Evidence of meeting #68 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was labour.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Liberal
Alaina Lockhart Liberal Fundy Royal, NB
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to each of the witnesses.
I want to build on the narrative we're talking about. Mr. Saroya brought it up, and Ms. Kwan talked about it as well. Why is it that we have an aging population? One of the interesting statistics I've seen recently is that the out-migration from Atlantic Canada is actually less than what it is in Toronto, but we haven't been focused on backfilling with immigration. The immigration rates are nowhere near the same. This is something that's happened over many years, and I think it would be fair to say that there wasn't a real focus on immigration as a path forward for Atlantic Canada.
The other thing to look at is the percentage of rural area in Atlantic Canada versus some of the other areas. The challenges you bring up are real, and the narrative has to change a little bit too.
You're a great panel to talk to about the processing, immigration, and retention of newcomers. How do you think we can most efficiently match potential newcomers to the actual gaps in the workforce? In some areas in our workforce we do have an ample number of people who are able to work and are filling the jobs, and in others we don't.
How do you think we can efficiently make that match?
President and Chief Executive Officer, W.M. Fares Group
I think the Atlantic pilot program is a great program that will do that. You talk directly to the employers and the employers are in control of who they want to bring in. I believe the pilot program is going to be very successful, and that's something we should probably continue down the road. That's the only way. We need to make sure that we engage the business community and promote and educate them on the tools that are available in the province so that they can fill the gap in the shortage they have, and then let the program take care of itself.
Liberal
Alaina Lockhart Liberal Fundy Royal, NB
Is that a shift in the way we've approached immigration, having a bigger emphasis on businesses?
President and Chief Executive Officer, W.M. Fares Group
We were never serious about immigration. I'm going to be honest with you. I come from a province that's dear to my heart, but we were never serious about immigration. We've talked about the aging population. I've been on immigration panels for the last 15 years, and it's only about talk. It's only been the last three or four years that we've been really focused. We've said we're going to have to do something about it, or it's going to be too late.
I believe we're focusing right now and I hope that we get the results. It's not too late. I don't believe we focused. Probably Gerry or Suzanne would not agree with me, but I don't believe we focused properly on the aging population and on our population issues. Now we are focused and we're seeing results.
Liberal
Alaina Lockhart Liberal Fundy Royal, NB
Thank you.
Louisbourg Seafoods, Mr. Mugridge, you talk a lot about community and how you feel it very important to engage your community in your business.
How does your community feel about immigration? That's another narrative that we hear a lot. Are communities open to newcomers? How do you feel about that?
Product Development Manager, Louisbourg Seafoods Ltd.
Yes, absolutely. The communities that we work in are very open to immigrants. I think there's a recognition that everyone looks around them and everyone knows family members and friends who used to be here, but they're not here anymore. The recognition is that we love our communities and we want to keep them going. I think the conclusion is that immigrants are really the only solution.
Liberal
Alaina Lockhart Liberal Fundy Royal, NB
Okay, great.
Ms. Mills, did you want to weigh in on that as well?
Executive Director, Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia
A few years ago, my phone was ringing off the hook with people asking me, “Come and speak to us about immigrants and why we need immigrants.” That's not what we're talking about right now. My phone is ringing off the hook with people saying, “What can we do? What can I do? What can I do personally, as an employer, as a community?”
Communities are absolutely ready in Nova Scotia. I think there was a tipping point as well with the Syrian refugee initiative. We were really proud of how we responded to that in Nova Scotia. To date we don't hear those negative stories at all. It's not just a case of this one or two. We don't hear them. I'm not so naive to think it's not there, but it's usually drowned out by other more positive voices.
Liberal
Alaina Lockhart Liberal Fundy Royal, NB
I'd like to know a little about the community connections program. That came from the association of immigrant services. Is that correct? Can you speak to that a bit?
Executive Director, Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia
I can speak to community connections. What was the question?
Liberal
Alaina Lockhart Liberal Fundy Royal, NB
Can you tell me a bit about the community connections program? How does it work? You had mentioned that additional funding is required. No...?
Executive Director, Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia
No. Community connections is a federally funded settlement program that connects people to the community. It could be through volunteers or through, for instance, people engaged in community gardens, volunteering in the community, that sort of work. I don't think I asked for additional funding.
Liberal
Alaina Lockhart Liberal Fundy Royal, NB
Sorry. We were talking about two different things, then, but that's great.
President and Chief Executive Officer, W.M. Fares Group
If I may, I believe it's a community sponsor program where a community that exists in Canada can sponsor families and bring them from overseas. They'll sponsor them. They'll support them. They'll be their guidance.
Executive Director, Nova Scotia Office of Immigration
Under the provincial nominee program, we used to have a program called “community identified”, which Gerry spoke to earlier. The premise of the program was that we partnered with a number of organizations. At the time, they were regional development agencies and some cultural communities. Those organizations, economic or cultural, would identify somebody they knew who could reasonably attach to the labour market.
I think what Gerry is talking about is bringing something like that back—and certainly Mr. Fares as well—something that has a labour market attachment piece, but where you're bringing in somebody with a connection.
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Borys Wrzesnewskyj
Thank you. I'd like to thank our panel of witnesses for appearing before the committee today and providing your insights.
With that, we'll suspend for a couple of minutes and go in camera for the draft report on the pilot project on LGBTQ2 refugees.
[Proceedings continue in camera]
