Citizenship and Immigration Committee on May 29th, 2017

[Charles Ayles]

Yes.

[The Chair, Liberal, Borys Wrzesnewskyj]

You have twenty seconds.

[Charles Ayles]

We've had discussions on how many hours constitute a full-time year. If you could get 10 months per year with—I don't know what the hours are—1,000 hours, would that constitute a full-time job? We're still working on that definition to see if we can change it. So far, we're still in discussion mode.

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Borys Wrzesnewskyj]

Thank you.

Mr. Tilson, you have five minutes please.

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

Thank you.

Mr. Arseneault, you said in your opening statement:

People leaving New Brunswick for other provinces continues to be a primary reason for low or negative population growth rates, especially in rural areas. This is closely tied to unemployment in New Brunswick while boosting the economies of other provinces.

My question is to you and perhaps Mr. Gallant as well. Are you looking to the federal government for financial assistance when it comes to programs to increase both immigration levels to Atlantic Canada as well as the retention of immigrants when they arrive there, and—and I don't want to get into a debate with you, but I'm going to say it anyway and you'll challenge me—to address the unemployment that exists, particularly in new Brunswick and perhaps in Prince Edward Island as well?

Mr. Arseneault, and then Mr. Gallant.

[Donald Arseneault]

On your initial question, there's no money tied to the Atlantic immigration pilot. That's why our government put forward $2.5 million in the last budget to assist the work that we're doing on this pilot.

What we're looking for from the federal government is to look and understand, and to work as a partner with Atlantic Canada, more specifically with New Brunswick.

As I said earlier, this is something that we've talked about for many years. Unfortunately, nothing was done about this. Now, the government has understood the challenge that we have, the aging demographics, and we can have 2,000 new Canadians per year for the next three years, over and above the allocation of the provincial nominee program. In New Brunswick, it's 1,050 per year.

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

Are you looking for financial assistance or some financial plan?

[Donald Arseneault]

No.

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

Minister Gallant?

[Sonny Gallant]

Rather than financial assistance, we would be looking at a more coordinated effort between the federal and provincial governments, which is part of our recommendations.

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

Returning to the issue of unemployment, if you increase the immigration levels or asylum claimant levels, will that displace jobs? Will that displace people looking for jobs in Prince Edward Island or New Brunswick?

[Donald Arseneault]

I don't believe it will. We're not forgetting New Brunswickers. If anything, we're investing more today than we've ever done.

In terms of investing in New Brunswickers, we understand that we need to provide them with opportunities. We have pilot projects all across our province with social assistance clients, identifying those who we feel have the ability, if given the opportunity and the proper training, to enter the workforce. We do have those kinds of programs. Last year we initiated free tuition at public universities and colleges for families with incomes of $60,000 or less. That gives opportunity to people who weren't even thinking of pursuing a post-secondary education and entering into a career. That's a huge program, the first in the country as well. We furthered those programs this year.

We're not forgetting New Brunswickers. We feel that in some instances they need more training, and as a government we're trying to offer that to them.

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

Can you tell us the unemployment rate in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island?

[Donald Arseneault]

It's 9%, give or take.

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

Minister Gallant.

[Sonny Gallant]

It's 10.1%. And in answer to your question on the displacement effect, our economy is growing, our unemployment rate has dropped by 1%, and we have created about 1,500 jobs.

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

It's still higher in both provinces than in the rest of Canada.

[Sonny Gallant]

It's because that's trendy and that's our seasonality curve.

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

It's not trendy, it's a fact.

[Sonny Gallant]

Well, it's a fact, but it's due to our—

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

We have to talk about your employment if we're going to talk about encouraging immigrants and asylum seekers to come to your provinces. We have to talk about your economy. So far, to be quite frank, you're not convincing me that your economy is that hot.

Mr. Arseneault, you like to fight me. Can you comment on that?

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[Donald Arseneault]

I've talked a lot. I figure....

[Neil Stewart]

Is it okay if I make some comments?