Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
First, on behalf of the Liberal Party, I want to express to Mr. McColeman that we will be supporting the British home child issue that you've raised.
Minister, we in this committee and I'm sure in your work as minister we're dealing with a lot of issues, whether it's foreign credentials, various streams, language training, immigrant aid, or settlement. But sometimes as we deal with these specific issues we forget the real big macro picture.
Unfortunately, what is happening with immigration in Canada, which is very different from immigration after the world war, is that you have immigrants who are over-represented in the poverty rates, the unemployment rates, and the under-employment rates of our country. This issue is important for two reasons. Number one, of course the immigrants are not fulfilling the so-called Canadian dream they talk about abroad. Number two, it's also bad for our own national interest. When individuals are not maximizing their human resources potential, it's very hard for a country to maximize its potential.
While we are dealing with immigration as a specific department, one of the concerns I have is that immigration is not a government-wide issue. That is a concern, and it's been a concern for me for a long time; it's not just a recent issue. I think it's myopic and parochial to just think of it as your ministry. Is this going to change? I understand how important the refugee reform package is to you, for example, but I'm not so sure the Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister have the same appreciation. I'm being quite frank. Nor do I particularly believe that immigration and citizenship is viewed as a top-tier file. I'm fully cognizant of the economic challenges they face, but immigration is one of the pillars of nation-building, and I don't think it gets the respect it deserves.