Mr. Speaker, I commend the member for her substantive remarks on the question of foreign credential recognition, although I must admit a certain degree of skepticism about her motive when she suggests it was because of the urgency of this issue as opposed to merely a dilatory effort to delay government business.
Is the member aware that we have made an investment of over $30 million in the Foreign Credentials Referral Office to offer pre-arrival information through the Canadian immigration integration project delivered by the Association of Canadian Community Colleges in such places as Seoul, Manila, Beijing, New Delhi, London, England and elsewhere?
Is she aware that some 80% of our selected economic immigrants have access to a free two-day seminar and personalized counselling on how to find employment and pre-apply for their credential recognition from the relevant Canadian professional bodies?
Would she agree with our recently instituted mandatory requirement that applicants for our federal skilled worker program submit an assessment of their education done by a designated expert agency in international education?
Would she agree with our expressed intention to adopt the Australian approach of a mandatory pre-assessment of credentials by the relevant licensing bodies at the national level to essentially replicate the pre-screening that Australia does for foreign trained professionals applying for immigration?