Finance Committee on Oct. 3rd, 2016

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Common reporting standards, this is something that's coming in. We can all complain about old red tape, but I think we should stop digging the hole. On common reporting standards, right now you have FACTA regulations that basically exempt if you're 2% under. Is that correct?

[Kathy Conway]

That's correct.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Could the same methodology be easily applied to the OECD new common reporting standards?

[Kathy Conway]

Yes, we believe an exemption in similar respects would be fine.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Do you feel that groups like yourself have such low risk that they shouldn't even be considered?

[Kathy Conway]

Yes, as we mentioned, we have 259 members, which includes the U.S., already included under the FATCA.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Will you have to put in a new full-time employee or more to be able to deal with these standards? I do know there's a lot of paperwork.

[Kathy Conway]

There's work to the systems. There's work to reporting. There's work to procedures. Initially, it probably would be a full-time person for several months and then an additional part-time person to monitor on an ongoing basis.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

This is one of our larger credit unions. A small one like Summerland Credit Union has only 10 staff or so, but they would have to do the same reporting.

I hope the government members and other members here hear your testimony. Thank you.

I would like to talk about what you raised, Mr. Chair, in regard to the amount of money. Again, people can have a political argument about Syrian refugees—how many, how fast—but I think once the decision is made, then we have to say exactly what Mr. Friesen was saying, how do we make sure that they're integrated, they feel welcome, and they can participate fully in Canadian society, which includes providing for their families?

I know from speaking to school district trustees that they feel comfortable with some of the supports that our government gives for children but, in regard to mom and dad, that's where the heavy lifting needs to be. In British Columbia, Mr. Friesen, you said that, even though we accepted more people, the funding wasn't increased at the same time to allow for that. Is that correct?

[Chris Friesen]

There were supplemental dollars for Syrians that came after the core budget. I'm not exactly sure how big that was. There were some additional funds, but it didn't get to the root cause.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

The Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society is the one that does the ESL programs. They actually had to turn away blended program refugees because there just wasn't any extra money. Of course, what I'm worried about is at the end of the year when those monies are given both from the government federally as well as from the sponsor. Then that family is left on their own. Is that correct?

[Chris Friesen]

The worst-case scenario is that they would be transitioned onto the provincial income support system.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

If we don't train some of them right away when they first get here and make sure that they have those adequate resources.... During the summer, for example, Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society said that if they had the money, they would run the courses. This is causing issues.

Is that happening right across Canada?

[Chris Friesen]

Absolutely. This is what we're talking about. This is the 13-month phenomenon.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Basically there is a cost, and I know my friend Mr. Liepert was talking about costs as far as proposals, but there is a very real cost basically downloading from the federal to provincial. Then there's also the human cost of people not being trained even if they want to be. Is that correct?

[Chris Friesen]

Absolutely. Then you've got the issue of the impact on the family. If the parents are not learning English, they're staying at home and they're depressed. The teenagers pick up on that, and there's the role reversal and the power dynamics. This has a significant impact on families overall.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Again, with our local situation, I know other members of Parliament and I wrote to John McCallum specifically asking the minister to revisit the situation. Unfortunately that fell on deaf ears. I really hope that members of this committee hear that and encourage the Minister of Finance to make sure that this formula is amended. Again, when you make a commitment that you're going to settle someone, that includes making sure they can be productive.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Wayne Easter]

Thank you, Mr. Albas.

Mr. MacKinnon.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I also represent a Quebec riding.

My questions will also focus on immigrant integration, as I think that there is no greater challenge for the country.

In Quebec we face major issues as well around integration. In Gatineau we have a wonderful organization called the SITO, which works on integration, and it's become a model. We have discussed increasing immigration levels, and we know that investments are required in terms of integrating new arrivals to Canada, whatever the category. Quebec has, however, committed to essentially a steady state, which would increase the rest of Canada's relative share, were we to embark on a major increase in immigration to Canada.

My first question—and you may wish to address this question as well—is whether you think we have the capacity in the country, through organizations such as the one you represent, even if the money were available, to increase and intensify these integration efforts.

[Chris Friesen]

I think in addition to the wait-lists for language classes, whether they're French or English, one of the things the government has to undertake is a seat availability analysis to look at how many seats there are available to learn one of Canada's two official languages.

We proved during the Syrian refugee resettlement initiative that the sector could respond very quickly and ramp up services, but the issue is, if immigration for the foreseeable future is going to begin to address rural and economic needs in smaller communities where there isn't, necessarily, the infrastructure already in place, it's going to require a rethink of how we provide services so folks who are attracted to smaller and rural communities are retained in those local communities. That means the use of technology, online learning, telephone interpretation, and various other uses of social media as one aspect of that. So it's complicated, but it really depends on the number, too. We're waiting, as Canadians are across the country, to ascertain what this multi-year immigration plan is going to be.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

As our Chairman knows, retention in Atlantic Canada and in many parts of my province, Quebec, is, as we like to say le nerf de la guerre, the heart of the issue.

What, to your mind, is the key to successful retention? Is it language, as you seem to be alluding to? Is it co-op programs? The SITO that I just referenced has an extensive co-op program with employers, one that has been very successful in terms of integrating people. What is the thing or the mix of things that you think are important, and where should the government focus its investments in order to increase retention?

[Chris Friesen]

I think language is first and foremost. Being able to speak one of Canada's official languages has a far-reaching implication for labour market attachment, social cohesion, nation-building. People want to work. Immigrants and refugees want to work as quickly as possible. They want to take full advantage of the opportunity given to them when they came to this country. We have to be mindful of where we are sending them, how we attract and retain them. We have to look at some of the policies we currently have around pathways to permanency. If we're going to bring in temporary workers or foreign students, how do we keep them in the country and give them opportunities for pathways to permanency? We have to build more welcoming and inclusive communities. There has to be investment in communities. We have to look at how we support newcomer families who settle in the community. We can't destine one family, two families. There has to be a cohort of families settling in a community for them to retain and contribute to that community. Those are just wide-ranging....

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

You also, in one fell swoop, illustrated how expenses, if you will, or investments are required.

[Chris Friesen]

But this is Canada's future.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Of course it is.