Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for the question and also for the concerns that she has demonstrated on this whole issue.
December last, given the tight fiscal framework that we have to operate in, organizations delivering settlement and language training to immigrants were advised that only mandatory benefits such as CPP and UI would be able to be recovered.
As a result of these new guidelines the Vancouver college refused to enter into negotiations despite the fact that eight other major colleges in British Columbia providing the same services have entered into a successful agreement.
The cost for the fringe benefits that the Vancouver college would like us to reimburse amounts to almost $2 million province-wide which is equated to almost 500 immigrants being taught English or French as a second language. That is a considerable size.
Notwithstanding that, on Monday I made it very clear that I am prepared to enter into negotiations with all those service providers to search for maximum flexibility so that we can deliver the services to the people who need them, newcomers and immigrants, and that the service providers can also pay those individuals who work for them a fair and decent salary.
I believe that is a fair compromise and I would hope that the Vancouver college would join the eight other colleges in British Columbia providing necessary service to immigrants.