Official Languages Committee on June 9th, 2023

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Please answer in 45 seconds, Mr. Desruisseaux.

[Alain Desruisseaux]

There's an information kiosk, a welcome kiosk at Pearson. This is where connection takes place. Service is provided in French, so that new arrivals can be introduced to the service centres, service providers and immigration networks that will be available to them. We ensure that contact is made as soon as the person arrives.

Olivier Jacques mentioned the pre-departure service offered by ConnexionsFrancophones. Whether virtual or in person, we make sure that people have information on the services offered and the people to contact when they arrive, so that the networks are already in contact with the newcomers.

In the past, services were available, but clients didn't know they existed. So the kiosk is one of the key elements in making sure that communication is clear.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

Mr. Chair, could he provide us with—

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Yes, I'll take care of that at the end of the meeting.

If the witnesses want to send us any additional information, they can send it to the clerk of the committee.

The next question will be asked by the representative of the Bloc Québécois, specifically the committee's second vice-chair.

Mr. Beaulieu, you have the floor for six minutes.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'd like to thank the witnesses for being with us.

Mr. Desruisseaux, do you also have a mandate to help Quebec recruit more French-speaking immigrants?

[Alain Desruisseaux]

I'll say a few words about that, and I'll let Mr. Jacques round out my answer.

Obviously, IRCC works very closely with the Quebec government. In fact, an agreement provides a framework for this collaboration, and a joint committee meets frequently, so the dialogue is ongoing. There are also collaborations in the field to support the Quebec government's efforts.

I'll now give the floor to Mr. Jacques.

[Olivier Jacques]

Thank you, Mr. Desruisseaux.

Indeed, the Government of Canada supports all provinces and territories in their efforts to recruit foreign workers, permanent residents and immigrants. This includes Quebec. For example, if Quebec organizes a Quebec Abroad Day, IRCC will participate—if invited, of course—and will pass on information about the immigration process and talk to applicants to explain the steps they need to take before coming to Quebec.

We work directly in the field, in close collaboration, in offices such as those in Rabat, Morocco, and Dakar, Senegal. There are constant exchanges to promote study in Quebec and to support Quebec's recruitment efforts.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

For your part, are your recruitment efforts devoted exclusively to francophone immigration outside Quebec?

[Olivier Jacques]

IRCC is funded to promote francophone immigration outside Quebec, in fact. That's the mandate the department has been given, and that's why we have funding. But that doesn't prevent us from supporting the recruitment efforts of all provinces, including Quebec, and from promoting studies in Quebec.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

I'll continue along the same lines.

We recently learned that many temporary students are turned away in Quebec. According to a report by the Institut du Québec, the federal government has refused nearly half of the applications for study permits submitted by foreign students wishing to come to Quebec and who have been accepted by the universities and by Quebec. According to a Radio-Canada article, “the federal government has turned down nearly 72% of African applicants accepted into Quebec universities in 2021”.

What's going on here? How do you explain this? How can this be corrected?

[Alain Desruisseaux]

To be honest, I'd have to say that this issue goes a little beyond my area of responsibility and expertise. It's a complex issue. I can say, however, that files are analyzed on a case-by-case basis, depending on the merits of the application. The same grid is applied to each case. To determine whether a file meets the eligibility criteria, all of it has to be reviewed. Risk criteria are determined.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Does IRCC play a role in this, that is, in the approval process?

[Alain Desruisseaux]

Yes, it does.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

One explanation that has come to light is that some people fear that these people want to stay in Canada. From what we understand, increasing francophone immigration is somewhat of an objective. In any case, the situation remains rather nebulous, and this is detrimental to Quebec.

In short, you don't have any specific explanations to give us on this subject.

Is that so?

[Alain Desruisseaux]

My colleague Olivier Jacques, who is more familiar with the processing of files, could give you more details on how we do things.

[Olivier Jacques]

Thank you very much.

Every year, we issue study permits to thousands of bona fide francophone African students to come to Canada and Quebec. The approval rate for study permit applications from clients who want to come to Quebec from French-speaking African countries is comparable to that of clients who want to come to other Canadian provinces.

As to what exactly happens, I can tell you that applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, according to the same selection criteria, regardless of the applicant's country of origin or continent of residence. I'd say there are three main reasons why applications from Africa are more frequently refused.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

The Radio-Canada article says that the average refusal rate has risen in recent years, but that it's higher in Quebec than in Ontario and British Columbia. So it's not equal in all provinces.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

That's a good question, but there are less than five seconds left. Perhaps you can add to your answer as other questions come up, Mr. Jacques. I think the members of the committee would like to know what these three main reasons are that you were about to give us.

Before handing over to Ms. Ashton and starting the clock, we're going to do one last test. I imagine Ms. Ashton is in her basement and has connected to her modem.

Ms. Ashton, you have the floor.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB]

You guessed right. We're making every effort here.

I made a speech in the House at 9:00 p.m. yesterday. I was told it went well. So I hope to be able to join you from my basement and ask questions when I have the floor as the sole representative of my party.

Is it working?

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I'm told it's inconclusive, that there's a technical problem.

Did you connect directly to your modem?

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB]

IT support told me they would send me a cable, but I never received it. I can't connect directly without it.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Ms. Ashton, I'm going to interrupt you. All I can do now, as chair of the committee, is ask for the unanimous consent of the committee members so that, in your case, there is no interpretation. That's the only tool I have left. I insist on unanimous consent.

I understand the situation. However, I'm told that it's a connection problem and that there's a loss of quality because there's no direct cable connection to the modem. I'm not a technician, but that's what they tell me about reception on the interpreters' end. So it's also a question of hearing safety.

If you want to ask questions through your assistant, I can ask them for you, if you like.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB]

That's very kind of you to suggest.

I'd just like to say that I'm in a bit of a bind. I didn't receive the cable to connect directly. However, last night I gave a speech in the House and everything went smoothly. I don't know what the technicians did. I'm not a magician. The second thing I can do, according to the technicians, is to set up right next to my modem for the WiFi network. That's what I did, even though it's really not ideal for me to participate in the meeting from my basement. However, without the cable I'm supposed to get, I can't do anything else.

Obviously, I don't want to put anyone's hearing safety at risk. I don't know what else to tell you, really. We can send you the questions, but I just wanted to say that the situation I find myself in is a bit ridiculous.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I understand, Ms. Ashton, but you have to understand that there are limits to what I can and cannot do as chair. The only other option left for you to ask your questions safely was to ask for unanimous consent, but I didn't get it.