moved for leave to introduce Bill C-566, An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (sponsorship of relative).
Mr. Speaker, generations of immigrants who settled in Canada shared a common dream that one day their loved ones would join them in their new homeland. However, the immigration laws of today are harsh and tear families apart.
Why can ordinary Canadians not sponsor their brother or sister? A 20-year old daughter left alone cannot join her parents in Canada. Keeping families separate is un-Canadian. Before the nineties, half of landed immigrants who came to Canada were sponsored by family members. Now it is less than one-quarter.
My bill would allow Canadians, once in their lifetime, to fulfill their dreams to sponsor a loved one to join them in Canada. Let us go back to the core Canadian family values and support this once in a lifetime chance for family reunification.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)