Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to express the absolute and unequivocal belief of this government in the integrity and the great value of all immigrants to Canada.
I was dismayed at newspaper reports today that quoted a spokesperson for a potential leader of the Ontario government as referring to immigrants arriving in Ontario as garbage.
Let me assure the House that I consider no immigrant to be garbage. This country and this province were built largely by immigrants whose hard work and love of Canada is one of those things that makes this country great.
This government has no objection to sitting down and working with the province of Ontario on a federal-provincial immigration agreement. We have concluded similar agreements with several other provinces such as the immigration accord with Quebec.
All these agreements have been successful to date in answering to the needs of the Canadian economy while welcoming those who came here by choice and by necessity to build the greatest country on earth.
I am asking that all members of the House join me in condemning such language on immigrants.