Evidence of meeting #13 for Official Languages in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was integration.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
I think the physician will have the means to pay for her meals once she is here.
Co-Chair, Government Side, Steering Committee Citizenship and Immigration Canada - Francophone Minority Communities
Over the past two years, we have instructed our missions to encourage them to assume certain risks with regard to visitors, particularly parents and grandparents. As you know, the waiting period for parents and grandparents who want to be sponsored as immigrants is quite lengthy. Of course, these people have to be given medical screening, among other things.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
I understand that, but I only have two minutes left.
We talk about attracting immigrants to rural regions such as ours. You have to understand, we are not in Toronto; an immigrant will not likely be able to hide in a city like Bathurst, which is small. It is a small community, and everyone knows one another. I know the physician, as well as his wife. I am sure that the grandmother will board the plan to go back home.
I find it is completely inhuman to attract an immigrant to a rural region and then not be able to help him. I am currently giving a statement to Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Their people are not acting appropriately at all. They are not showing openness towards rural communities, where there are no immigrants. In the few communities where there are some, they cannot even help them.
It is possible that the physician could lead a good life in Toronto, where there are many Africans and their families, but back home, he is alone and cannot even receive his own mother-in-law, who wants to visit her grandchildren.
I'm not expecting an answer. This is a message I want to send to Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
Co-Chair, Government Side, Steering Committee Citizenship and Immigration Canada - Francophone Minority Communities
From a systemic point of view, I totally agree with you. I do not know what is wrong in this specific case, but I am certainly willing to discuss it with you after the meeting.
Bloc
Vivian Barbot Bloc Papineau, QC
Allow me to add that this case is not unique. In my riding, a vast majority of immigrants, and this is systematic...
Conservative
Bloc
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
I must say that this is a broad problem. An immigrant who moves to a small rural region will be isolated, because such regions do not attract a vast number of immigrants.
Co-Chair, Government Side, Steering Committee Citizenship and Immigration Canada - Francophone Minority Communities
Generally, Mr. Godin, Canada accepts 82% of people applying for a visa every year. Of course, there are specific cases or circumstances. You have informed me of a specific case, and I would be pleased to speak about it with you later, given that we cannot talk about it publicly.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
I realize that full well, and that is why I did not mention the name of the person in question.
Co-Chair, Government Side, Steering Committee Citizenship and Immigration Canada - Francophone Minority Communities
I am familiar with Bathurst. I come from Matane, in the Gaspé.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Guy Lauzon
Thank you.
We have but 12 minutes left to do another round of questions.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Guy Lauzon
Indeed.
Each member could have two minutes, but I do not know if this is the will of the committee members. Do you want to go around the table one more time?
Conservative
Daniel Petit Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
We should be allowed to have two more minutes.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Guy Lauzon
All right then, we will go around the table one more time, and each member will have two minutes.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Mr. Chair, I have four questions to ask. I would be willing to obtain the answers in writing.
First, there was a problem regarding the recognition of credentials for Francophone immigrants. In fact, professional bodies often conduct their business in English. Can you tell me whether any progress has been made in this respect? If not, what will be done to persuade and, if need be, force professional bodies to recognize the credentials of Francophone professionals?
My second question regards the language training of refugees, primarily. It appears that outside Quebec, except for perhaps one place in Ottawa, not much is happening in French.
Is this still the case? As well, what is the reason for the reluctance to provide immigrants and refugees who are neither Anglophone nor Francophone with training in both official languages? Frankly, Canada could perhaps be encouraging bilingualism, not unilingualism.
Third, the Official Languages Action Plan launched by the previous government in 2003 contained a $9 million commitment for immigration. It appears that this amount will have to be increased to implement the action plan.
Mr. Arnal, in your opinion, how much money would be needed to renew the action plan from 2008 through to 2013?
Lastly, the current government seems to be heading towards a proactive immigration policy, that is to say it will choose refugees or, at least, focus on something different from what we have at present.
Mr. Jean, what discussions were held and what decisions were made, if any, with regard to the strategy of choosing refugees? If this is the government's strategy, will it be looking for Francophone refugees? Up until now, my understanding is that all the refugees selected by the government were not Francophones.
Liberal
Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
These are quite interesting questions, and I would like to get some answers.
Conservative
Conservative
Pierre Lemieux Conservative Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
I would like to say that I am pleased with the plan you have submitted. In my view, you have examined the existing problems and challenges and have tried to target your efforts in order to overcome them. Your plan contains specific measures and objectives. I appreciate the fact that there are federal, provincial, regional and community objectives to be achieved over a five-year period. Indeed, it takes time to obtain concrete results.
For an immigrant, the decision to move to a given area is complex because it involves a number of factors. These include the size of the city, cost of living, employment and the region's accessibility.
I would like to know how you intend to integrate all these factors in your next reports. As an incentive for immigrants, you try to target the minority language issue. However, there are other issues, beyond your control.
How will you take these factors into consideration, when you report on your data and achievements?
