Official Languages Committee on March 28th, 2022

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Central Nova, NS]

I'm always open to ways that we can improve these things. I haven't seen a specific policy analysis on this particular point. If this is something the committee would recommend, I would be more than happy to look into it.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I'm sorry, Minister, but speaking time is up.

Mr. Beaulieu, you have the floor for six minutes.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Good afternoon, Minister.

First, I'd like to congratulate you on your French. You seem to have found a better teacher than Michael Rousseau's.

I'd like to ask you a question on the Ukrainian nationals file. The Bloc Québécois has been in cooperation mode since the conflict began in Ukraine. We might've expected you to learn from your mistakes after the disastrous way the Afghan refugees were managed.

However, we now see that the situation is worse than that of the Afghan refugees. We proposed that these requirements be lifted, which hundreds of countries have done, but you refused to do so.

People fleeing the war with their children in grocery carts are lining up for days at the only open immigration office in Poland. Nearly 2.5 million refugees are in Poland.

Do you think it makes any sense to have only one immigration office open for 2.5 million refugees?

We also suggested creating an airbridge and chartering aircraft, but, once again, that was denied. People have to buy their own tickets.

We're witnessing the worst refugee crisis since the Second World War, and all you can think of is to implement an ineffective program and dismiss out of hand the solutions we propose. It's inconceivable that the department should maintain the status quo while people are living through a war across the ocean.

What's your plan, Minister?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Central Nova, NS]

Before I begin, I'd like to thank you for your comment on the quality of my French. When I arrived in Ottawa, I couldn't speak a word, but I've practised speaking every week since I took up my position.

I agree with your characterization of the conflict. Respectfully, Monsieur Beaulieu, I disagree with your characterization of our response being anything like business as usual. In particular, we started getting ready as of January 19 to have the measures in place to respond effectively.

Sorry, Mr. Chair. I see your audio coming through. I think one of your members needs to—

[Arielle Kayabaga, Liberal, London West, ON]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Go ahead, Ms. Kayabaga.

[Arielle Kayabaga, Liberal, London West, ON]

I have a point of order because Mr. Beaulieu's question has nothing to do with the subject we're studying. We'd like to get back to the subject of our study.

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Central Nova, NS]

Mr. Chair, I don't mind if the witness wants to ask those questions.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Chair, I support the minister with respect to the question, which is relevant. Who are we to judge its relevance?

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I'll have to consult Madam Clerk on the point of order.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Ms. Kayabaga, we acknowledge your point of order, but perhaps we can get down to the central issue during the answers. Since neither the minister nor the member of the official opposition is opposed, we will allow the minister to answer the question.

Mr. Beaulieu, I stopped the clock. You have used 2 minutes and 16 seconds of your speaking time.

You may continue.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Had you finished, Mr. Fraser?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Central Nova, NS]

I'll continue.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

I'll allow you one minute.

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Central Nova, NS]

To put into perspective some of what we've done, I've never seen Canada's immigration system move as quickly as it has in the last number of weeks. We've had to try something new to respond to this crisis. We've done something unique in this situation and introduced a new temporary program to provide safe haven. We had been preparing for weeks before the incursion began by moving biometrics units into the area and by processing as a priority applications that were in the queue.

We've already seen more than 10,000 Ukrainians land in Canada. That's going back to the beginning of the year, just because that's the dataset I had. However, the new system has taken in more than 50,000 applications in a very short period of time. Despite some challenges that we hear about on the ground and then work to fix, we are seeing that enormous numbers of people are moving. Even today we made the decision to move forward with extending settlement supports for Ukrainians who come to Canada, whether it's reception when they arrive, language training, etc.

This is a full-court press, and we're going to do everything we can.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Are you going to add more resources in Poland? Do you have any news about the airbridge?

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I'm going to stop you for the moment, Mr. Beaulieu.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

All right.

We can go back to the subject of the study.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Then I'll let you return to our subject.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Minister, there's been a lot of talk in the media about the high refusal rate for permits for foreign students from Africa and North Africa in particular. Your departmental officials told us that the acceptance and refusal rates for the applications of anglophones and francophones from those countries were the same. However, since these are key francophone immigration pools, that explains why the department has never reached its francophone immigration targets.

How do you explain the high rate at which the applications of students from African countries are refused?

Will the situation change?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Central Nova, NS]

When I looked at the number of applications from Africa, I realized that the major difference wasn't between anglophones and francophones. Their numbers are similar. In 2019, the number of francophones was greater…

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

But that doesn't really concern the problem of francophone immigration. Even if the applications of only a small number of anglophones in those countries were rejected, you must know that those countries are the main francophone immigration pools.

I'd like to know why the refusal rate is so high for those countries.

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Central Nova, NS]

The number one reason we have for refusals from the region is the proof of funds. We require that people demonstrate that they have the capacity to support themselves when they're here, because we don't like to see students become destitute in Canada. It's something we want to protect against.

It's a challenging when you see that certain regions have lower acceptance rates in the system, because you don't like to treat one group differently from the other. That's the number one reason we see for why a person may be rejected from the region.

However, the numbers are similar year-to-year between anglophones and francophones. There's an issue that you're raising, but it's not necessarily one based on linguistics.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you very much, Minister.

Mr. Beaulieu, your time is up.

Ms. Ashton, you have the floor for six minutes.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Good afternoon, Minister.

On January 31, 2022, you held a press conference in English only. You're clearly making an effort to speak French, but shouldn't the ability to speak both official languages of the country you represent be one of the prerequisites for the position of Minister of IRCC in Canada?