Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I'll be quick because I know you are concerned about timing. We spend a lot of time in this committee, because we're dealing with estimates, talking about issues like processing times. I'm referring to the issues of the backlog and temporary foreign workers, and you've gone through all sorts of programs like foreign credentials and refugees.
For us as parliamentarians and people who assume a certain leadership role in our country, the bottom line is that once all this is done, immigrants come to Canada and they're not doing as well as they should be, and therefore we are not maximizing the human resources potential of our country. Immigrants who come today have a tougher time than those who came after the war, for example. That's a major concern as it relates to integration, but it's also a major concern as it relates to the issue of nation building. These big broader issues require a lot more attention by this government.
I can tell you I was very concerned about the fact that in the last Speech from the Throne, brief as it may have been, the word “immigration” didn't even appear. I think it's the same story with the previous Speech from the Throne. While this government claims to understand, comprehend, and do all these things for immigration and immigrants, I really believe that the rhetoric does not match the action. Nor does a Speech from the Throne that lacks the word “immigration” in any way, shape, or form signal to new Canadians that in fact it's a serious concern of this government.
Minister, I sat around the cabinet table, and I will give my two cents' worth to you here.