Evidence of meeting #29 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was occupational.
9:55 a.m.
Bloc
The Vice-Chair Bloc Thierry St-Cyr
Thank you. Unfortunately, your time is up, but we are going to have a second round.
Ms. Folco, you have four minutes.
9:55 a.m.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would also like to thank you.I would especially like to thank Mr. Ngankoy for being here. As I said, he is here at his own risk. We appreciate you coming.
I would like to have brief answers because you see how limited our time is.
First, Mr. Ngankoy, you said that your children, who were born in Canada, so they are Canadian citizens because it is a territorial right, are second-class citizens. What did you mean by that?
9:55 a.m.
Communauté catholique congolaise de Montréal, As an Individual
I meant simply that they were born here, they are Canadian citizens, they have Canadian passports, but they do not enjoy all the rights enjoyed by other Canadians.
9:55 a.m.
Communauté catholique congolaise de Montréal, As an Individual
Which means they are not entitled to... What are the benefits called?
9:55 a.m.
Communauté catholique congolaise de Montréal, As an Individual
Child benefits, whether at the provincial or federal level, and even for health insurance, it is somewhat limited. So I don't understand. In some drug stores, when you present the health insurance card, you pay more than in others. I have never understood exactly what the problem is and I always wonder why how they are treated depends on how we are treated. It is something I can't explain.
9:55 a.m.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
I understand. I don't know whether you are part of the group that came to Ottawa. I know that there were a number of Congolese there. The group came two or two and a half years ago, more or less.
9:55 a.m.
Communauté catholique congolaise de Montréal, As an Individual
Yes, I was there.
9:55 a.m.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
Yes. That was precisely to call for the right of people like you whose status is in fact in limbo.
9:55 a.m.
Communauté catholique congolaise de Montréal, As an Individual
Absolutely.
9:55 a.m.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
Canadians are told not to go to Congo because it is too dangerous, and at the same time we are sending people like you back and telling them that for them it isn't dangerous, that everything is fine. If I understood correction, absolutely nothing on the government's side has changed in terms of how cases like yours are handled.
9:55 a.m.
Communauté catholique congolaise de Montréal, As an Individual
No, absolutely nothing, Ms. Folco. You know, the case of Congo, as I said earlier... I know that at present, part of your study deals with Iraqi refugees. I know that for some years there has been a study of Algerian refugees. Three or four years ago, I think, there were decisions about Algerian refugee cases. There were decisions relating to the Lebanese when there was the war and all, but for Congo... Congolese make up the largest black African community in Canada, but there is nothing...
9:55 a.m.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
I don't want to interrupt you, but you know the problem.
Ms. Gravel, first, I need some clarification. Several times in your presentation you referred to studies that have been done in San Francisco and elsewhere. Do you have figures relating to your study or all of your studies that relate to the situation in Canada in general, and in Quebec in particular?
9:55 a.m.
Professor, Work injuries, Safety at work, Business School, University of Quebec at Montreal, As an Individual
No.
9:55 a.m.
Liberal
9:55 a.m.
Professor, Work injuries, Safety at work, Business School, University of Quebec at Montreal, As an Individual
In fact, there are few countries that are in a position to systematically document workers' occupational injuries based on their status.
In the Canadian provinces' files, there are no variables we can use to describe the workers' country of birth, mother tongue, origin or status. These are often studies done using indirect samples. Some studies are done concerning compensation, but they often consist of cross-tabulating files, between the Canadian censuses and compensation claims. So it can be done, but we can't do a survey and description of claims for occupational injuries every year.
10 a.m.
Liberal
Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
This cross-tabulating files, we saw this a few years ago in the government of Canada and Parliament in particular. I was the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Human Resources at the time and we were told...
10 a.m.
Bloc
The Vice-Chair Bloc Thierry St-Cyr
Ms. Folco, your time is up, including the additional minute you had carried forward.
Mr. Carrier, you have three minutes.
10 a.m.
Bloc
Robert Carrier Bloc Alfred-Pellan, QC
I'm fine with this. I will let one of my colleagues have the floor.
10 a.m.
Conservative
10 a.m.
Communauté catholique congolaise de Montréal, As an Individual
When I started my case, I was living in Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, and I had support from Réal Ménard, who knows me personally. At present I am living in the east end, and my M.P. is Francine Lalonde, who also knows me personally. There is also Meili Faille, who represented that riding and who wrote a letter of support in my case. She also knows me personally.
10 a.m.
Conservative
10 a.m.
Communauté catholique congolaise de Montréal, As an Individual
There was support from some organizations, from the Table de concertation pour les personnes réfugiées et immigrantes and all the organizations that assist refugees and immigrants, given that I have always taken part in work...
