Debates of May 28th, 2026

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

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Chair, first, let me begin by thanking the member for Spadina—Harbourfront for her real advocacy. She is a real champion for people who need humanitarian protection and for settlement organizations. I did visit with her, in her community, Centre francophone, and I saw the great work the settlement organization is doing. I very much appreciated her remarks, particularly when she referred to the estimates and the fact that we need to balance our compassion with responsible planning. That is exactly what we are doing. We are managing our migration system.

The main estimates support the people, the partnerships and the operational tools needed to maintain that balance. Canada has a global leadership role in protecting and resettling the world's most vulnerable. The target for refugees and protected persons for this year is 49,300. We plan, this year, to invest $935.7 million in settlement services, with over 530 service providers across the country.

I very much appreciate the member and the organizations that are in her community. I also had a chance to visit many parts of this beautiful country, and I have visited many settlement organizations. I want to thank them here tonight for all the work they are doing on behalf of the most vulnerable and also on behalf of Canadians.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

Mr. Chair, does the minister understand that immigration levels impact health care demand, yes or no?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Chair, I really appreciate these questions and, in fact, question period this week. There have been quite a few questions posed on that. I am happy to respond to all of my colleagues' questions tonight.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

Mr. Chair, how much more population growth can Canada's health care system currently handle?

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

Mr. Chair, again, I am going to repeat, for the member's benefit, what we have done over the last year. We have now reduced the asylum claims by 60% in the early months of 2026, compared to 2024. I know that members keep talking about what it was a couple of years ago, but we are living in today's world.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

Mr. Chair, does the minister know how many more people our health care system can handle? It is a very simple question.

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

Mr. Chair, the estimates that we have here are really what we are here to talk about: $4.4 billion, a 15% reduction from last year. Some of that reduction is due to the fact that our asylum claims have gone down.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

Mr. Chair, would removing 74,000 failed asylum claimants in Canada reduce any demand on our health care system?

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

Mr. Chair, again, as I said, our asylum numbers are going down. We have introduced moderate changes to the system, and we are facilitating permanent residence applications for doctors in Canada.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

Mr. Chair, why is the minister giving rejected asylum claimants luxury health benefits like physiotherapy, counselling and home care through the interim federal health program?

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

Mr. Chair, this is temporary health coverage for vulnerable populations for essential services. The PBO estimates that we will reduce the expenditures by over $200 million annually.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

Mr. Chair, is that fair?

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

Mr. Chair, through the work that I have been leading, we have introduced pathways to ensure that more doctors who are already practising in Canada and who are foreign doctors get permanent residency.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

Mr. Chair, why should a rejected asylum claimant receive physiotherapy, counselling and home care when most Canadians pay for those benefits themselves?

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

Mr. Chair, again, these are essential services for the most vulnerable of the population, and they are aligned to the services social services clients receive in the provinces and territories.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

Mr. Chair, how can they be essential if Canadians do not get them?

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

Mr. Chair, again, I will repeat that these are temporary essential services for vulnerable individuals. They are for the most vulnerable population.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

Mr. Chair, is the immigration minister considering expanding luxury health benefits for rejected asylum claimants, yes or no?

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

Mr. Chair, for the benefit of my colleague, perhaps he does not know that we have established a dedicated express entry category for surgeons, physicians and clinical specialists. The good news is that we have issued 391 invitations to apply already.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

Mr. Chair, what if an asylum claimant does not pay for the government's copay program?

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

Mr. Chair, again, we have introduced modest copays for claimants. As the PBO has said, the reduction in asylum claims themselves, coupled with the introduction of the copay that we now receive—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

The hon. member.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

Mr. Chair, is the minister okay with giving luxury health benefits to rejected asylum claimants as long as they pay a 70% discount on the benefit?

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

Mr. Chair, these are essential services for the most vulnerable people that are aligned with the services of the provinces and territories in the jurisdictions where they are.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Riding Mountain, MB]

Mr. Chair, does the minister believe that a rejected asylum claimant who has been charged with rape or sexual assault should remain eligible for physiotherapy benefits?