Debates of Dec. 8th, 2021

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Vancouver East.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Madam Chair, the minister is not answering any of my questions. She keeps on reciting the message box, but not answering any of the questions.

Canadians are extremely generous even during these difficult times. Many want to privately sponsor refugees to Canada, so will the government increase the number of sponsorship agreement holders?

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Madam Chair, we must thank those Canadians who are helping with the effort to bring Afghans to Canada. As I mentioned, we will continue to do our best to ensure we get them to Canada as quickly as possible.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Madam Chair, will the government increase the number of sponsorship agreement holders?

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Madam Chair, we continue to look for different ways to bring the 40,000 Afghans to Canada as we promised in our election campaign, and we confirmed it again during—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Vancouver East.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Madam Chair, November is usually when the new immigration levels plan is released. This year, no immigration levels plan has been made public. When will the immigration levels plan be made available?

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Madam Chair, the 2021-23 immigration levels plan was tabled in October 2020. We will continue to follow this plan that we established. The immigration minister will obviously revise—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Vancouver East.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Madam Chair, as the minister knows, normally a new immigration level plan is tabled every November and there is not one this year. There is a huge backlog in the immigration system with every stream.

When does the minister anticipate we will get back to pre-pandemic levels?

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Madam Chair, we know that the pandemic has put a lot of pressure on us to continue our efforts to receive immigrants and refugees in Canada. The minister responsible has told the House that we will propose targets—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Vancouver East.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Madam Chair, families are waiting two to three years for their application to be processed. At the rate in which things are going, it is going to take three years to process and get us back to pre-pandemic levels to clear the backlog.

A number of caregivers have passed Canadian nursing exams and have met all licensing requirements to practise, but are unable to do so because of employer-specific work permits. This is a waste of talent, especially at a time when we have a nursing shortage.

Will the minister expedite their PR applications or provide them with a bridging open work permit so they are able to work in the health care system?

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Madam Chair, once again, I am very pleased to answer my hon. colleague's questions. It is important and one of our government's priorities to welcome skilled immigrants to help us with the labour shortage in several areas, including health care.

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

Iksivauta, I have appreciated the ministers' responses and their willingness to work together. I will be asking my questions for the Indigenous Services Minister. I understand and acknowledge that they have been willing to work together.

In my line of questioning, I will ask responses to be provided with timelines and amounts.

My first question is regarding housing in Nunavut. Could the minister please advise how the federal government is investing in new housing for Nunavut in this fiscal year?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations]

Madam Chair, there are two timelines that are important to bear in mind for people.

One, the $500 million in infrastructure that we committed has gone through the Treasury Board. That is intended for shovel-ready projects in Inuit Nunangat over the next three to five years, conscious of the construction season as well.

We announced, during our campaign, a commitment to a specific Inuit amount in housing of $300 million. We want to get that out as quickly as possible. Obviously we will work with partners, including ITK and the territorial government.

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

Madam Chair, does the minister have data related to how many units are needed in Nunavut for first nations, Métis and Inuit communities?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

Madam Chair, we have a rough understanding of the massive underfunding that exists across Canada. In Inuit Nunangat. there was a very good report produced by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami through Ernst & Young. It is very detailed. We appreciate the co-operation that we have ITK. This is a double work that we have with the territorial governments as well as ITK. We do have an appreciation, but we need to refine it throughout the next couple of years as we close the gap for 2030 to which committed.

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

Madam Chair, is the minister aware of the cost of building a house in Nunavut?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

Madam Chair, not as well as the member opposite. My understanding is that it ranges in and around $400,000.

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

Madam Chair, does the minister have data related to how much more it costs to build a house in the north as compared to building a house in the south?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

Madam Chair, we know well that a dollar in the north is much more than the dollar in the south. Those are rough understandings, but it obviously varies from community to community, but much more clearly, particularly given the shorter construction season.

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

Madam Chair, housing was a main campaign issue in this last election. The Liberal government promised four years ago to deliver an urban, rural and northern indigenous housing strategy.

Could the minister provide a timeline of when this work will begin?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

Madam Chair, the platform commitment of this government was $300 million. That supplements the various initiatives we have throughout four to five ministries within this government. We are committed to committing that distinctions-based investment in short order. Obviously, the timelines are within the next three years to five years, as we deploy this capital.

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

Madam Chair, has the minister reached out to first nations, Métis and Inuit to initiate the dialogue toward the development of the strategy?