Debates of June 9th, 2025

Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (A), 2025-26

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Chair, it seems, listening to the discussion tonight, that the minister is acknowledging that the Trudeau government made mistakes on immigration. Is that correct?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Chair, COVID caused the strain on our system. We had more people coming in throughout all of Canada. There was a lot of—

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Chair, I wonder if the minister could just give a clear answer. Does she think the Trudeau government made mistakes on immigration?

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Chair, I rise on a point of order. It is not appropriate for the member to just stand up, assume he is being recognized and then question the minister. He should be waiting until he gets recognized by you.

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

I am keeping track of the time, and I am recognizing members as they go at the appropriate time. I did see the member rise and acknowledged him. Maybe my mic was not on, but we have been going back and forth, so I will resume.

Does the member wish to carry on with the question?

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Chair, I have a very simple question for the minister: Does she acknowledge, now that she has had extra time to think about it, that the Trudeau government made mistakes on immigration?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, I was a minister of immigration provincially for eight years. I have seen what this country has gone—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

The hon. member has the floor.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Chair, the minister does not appear to want to answer that question either way.

However, Friday's job numbers paint a really dire picture for Canadians. We have 7% unemployment, particularly growing in large urban centres. It is the highest it has been in Toronto in well over a decade.

Does the immigration minister think high immigration numbers have contributed to high and rising unemployment?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, I believe economists and people say, in relation to the article he is quoting, that it is the United States tariffs that are driving these numbers.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Chair, we have not gotten any answers from the minister so far. I asked if she recognizes that the Trudeau government made mistakes on immigration. She did not answer that. I asked if she recognizes that high immigration numbers have contributed to rising unemployment, which has been rising steadily for the last three years.

I will try again. I have a simple question for the minister: Does she think that very high levels of immigration, especially unskilled immigration, have contributed to high and rising unemployment in this country?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, we have a levels plan that has been tabled in this House. We have targeted numbers. Those numbers are very much in the public eye. Everybody can look at them. We are meeting those numbers.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Chair, we are at zero answers so far in my round.

Ilona Dougherty, co-creator of the Youth & Innovation Project at the University of Waterloo, told CBC recently that evidence shows that a large influx of foreign workers depresses wages for young Canadians.

Does the minister agree with these findings, that a large influx of foreign workers depresses wages for young Canadians?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, we are concentrating on bringing the talent that Canada needs, and that includes people in the medical world and in the construction world. Those are the targets that we are concentrating on.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Chair, that is not an answer. These are important questions, and the Minister of Immigration has an obligation to answer them.

Does she agree with experts that the large influx of foreign workers has depressed wages for young Canadians, yes or no?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, I have done my best to answer the questions. There are times when the amount of time is limited. Members are asking very important questions, questions that Canadians rightfully asked when we went to the doors in the last campaign, which was only—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

The hon. member has the floor.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Chair, it is a yes-or-no question. Does the minister believe that the large influx of foreign workers is depressing wages for young Canadians? It does not take time. It is just “yes” or “no”.

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, we will try this again. Immigration is our strength. The increased immigration number, because of COVID, because of the last—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

The hon. member.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Chair, it is yes or no.

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, managed migration growth is what this country needs at the present time, and this is the government that—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

The hon. member.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Chair, did the government consider the impact on employment before setting its immigration numbers?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Chair, I do not know how much time I have, but perhaps you would allow me.

When numbers are set in those targets, I know, as a previous provincial minister—