Debates of June 9th, 2025

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

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Chair, the minister has not. The government is letting in hundreds of thousands of foreign students and temporary foreign workers. Why is the minister persisting in letting in hundreds of thousands of people when Canada is in the middle of a health care crisis?

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

Mr. Chair, we are working toward sustainable immigration by reducing our temporary resident numbers as well as our permanent residents. We have tabled the two-year levels plan, and it is there for the member to actually see.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Chair, that is baloney. All the statistics show that the government has actually increased those numbers. Meanwhile, Canadians cannot get into an emergency room.

Why is the government persisting in bringing in hundreds of thousands of students and temporary foreign workers on temporary visas when people cannot find a job?

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

Mr. Chair, let us use the facts here; the member's numbers are totally inaccurate. There have been 290,000 net new arrivals in Canada through the international student program. I do not know where she comes up with numbers. I would contextualize the numbers that she seems to read.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Let me contextualize it for you, Mr. Chair. The reality is that there were way fewer than 290,000 housing starts last year, and there are a lot more than 290,000 people waiting for a family doctor right now.

Why is the minister persisting in raising immigration levels when people cannot find a doctor or a job?

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

Mr. Chair, again I would say that we are working on sustainable immigration. We have committed to reducing the temporary numbers as well as our permanent residency numbers. Canada—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

The hon. member has the floor.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Chair, what is not sustainable is that there are roughly 500,000 people, as of December 2024, who need to be removed from the country. How many have been removed?

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

Mr. Chair, again, those numbers are taken way out of context.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Chair, I would ask the minister to say that to somebody who cannot find housing in Toronto right now. There are 500,000 people, at least, in Canada who have no legal reason to be here. How many have been removed since the report came out in December?

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

Mr. Chair, we recognize that there are challenges in our housing and infrastructure. That is why we have tabled the levels plan that works on sustainable immigration. We are reducing our permanent residency—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

The hon. member has the floor.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Chair, let us talk about challenges. Our ERs are overflowing, people cannot find a home or a job and the levels report says immigration is going up.

How many people have been removed of the 500,000 who are on deportation orders announced in December 2024?

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

Mr. Chair, to be clear, when a person's visa expires, they are expected to leave the country. That is a question for CBSA and the minister of public—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

The hon. member has the floor.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Chair, they are not leaving the country, which is the problem. They are not leaving, and the minister will not tell us how many have been removed. What is the plan to get them to leave?

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

Mr. Chair, again, we have rules in this country, and we expect people to follow those rules.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Chair, they are not being followed. Does the minister not understand that if we do not remove people who do not have a legal right to be here, the system is meaningless? Will the minister admit that the Liberals broke the system and that it is out of control?

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

Mr. Chair, CBSA is in charge of removals. I would suggest that the member should be asking the public safety minister the questions on that. Again I say to her that we have rules in—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

The hon. member for Saskatoon West has the floor.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Chair, the government's entire immigration plan is based on temporary residents' leaving Canada voluntarily. How many non-permanent residents does the government expect to leave Canada in the next three years?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Chair, people coming to Canada temporarily to work, to study—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

The hon. member for Saskatoon West.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Chair, in the minister's plan, what is the number of people who are supposed to leave in the next three years?

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

Mr. Chair, those people whose visas have expired are expected to be leaving.