Citizenship and Immigration Committee on April 27th, 2026

[Léonie Tchatat]

Thank you very much.

I think there has been some real progress. If we look at the new policies currently in place, we see a rise in those that target francophone communities, despite some cutbacks.

The real issue isn't about the target, it's about integration. I work at an organization that primarily serves Black and racialized communities. People from these communities arrive with qualifications and skills, but there's a systemic flaw.

The integration process for a Black person might take 10 years, as opposed to a non-Black person. The labour market system fails to adequately provide certain services to francophone immigrants. That was proven during the 2021 crisis in Toronto, when we saw Black refugees sleeping on the streets, even though Canada is supposedly a wealthy country. We had to create the first transitional housing for Black francophone refugees because a francophone coming to Toronto who can only speak French is completely cut off from a number of services.

This means Black immigrants face numerous challenges. From the moment they arrive, they must contend with systemic racism. Furthermore, host communities are not necessarily ready to integrate these individuals. They come to Canada with tremendous potential, and if they are successfully integrated, they can quickly contribute to the country's economic development.

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre—Don Valley East, ON]

Opposition members have brought witnesses to this committee who have said that there is no value in promoting francophone immigration and it should be sharply reduced or eliminated to favour purely economic considerations.

Could you help us understand the economic and social value that francophone immigration brings to Canada?

[Léonie Tchatat]

That's very interesting.

First of all, Canada is a bilingual country. In 2019, I led an awareness campaign called “Immigrant Means.” Immigrants and francophone communities in Canada contribute in many ways.

In terms of the broader picture, the economy and human resources, francophone immigrants contribute to every sector of the country. When it comes to bilingualism, it's fair to say that Canada is a country that cannot move forward without the French fact. I believe that failing to recognize the added value of francophone immigrants is a major mistake on Canada's part, because they contribute to every aspect of society—whether economically or in terms of social integration—at both local and international levels.

Failing to recognize francophone immigrants as an added value truly amounts to a missed strategic opportunity for Canada.

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre—Don Valley East, ON]

Thank you.

In your experience, are employers in francophone communities benefiting from the increased access to French-speaking talent?

[Léonie Tchatat]

It's quite complex. I think we need to continue promoting bilingualism and bilingual talent. Employers say they're looking for bilingual talent, but in practice, they don't hire bilingual talent because they don't always have access to the channels to hire them.

Together with private employers, we have established a bilingual talent council to raise awareness among these employers about hiring bilingual francophone talent.

I think there should be more resources and greater availability to help employers promote this. We also need to change the system, because francophone immigrants—especially Black francophone immigrants—face systemic racism during the job search process. Indeed, how can we explain that despite having degrees, skills, and sometimes Canadian degrees, they cannot secure a job?

So, there is still real discrimination in the labour market, because this talent is not necessarily recognized.

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre—Don Valley East, ON]

Do you have any specific examples, such as for Ontario?

[Léonie Tchatat]

Yes. At least 60% of the cases handled by the organization I work for involve people who are unemployed and looking for work. During interviews, they're told they lack Canadian experience or that they don't understand the system. It happens every day. I can share so many stories with you about talented people who come here and could contribute, but who aren't hired, sometimes because of systemic barriers on the ground.

Often, employers aren't informed or don't know where to look for this bilingual talent. Yet these people exist.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Thank you,

Thank you, Ms. Zahid.

Thank you, Ms. Tchatat.

Mr. Champoux, you have six minutes.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I will begin by saying that I was extremely surprised by Ms. Zahid's earlier question. I have never heard anyone sitting on the opposition benches, regardless of party affiliation, make comments of this nature about francophone economic immigration. I am very curious to hear the basis for this question, because if it is true and indeed well founded, it is scandalous and unacceptable.

That said, obviously, I am here to stand in for my colleague Alexis Deschênes, who tabled a notice of motion on Friday. I would like to move this motion for debate today.

I will read the motion:

That, whereas Quebec and Ontario receive a disproportionate share of asylum seekers in Canada, while efforts to relocate them to other provinces remain minimal, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee undertake a study specifically on; a) the impacts of this inequitable distribution on the provinces' public services and public finances; b) ways to make the system more equitable; c) practices in other countries and groups of countries, such as the European Union, for distributing asylum seekers; that the committee invite experts, lawyers specializing in immigration and constitutional law, representatives of organizations working with asylum seekers, and any other witnesses deemed relevant to appear before it; that the committee formulate recommendations aimed at making the asylum seeker system more equitable; that the committee devote a minimum of three meetings to this study; and that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a full response to its report.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Thank you, Mr. Champoux.

Mr. Fragiskatos, go ahead.

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, London Centre, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

It is clear to us that the motion is important. However, there are witnesses here, and their testimony is important to our committee. We are therefore ready to proceed to a vote.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Would anyone else like to speak to this?

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Can I just ask that it be read one more time?

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Mr. Champoux, could you please read the motion again in French?

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

I will be pleased to read it again.

That, whereas Quebec and Ontario receive a disproportionate share of asylum seekers in Canada, while efforts to relocate them to other provinces remain minimal, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee undertake a study specifically on: a. the impacts of this inequitable distribution on the provinces' public services and public finances; b. ways to make the system more equitable; c. on practices in other countries and groups of countries, such as the European Union, for distributing asylum seekers; that the committee invite experts, lawyers specializing in immigration and constitutional law, representatives of organizations working with asylum seekers, and any other witnesses deemed relevant to appear before it; that the committee formulate recommendations aimed at making the asylum seeker system more equitable; that the committee devote a minimum of three meetings to this study; and that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a full response to its report.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Thank you, Mr. Champoux.

Are there any other comments?

Ms. Rempel Garner, go ahead.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

I would just like to put on the record that I think any statements precluding mobility rights that are protected under the charter need to be very carefully examined by the committee.

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Thank you very much.

We'll now proceed to the vote.

(Motion agreed to: yeas 5; nays 0)

Mr. Champoux, you still have the floor for a minute and 10 seconds.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

I'll be quick.

First, I'd like to thank the witnesses for being with us. The testimony is highly relevant and very interesting.

Ms. Berry Méndez, there is currently a situation in Drummondville involving temporary foreign workers. Olymel has just laid off those workers. It's a big company in Quebec. These workers are on closed work permits, and they are finding themselves unemployed. They don't want to leave the country. Employers in the region are ready to hire them but, as you know, that's not possible.

What should we do about this situation? It's not unique. It's happening in many regions of Quebec and across Canada.

[Marisa Berry Méndez]

Thank you for the question.

According to research by the French-speaking section of Amnesty International Canada and other civil society stakeholders, as well as studies conducted by parliamentary committees, employer-specific work permits are highly problematic from a human rights perspective. They are the root of systemic exploitation under temporary foreign worker programs.

Our position, and that of many other stakeholders, is that employer-specific work permits should be abolished. Anyone working in Canada should have an open work permit in order to enjoy the same mobility afforded to all other workers.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

So you do agree with the time limit, but it would need to be an open work permit, correct?

It would still a temporary worker program, but one involving an open work permit that allows for labour mobility in the event of a business closure.

Is that correct?

[The Chair, Liberal, Julie Dzerowicz]

Thank you, Ms. Berry Méndez.

Thank you, Mr. Champoux. I'm sorry to interrupt. You will be able to continue asking your questions in the next round.

Next, we have a second round of questions. We begin with five minutes for Ms. Rempel Garner.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Thank you, Chair.

I'll begin my questions with Ms. Berry Méndez.

I was interested in fleshing out some of your testimony. You made an assertion that some parts of Canada's immigration system are discriminatory. I was wondering if you were suggesting that you would be challenging criteria in Canada's points-based immigration system that are neutral on their face, such as age caps or language thresholds, as creating disproportionate impacts on grounds such as sex or family status, or analogous grounds requiring their invalidation or overhaul, using “adverse effects” discrimination under section 15 of the charter.

[Marisa Berry Méndez]

What we found in our research is that the people recruited for our temporary migration programs who do have issues of systemic abuse with the closed work permit are racialized people from countries in the global south overwhelmingly, but the points system doesn't recognize the work experience of those people and essentially excludes the vast majority.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

I'm wondering if you think the argument you're making should supersede class 25 of section 91 of the Constitution Act, which gives Parliament power to set immigration laws, including criteria by which people enter and work in the country.