Mr. Speaker, I had the privilege of coming here in 1975. I am an immigrant to this country and I am keenly aware of all the opportunities this country has afforded me. Yet when I talk to immigrants now in my community of Hamilton Mountain, the very word “immigrant” has become a dirty word.
Similarly people in my community are worried when we talk about recognizing foreign trained professionals and accrediting their credentials that they have earned internationally. For me that is a huge concern because we should take pride in being immigrants. We as a country need foreign trained professionals for our society, for our economy.
I wonder if the member could tell us what exactly the government is doing to ensure that immigrants feel welcome in this country, that immigrants can participate fully in our country and enjoy the same opportunities that I had as a newcomer to this country.