Finance Committee on June 5th, 2012

[James McNamee]

Essentially the backlog, if not eliminated, will be around for many more years to come. There are plenty of skilled workers currently in the queue. The government has expressed a desire to move to a greater emphasis on meeting immediate labour market needs, the current needs of Canada, and this transition would take many years to happen. This action will facilitate that occurring much more quickly than otherwise would be the case.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

I just want to confirm something that was said earlier, because it wasn't quite clear. Our government has managed over recent years to reduce the FSW backlog, correct?

[James McNamee]

Yes.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Correct. So that is in absolute contrast to what was said by Ms. Sims, who is the critic, who ought to know better than to say it has not been reduced, because the fact remains that it has in fact been reduced. And we further need to reduce the backlog so that we can actually put foreign skilled workers into the jobs that exist.

We have a labour shortage in many of our provinces. Would you agree with that statement, Mr. McNamee?

[James McNamee]

Yes, there are certainly acute shortages in many sectors and in particular regions of the country—for sure.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Which is why we're so focused on making sure we deal with the backlog.

Now, the immigration unemployment rate is also a consideration. Do any of you know what the unemployment rate is for immigrants?

[James McNamee]

I would have to get back to the committee on that—

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Well, I know what it is. It's about 14%, which is almost double the average Canadian unemployment rate that we have right now, at 7.2%, which is concerning. So we want to make sure that whatever we do facilitates not just Canadians obtaining jobs, but that immigrants who come here with the hope and the dream of participating in the Canadian economy actually have an opportunity to feed their families and to live the dream they're living.

I can't disagree more with the NDP position that people from other countries look down on Canada. They may want to dis this country every opportunity they get, but I am proud of Canada.

I would suspect that each and every one of you sitting at that table, being that you work in this field, is proud to receive immigrants from other countries. Have you seen a decline in applications to Canada as a result of anything that has been done in the last year with regard to this bill?

[James McNamee]

No. Demand for immigration to Canada is high. It has been high historically, and there's no indication that it's subsiding in any way.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

In fact we have a problem with too many people wanting to come to Canada. In fact people from democratic countries would like to come and queue-jump by trying to come in under refugee policies and policies that really don't apply to them. Is that not so? We see some fraud, in other words.

[James McNamee]

Yes, there's certainly fraud.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Yes. So this government is very concerned about making sure it's fair, it's transparent, and it works. This legislation is going to do that.

The nonsense that's being spewed by the NDP is absolute.... It boggles one's mind that they can make these kinds of statements.

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Point of order.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Point of order, Ms. Nash.

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

I think those comments are really out of line. I don't think they ought to be accepted when you talk about someone's point of view that you disagree with as “nonsense that's being spewed”.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

It makes no sense.

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

It's one thing to say you disagree, but to call someone's comments “nonsense that's being spewed”, you know...excuse me. I could respond in kind to things that you say, but I don't believe—

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Through the chair, through the chair—

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

--that's very parliamentary. I don't think people appreciate that approach.

I would just once again, sadly, through you, Mr. Chair, call the attention of members to the disrespectful language that's being used.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

“Nonsense” is not disrespectful.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

Well, I would just.... I don't think that technically that's a point of order, but I would say to members again that I would just prefer it if they stated their position or their party's position, asked questions of officials, and put that on the record, and then let's have a vote on the issue.

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Point of order.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

On the same point of order?

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

On the point of order.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Rajotte]

On the same point of order, Ms. Glover.