Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Minister, I very much appreciate your being here today.
One of the key issues in my riding is the change in the difficulty of the language test to become a permanent resident. My understanding is that in 2011 it moved from level three to level five. Many in my riding come to Canada on a work permit and then apply for permanent residency, but they're rejected outright if they cannot pass a level five English or French test.
Now, my understanding is that previously there was a possibility of a substitute evaluation, where the whole picture was looked at. They looked at the economic viability, the family roots, their contribution to Canada, and various other factors, and if they didn't quite have the level of language, that was allowed to pass.
Many who come from non-English-speaking and non-French-speaking countries—many of them in my riding are southern European—have a strong belief in terms of feeling very much discriminated against. I know that some people would say that we want higher levels of English in Canada, and when I say that to those in my community who complain, their response usually is that their level is good enough to get a work permit, but obviously not good enough to get permanent residency.
My question to you is, is there any consideration of moving it back to level three ?