Debates of May 28th, 2026

Department of Citizenship and Immigration—Main Estimates, 2026-27

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

Mr. Chair, we have taken considerable action. Actions speak louder than words in this wonderful institution we have. We have laws and we will continue to work with—

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

The hon. member for Calgary Nose Hill has the floor.

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

Mr. Chair, inaction speaks louder than words. What my colleague just talked about is a constituent who was strangled by her non-citizen partner and yet he remains in Canada. I believe he is trying to apply for humanitarian and compassionate grounds, and she is living in a women's shelter. It is because the government has done nothing to enforce the law.

Will the minister commit to talking to the justice minister and telling him to close the loophole that allows judges to give sweetheart sentences to allow disgusting, non-citizen criminals like the person my colleague referenced to be deported from Canada?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Chair, I recognize the member opposite had a private member's bill that was voted down. I appreciate her advocacy. We have laws. There is nothing in IRPA that allows that. If we find a person in Canada who has committed a crime and is a non-Canadian, the Canada Border Services Agency investigates, all of them, and that person could become inadmissible and removed from Canada.

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

Mr. Chair, does the minister realize how inane and uncompassionate she sounds? She says, “Oh, there is nothing in the law that says this.” It says it in the law. My bill would have closed this loophole, and she could have gone to the justice minister and told him to close this loophole. She sat back and said that it was fine. No, the result is what my colleague just said: people being strangled and their abusers staying in Canada.

Why will she not advocate to deport them?

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

Mr. Chair, when a non-citizen is convicted of a serious crime, immigration consequences follow. The CBSA will investigate, and there is due process, if it is there, and then they do get deported.

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

Mr. Chair, that is just not the case. Every day there is a new headline. For example, this one: “Judge gives lenient sentence so trucker can dodge deportation after fatal Ontario crash”. That is not a consequence. They get to stay in our country. Guests in our country have to abide by the rule of law. The rule of law is part of our national identity.

Can she just say that she will go to the justice minister and say that they are getting roasted on this, and rightly so, and that they need to close this loophole?

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

Mr. Chair, I said that serious crimes deserve serious consequences. The CBSA has deported, as the public safety minister said today, 23,000 people. There is nothing in the immigration law that allows for discounting sentences. Sentences must be proportionate to the crime and the context. As I said, we are—

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

The hon. member.

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

Mr. Chair, that translates to blah, blah, blah, another rapist stays in Canada, blah, blah, blah, another thief stays in Canada, blah, blah, blah, another extortionist stays in Canada.

This is integral to Canadian national identity. They have to respect the rule of law. What the Liberals are saying is that if they commit a serious crime, as guests in our country, they can stay here because the Liberals refuse to close this loophole that is being exploited by a woke judiciary. Will they do the right thing and finally close it?

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

Mr. Chair, public safety is our top priority. In fact, I was a justice minister provincially in 2013. I understand that more than anyone else.

We have multiple crime bills before us in this House that that party and that member have been obstructing since we came here. We are investing in law enforcement. Our priority is to ensure that Canadians are kept safe.

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

Mr. Chair, I am glad the minister talked about another justice bill. Bill C-16 renders all mandatory minimum penalties meaningless, which means that this problem of giving sweetheart sentences to non-citizens convicted of serious crimes would only get worse.

Will the minister go to the justice minister and recommend an amendment to Bill C-16 that would not juice this problem of judges giving lenient sentences to non-citizens convicted of serious crimes, like the strangler my colleague just talked about, to ensure that they do not have the privilege of staying in our country and are deported like they should be?

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

Mr. Chair, I really appreciate this discussion here tonight because it is really important. It affects a lot of people. We take that very seriously.

Criminals, whether Canadians, visitors or whatever their status is in Canada, will be held responsible by the law. The courts do their best. If they are non-Canadians, the CBSA investigates. Our priority is to always protect Canadians.

[Wade Chang, Liberal, Burnaby Central, BC]

Mr. Chair, I will be sharing my time.

I am pleased to rise today to discuss how IRCC's main estimates will drive our economy. The budget, the spring economic update and now the main estimates are guiding our country forward during a very challenging period. The rupture in global order brings us to a moment when we need to build our strengths at home, diversify our markets abroad, and build or renew international partnerships with like-minded countries. Immigration is an important part of that plan.

When it is thoughtfully managed, immigration strengthens our country, fills labour gaps, grows businesses and supports critical sectors like health care, construction and emerging technology. However, the immigration system needs to work smoothly. It needs to be aligned with both the needs of our employers and the capacities of our communities. It needs to provide fair opportunities for those who come to Canada and leave everything behind.

The government has been working hard to improve the immigration system by restoring control, strengthening program integrity and returning immigration targets to sustainable levels. In the 2026-28 immigration levels plan, we set a clear commitment to make immigration levels sustainable. The plan stabilizes targets for permanent residents and reduces arrival targets for new temporary residents. We remain focused on attracting the best talent in the world to build our economy and address the labour shortage, while making sure that communities are growing responsibly. As a result, Canadians are seeing a system that is balanced and reliable.

Our immigration plan prioritizes workers. In 2026, nearly two out of three PRs will fill essential positions across the country. We are inviting newcomers to fill jobs where there are skill gaps. We are attracting global talent to meet our country's unique emerging needs. We are prioritizing industries like artificial intelligence, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, health care and construction.

Canada's international talent attraction strategy is a whole-of-government effort to bring in skilled newcomers our industries and communities need: the best and the brightest. As we begin to attract this talent, we must have a system in place that encourages them to stay and to settle long-term. This is why we are prioritizing skilled temporary workers who are already here for permanent residence.

We recently announced more details about the one-time in-Canada workers initiative, which will accelerate the processing and approval of 33,000 temporary workers for permanent residence. They are already here, paying taxes and taking part in our communities. They deserve to feel like Canada is their home. Many of those workers are in smaller and rural communities that are facing persistent labour shortages, where local employers depend on them to stay in business.

The main estimates will support a more efficient system for attracting and retaining newcomers. In 2026, our government announced new measures to make it easier for physicians working in Canada to apply for permanent residence. We are also making it easier for graduate and postdoctoral students to bring their expertise to Canada. The department's digital modernization effort will allow newcomers to understand their applications better and have access to support when needed. New digital tools will help train officers proactively to identify issues and verify information. These tools will also help them process applications faster.

We need an immigration system that delivers results for newcomers and for all Canadians, and sometimes that means different results for different parts of our country. The system must be able to reflect what makes each of our regions unique and recognize that Burnaby's Metrotown and the east coast fisheries represent very different labour markets. We are partnering with provinces and territories and responding to their economic priorities through programs that respect regional diversity. This includes the provincial nominee program, the Atlantic immigration program, and pilot programs that support rural and francophone communities.

In a time of global disruption, Canada continues to be a beacon of opportunity, where skilled people from different parts of the world can find their place in welcoming communities, find work in emerging fields and watch their families thrive. We are pulling together strategies and resources to attract the best and the brightest, grow our economy and support our communities. Our government is ensuring that immigration continues to serve Canadians, now and for future generations.

Many people who came to Canada through the Hong Kong pathway are highly skilled, very well educated, hard-working and already contributing significantly to our economy. Many pay taxes, work in essential sectors and are building their lives here in Canada. At the same time, many families still face uncertainty because they do not yet have permanent status.

Can the minister provide an update on the effort to improve processing times and reduce delays for those families as they continue to contribute to Canada?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Chair, first let me thank the member for Burnaby Central for the work that he is already doing on behalf of his constituents. I know he brings a valuable perspective here, particularly because he is also an immigrant to Canada and has lived experience.

With respect to the Hong Kong pathway, Canada stands with the people of Hong Kong, and we support their human rights and freedom. We have implemented a number of measures to support immigration to Canada. Through these measures, tens of thousands of Hong Kong nationals have become temporary or permanent residents in Canada.

There are two pathways. We have the permanent resident pathway. In 2021, that was established. It focused on people who were here for Canadian education and work experience. These pathways are still open, but they will close on August 31, 2026. Applications are processed according to the immigration levels plan. High demand, coupled with limited admission space in the immigration levels plan, has led to significant wait times. We are being transparent. We have published the stats. It is a long wait time, because we are doing them based on the immigration levels plan. However, people are also eligible for permanent residence under regular pathways, such as economic or family classes.

This past weekend, I was able to spend one day in my own constituency. A couple came to me and said, “Are you the minister?” I looked, and I said, “Yes.” They said, “We came here under the Hong Kong pathway.” They were the first people I had seen on the street who stopped me like that, so it struck me. They said, “We knew that it was going to take years and years. We are both working in Nova Scotia. We both have good jobs. We applied under the provincial nominee program. We did get our permanent residence, and we really appreciate this province and this country.”

I do want to let people know that they can look at some of the other pathways.

[Steeve Lavoie, Liberal, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Mr. Chair, Canada was built by hard-working people, men and women who get up early, give back to their communities, pay their taxes, raise their families here and choose Canada every day.

First, I want to thank the minister for coming to my riding of Beauport—Limoilou on January 21 to meet with the representatives of organizations that play a vital role in the integration of immigrants. It was a very productive meeting. This is particularly relevant right now, as we are striving to strike a balance between economic needs, our communities' intake capacity and the quality of life of our fellow Canadians.

Immigrants do not integrate on their own. They are helped by dedicated organizations and individuals who work every day to build bridges between cultures and support newcomers on their immigration journey. Today, I want to acknowledge the outstanding work of many organizations and community leaders in Beauport—Limoilou. I am thinking first and foremost of Théodore Bienvenu Leuwat Ngogang, the founder of Métissage Québec, an organization that promotes the inclusion and well-being of vulnerable families, particularly immigrant families. Through its help, support and programs, Métissage Québec makes a real difference in the lives of families and children. It creates a sense of belonging and helps make the integration process smoother for immigrants.

I also want to acknowledge the work of Florent Tchatchoua, founder and executive director of Diaspo Interaction, a webcasting platform that helps develop a multicultural collective identity. His organization gives a voice to cultural communities and promotes dialogue, visibility and connection among Canadians of all backgrounds.

Another example is Robinson Ngametche, founder and director of the Découvrir ma cité project. Through guided tours, cultural tours and discovery activities, this organization helps newcomers gain a better understanding of their community, discover their neighbourhood and fully participate in Quebec's economic and social life.

Lastly, I want to acknowledge the work of Richard Sah and the organization Amis Solidaires de Québec. This organization plays a key role in advocating for the interests of communities of African descent and promoting living in harmony, inclusion and diversity in our society.

These organizations remind us of a fundamental truth: The integration and participation of immigrants in our communities does not depend entirely on public policies. It also hinges on the community's willingness to welcome, support and lend a hand.

When we talk about essential workers, we are also talking about very real situations right here in Beauport—Limoilou, because behind every statistic there are real people and families who simply want a chance to build their future here. I am thinking in particular of the workers who are already contributing to the functioning of our local economy in the neighbourhoods of Beauport, Limoilou, Maizerets and Vieux-Moulin. These are people who contribute to our economic vitality, who shop at our businesses, who enrol their children in our schools, and who are full-fledged members of our community.

Canada must remain a welcoming country, with a fair, rigorous, and trustworthy immigration system. In Beauport—Limoilou, as across the country, we see every day that when we provide a warm welcome, proper planning and support, our entire community benefits.

In closing, I would like to ask the minister a few questions.

Canada has always played an important role on the international stage when it comes to welcoming vulnerable people caught up in humanitarian crises. As I mentioned, in our communities, this welcome often becomes a source of human, cultural and economic enrichment when the conditions for integration are in place.

This winter, I had the opportunity to meet with representatives of the Alliance des Ukrainiens de Québec, an organization in my riding, Beauport—Limoilou, that supports Ukrainian families and helps them integrate into our community.

This meeting reminded me just how vital local organizations are in helping newcomers rebuild their lives here and participate fully in our society.

Can you explain how your government intends to uphold Canada's humanitarian commitments in a more unstable global context marked by increasingly large-scale population displacements?

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

Before giving the floor to the minister, I must say that no, I cannot explain that. I will leave it to the minister to do so. I would remind the member to address the Chair, not the minister.

The hon. minister.

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Chair, I want to thank the member for Beauport—Limoilou for the work he does in his community. As he said, back in January, I spent a great day with him and representatives of incredible community organizations working hard on the ground to welcome and support newcomers to Quebec.

I especially want to thank the Centre R.I.R.E 2000, the Service de référence en perinatalité pour les femmes immigrantes de Québec, the Centre multiethnique de Québec and Découvrir ma cité.

Like my colleague, our humanitarian reputation matters to me. Canada has a proud humanitarian tradition. We have responded to a lot of crises. Our approach is transparent, consistent and fair. We have to be realistic and work within our capacity. That is something we are still working on with communities, community groups, members here, as well, and partners in the provinces and territories.

I want to thank everyone across the system, because it is not easy. However, as I said, ours is a proud humanitarian tradition.

It requires a lot of coordination with the provinces, territories, municipalities, settlement organizations and community partners. It takes a village, as they say, to help newcomers integrate successfully, and we will keep doing that.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, I am going to split my time.

I want to thank the minister for being here tonight. I want to thank the officials for joining in.

I want to go back to something that the minister spoke about. The youth unemployment rate in this country stands at almost 15% right now.

Does she believe it is a crisis?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Chair, we all have youth in our communities and homes. We want them to have good jobs and good opportunities. Right now is a great time to bring forth that there are thousands and thousands of Canada summer jobs that are available in every single riding in this country. I would recommend to the member that—

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

The hon. member.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, there are thousands and thousands of youth who cannot find jobs, that is for sure, but should we be approving visas for low-wage temporary foreign workers at a time when youth unemployment is at a recession-level high, no matter what program she talks about?

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

Mr. Chair, we do have a youth unemployment rate. There are many factors in that rate. The rate has recently been rising. The temporary foreign worker program—

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Kmiec]

The hon. member.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, the minister said earlier in her exchange that the temporary foreign worker program was down from 2024 to 2026, but I want to bring to the attention of the House that the minister activated 33,500 TFW permits in the first two months of 2026, compared to 24,000 in the same period last year. Why?