Citizenship and Immigration Committee on May 1st, 2019

[Nick Whalen, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

Thank you very much, Chair.

We're getting towards the end. I might be one of the last questioners in our study on settlement services.

I'd like to thank all the witnesses for the excellent testimony.

We've heard from providers right across the country: rural communities, urban centres, school boards, church groups and government-funded agencies. It's been very interesting. For anyone looking to start a settlement services agency in their community, it would provide a set of best practices and many different options on how to do it. At the same time, it's unclear the direction in which our recommendations should go, and what the federal government's role is in ensuring that communities have a path towards competing for the opportunities that immigrants provide.

I'll ask each of you to provide your thoughts on whether or not our communities should recommend ideas around best practices, whether there should be direct funding provided by the federal government, whether the federal government should provide guidelines for communities or provinces and what they should consider to be spending opportunities for them.

Let's start with you, Professor Shields.

[Prof. John Shields]

I think increasingly what we're seeing is a federalization of immigration, including settlement; that is, all levels of government are becoming increasingly involved in this because they all recognize the value and the importance of immigrants. I think there is the idea of co-operation among the different levels of government as funders and also as groups that are providing supports for best practices and so forth.

I think one of the best practices today is the idea of pre-arrival services because it gives immigrants much more information before they arrive. It demystifies some of the experiences they're going to have. It gives them awareness as well of some of the services that are available once they arrive within Canada. I think more information is always better.

I think the non-profit agencies are very flexible and very resilient types of organizations, and we want to ensure they can be creative. We need flexibility in terms of how they deliver and offer services. Focusing on success, rather than a strict kind of formula about what they should be doing, is the route to go.

[Nick Whalen, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

Ms. Buuck.

[Christine Buuck]

I agree with everything that's been said.

In addition, as mentioned, is the importance of collaboration and integration in serving the whole person to make sure that projects that come forward focus on the entire family and that it really is a collaborative community model that also engages our local populations. I think that has to be key: communities that are welcoming newcomers.

The other piece mentioned was opportunities for innovation, opportunities to showcase innovation, and then have that be part of best practices. I think there's so much that's great out there that we don't know about.

[Nick Whalen, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

If I were to summarize that, let's see if I understand it correctly. There's been a trend towards federalization of settlement services, but really, while the federal government needs to remain—

[The Chair, Liberal, Rob Oliphant]

I'm sorry, I need to interrupt you for one minute.

With the bells ringing, I just need unanimous consent to keep the meeting going. We have a 30-minute bell to go upstairs.

[Nick Whalen, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

If I could finish my round, that would be really appreciated.

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Let him finish, and that's it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Rob Oliphant]

Okay, thanks.

[Nick Whalen, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

Thank you.

To summarize, I'd say there's been a trend towards the federalization of settlement services. While the federal government should remain a partner, we need to make sure the provinces, the towns and cities, and the NGOs remain part of this so they can remain flexible and meet community needs, rather than what might be a nationally dictated need. It might not be a relevant-needs community.

I'm not trying to put words in your mouth. I'm just trying to make sure I understand you.

[Christine Buuck]

It's balancing the two, yes.

[Nick Whalen, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Shields.

[Prof. John Shields]

Yes, I agree with that. I think it is a balance.

[Nick Whalen, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

Some of the programs we've talked about and many of the supports we've talked about for immigrant workers and refugees coming into the country seem also to me to be quite relevant for existing Canadian workers who might come from other underprivileged...or backgrounds which might represent some type of disadvantage for them. I wonder, at some point, whether or not the immigration stream is the best way to deliver things like mental health supports in schools, for instance, or career mentoring for people who come from disadvantaged or immigrant backgrounds.

Is there a way for us to work across departments, maybe with labour force development departments or with schools, to ensure that it's not just people from immigrant backgrounds who are getting access to these programs? Actually, anyone who is disadvantaged in society and who needs these supports should have mentoring, mental health counselling and whatnot.

Mr. Shields.

[Prof. John Shields]

I think a whole-of-society approach is a useful approach, and I agree. I think many different groups need supports. I think we do need some targeted supports, however, for newcomer populations. Many of the services that we provide are not provided through settlement services, but they're basically part of the settlement process, whether that be in the health care system, in the educational system. Often, those are not immigrant specific.

[Nick Whalen, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

Ms. Buuck, I'm assuming you would add that language services present a specific challenge for the immigrant population.

[Christine Buuck]

That's correct.

As well, I would say that while working across groups, remember the unique needs of each.

[Nick Whalen, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

I would like to thank you for your incredible contribution to our study. If you have any further thoughts, please do submit them to us in writing.

[The Chair, Liberal, Rob Oliphant]

That's very good. Thank you both.

Thank you, committee. We'll return next week.

The meeting is adjourned.