Sudanese refugees, nearly ten percent of the community’s total population. There are 36 languages spoken in the local meat-packing plant. I also know how grateful these newcomers are to have found a new home in the greatest country in the world.
Thank you. I welcome your questions.
