Ms. Darid.
Evidence of meeting #18 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was woman.
A video is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #18 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was woman.
A video is available from Parliament.
5 p.m.
Director General, Espace féminin arabe
In fact, that is valid both for women and men who are being sponsored. There are cases of abuse in both instances.
Today I would like to give you the example of a problem we are currently trying to solve. There is an Algerian woman who was sponsored by a Canadian man. She settled here in Canada with her husband. Afterwards, the husband came to the realization that the Canadian mentality did not correspond to his wife's mentality. So they went on a so-called vacation to the woman's country. He took her papers, her passport and her permanent residency card, and left his wife in Algeria. For her part, she did everything she could to get back into Canada. There really are abuses. We have to find solutions so as not to create a category of second-tier citizens. Sponsored immigrants do not seem to have the same rights as those who have their permanent resident status.
5 p.m.
NDP
Jasbir Sandhu NDP Surrey North, BC
Ms. Rosenberger, I have a question for you.
Do you currently get federal funding for spousal abuse victims? Also, is that funding on a long-term basis, or is it on an ad hoc basis?
5 p.m.
Manager, Counselling Services, DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society
No, we don't receive any federal funding for our spousal abuse counselling at this time. Our funding for our stopping the violence counselling is currently provincial.
5 p.m.
NDP
Jasbir Sandhu NDP Surrey North, BC
Would you like more funding from the federal government or more programs to help address this issue?
5 p.m.
Voices
Oh, oh!
5 p.m.
Manager, Counselling Services, DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society
Oh my goodness, yes sir, I would.
One of the stories that stands out the most for me is we run the relationship violence prevention program. This is a program where men who offend are mandated through the court system to come for a 17-week counselling program. This program has a really low recidivism rate and has been very, very successful, and it's something that we would definitely like to see pursued further.
However, it has a massive wait-list. At this time, I have 54 men sitting on the wait-list for my April program. Now, this past summer we had a man who was sitting on that wait-list, and unfortunately he murdered his wife in a basement suite in Surrey and then took his own life. It wasn't until we got around to attacking that wait-list that we saw that, yes, he in fact was the gentleman who had been involved in that murder-suicide.
These are the things we're starting to see. It's scary, and we're doing everything we can with the little funding that we have, but it's few and far between. We're having to scrape for every cent we get.
5 p.m.
NDP
Jasbir Sandhu NDP Surrey North, BC
We've also heard in this committee, and I've had numerous conversations with other organizations.... We talk about credentialing, the ability of immigrant men and women coming to this country to transfer their skills into what is considered to be equal to Canadian standards. Is that a difficulty? Does it diminish their ability to integrate into Canadian society? Is that something the government should be working on to help immigrant women?
5:05 p.m.
Executive Director, Reh'ma Community Services
Yes, definitely I agree, because we have many, many cases where after four years, five years, they are not even able to find employment. Forget underemployment; they are not able to find the jobs. That creates significant mental health issues. In fact, a lot of tax dollars go towards their health. If you do not give them employment, then there is an increase in their mental health issues. Then what are you doing? You are trying to spend more money to address the mental health issues. That's why it's imperative and very important that accreditation be considered.
5:05 p.m.
Director General, Espace féminin arabe
Indeed, diplomas obtained elsewhere are not recognized. I am from Quebec, personally. The studies I did elsewhere than in Quebec are not recognized at all. For someone to be hired, he or she must absolutely have Quebec experience. But when you arrive, you do not have any. In order to be able to acquire that Quebec experience, someone has to hire you first.
There are many professional associations in Quebec, and they are very protectionist, and apply a lot of policies in that regard. And yet, women in the Maghreb countries are encouraged to come to Quebec because they speak very good French; once they are here, they must also speak English in order to find a job.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON
Thank you to all of the witnesses for being here.
I think that's about the best argument I've heard for federal funding: the person on the waiting list killed his wife and then himself. It's quite compelling.
I want to begin with a simple question I've asked all the other witnesses. In terms of this conditional permanent residence program, do you think it's a good thing or do you think it should be abolished?
May I ask each of you to response quickly, starting with Ms. Rosenberger.
5:05 p.m.
Manager, Counselling Services, DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society
Sure. I'll let Ms. Virk answer that.
5:05 p.m.
Counsellor, DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society
There are pros and cons—
5:05 p.m.
Counsellor, DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society
If I'm talking about women being abused, no.
5:05 p.m.
Counsellor, DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society
If the women are being abused, no, it should not be there.
5:05 p.m.
Counsellor, DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society
Another thing is that when men are coming here and running away from the airports, then yes.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
John McCallum Liberal Markham—Unionville, ON
I'm sorry. I don't mean to rush you, but I have so little time that I want to get on to other things, yet I want to go through this because I have done it with other witnesses.
Do you think that program should stay or go?
