Citizenship and Immigration Committee on June 2nd, 2021

[Anju Dhillon, Liberal, Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle, QC]

Thank you very much, Minister.

Could you briefly tell us what the government is doing to support francophone immigration to Canada and francophone minority communities outside Quebec?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Outside Quebec, we have a strategy to attract more French-speaking immigrants. It aims to strengthen the French fact not only in Quebec, but throughout Canada.

During my mandate, I made several announcements about francophone immigrants. For example, with respect to essential workers outside Quebec, there is no limit to francophone immigration.

This demonstrates once again the efforts we are making to encourage francophone immigration. This is good for Quebec, good for protecting French and good for Canada.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Thank you, Minister.

I don't see Mr. Perron, so we will now proceed to Madame Normandin for two and a half minutes.

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Thank you for being here, Minister.

I would like to come back to the questions asked by my colleague Mr. Yves Perron. I would like you to tell us about the situation that prevailed when the program to grant 90,000 permanent residences was set up.

At that time, were the other business lines of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada fully operational?

I am talking about Quebec skilled workers, work permits, visas and family reunification. At the time the new program was created, were these business lines fully operational?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

First of all, I would like to point out that when we created this program, we consulted the Government of Quebec. We gave the Government of Quebec the opportunity to participate in this unprecedented program.

I respect the Government of Quebec's decision to choose its policies. However, the last time I spoke with my counterpart, I again offered the Government of Quebec the opportunity to engage in this program.

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Minister, my question is about the functioning of other sectors of activity.

I understand that if the minister had had a positive response, if he had been proud of the fact that everything was working 100%, he would have told me.

We somewhat robbed Peter to pay Paul in this context. This leaves everyone a little wanting. So I will move on to another question.

You talked to me about workers who are considered essential. We usually talk about the agriculture, health and education sectors. But there are other companies that employ essential workers. I'm talking about companies that provide services. I'm thinking of Hydro-Québec, which works as a subcontractor for the ministère des Transports du Québec, for example.

Quebec considers them essential. Is the minister prepared to broaden the criteria for those that Quebec considers essential?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

As I said, we continue to engage with businesses not only in Quebec, but across Canada.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

You have 30 seconds left.

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

We continue to engage with the Quebec government to understand its needs in the context of economic immigration.

In response to your question, we have invested heavily to accelerate the immigration process and meet Quebec's needs. I have given concrete examples of this progress.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Thank you, Minister.

We will now proceed to Ms. Kwan for two and a half minutes.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Ms. Qunoo fled to Canada because her life was threatened due to her advocacy of Palestinian rights. Twenty-four thousand Canadians have signed a petition urging the minister to issue a temporary resident permit to her three children and husband, whose lives are at grave risk. As recently as May 10, an air strike hit next door to their family home.

Will the minister take action and issue a temporary resident permit for her family?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Madam Chair, I want to begin by obviously acknowledging the very profound and tragic state of affairs in the Middle East. To everyone who has been displaced, our hearts go out to them. That is why the work that we do in Canada, when it comes to resettling those who have been displaced, is so important.

There is a system in place that allows those who wish to claim refugee status before the Immigration and Refugee Board tribunal to have those adjudicated independently from the political process. It's something that my colleague and all members would share in the way of principle. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on the particulars of any individual case, but obviously I am aware of it.

As part of the broader work that we are doing, we will continue to have a system that is revered around the world for its work in human rights.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

I've written to the minister about this, and I'll follow up with the minister about her specific case. I have consent to discuss her case on both the public record and with the minister.

Now while she awaits for their family's PR application to be processed, she applied for a TRV, for which her family was rejected. The IRCC agent cited paragraph 179(b) as the reason for the rejection, which occurred after IRCC's update to dual intent.

The minister has the ability to change this regulation that actively prevents spouses and children from reuniting. This call for action is also supported by the committee, in its most recent report tabled on May 13.

Will the minister suspend the use of paragraph 179(b), as called for by the community and recommended by CIMM?

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

You have 15 seconds.

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

I acknowledge my colleague's question. As the members of this committee know, we've issued directions and guidance to the department. Obviously, my understanding is that the guidance is being followed.

In the event that there are cases of concern, my office is always open to discussing them with my colleague.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Thank you, Minister.

We will end this round with Mr. Allison, and after that, Mr. Dhaliwal. Each of them will have two and a half minutes.

[Dean Allison, Conservative, Niagara West, ON]

I have two and a half minutes, but I have five minutes of questions.

What am I going to do?

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

The first bell has to end, so—

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

He can always ask me outside of the committee.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

And we have to work also on the estimates.

[Dean Allison, Conservative, Niagara West, ON]

The minister said that he'll stay.

Minister, thanks for being here.

Obviously you know about the study we are doing on temporary foreign workers, and agriculture has been raised over and over again in that context—food processing. Food security I think should be key for our country in many ways. COVID just showed us how vulnerable we are when it comes to our food security and our food supply chains.

I met with a group of farmers this week, and I hear over and over again about access to temporary foreign workers, when it comes to the program. My question is not on that. If I had five minutes, that would be the second part.

When we look at 400,000 permanent residents coming in, one of the things I'd like to ask is whether we could get you to champion a national economic immigration program. I believe we need strategies for our critical sectors, and food is one of them. I'm talking to farmers who say, “Listen, we need three people. We're getting one. It's not happening quickly enough.” If we don't plant the food, we can't possibly harvest the food.

I guess my question to you is whether there is any way, when we talk about permanent residence of 400,000, that we could be looking at economic streams. I know we have pilot projects, but I am talking about working specifically with sectors. There are a number of sectors that have said they need strategies so they can make this happen. I would like to know your thoughts on that.

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Madam Chair, I think there is much merit in what my colleague has put by the way of a question, and I thank him for his advocacy.

What I would say is that we do indeed work very closely, not only with the agricultural sector and farmers—I just recently met with a number of them in Quebec—but right across the economy to create those opportunities, those pathways. Yes, there are some pilots like the agri-food pilot. However, I would also point to the essential workers pathway, which offers an opportunity for many essential workers, in the sectors that my friend referred to, who may otherwise have a harder time staying here.

Of course, we embrace that. We believe that immigration drives the economy forward. It does create jobs. It does create opportunity.

I'm always happy to collaborate with my friend to talk to any of the leaders in his community.

[Dean Allison, Conservative, Niagara West, ON]

Thank you.

I probably have 30 seconds, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

You have 2020 seconds.

[Dean Allison, Conservative, Niagara West, ON]

My final thoughts are on the temporary foreign worker program—and this will come out in our committee report—which has been difficult, challenging and not always timely. I mentioned to the minister that any way we can simplify that to help our ag workers—as has been mentioned today by my colleagues from Quebec—would be greatly appreciated.

I'll leave it there.