Debates of May 28th, 2026

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

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

Mr. Chair, we recognize the role played by Quebec. We also recognize that Quebec plays an important role in immigration.

When it comes to people who have not yet immigrated, it is up to Quebec to decide, and it is also up to the individuals themselves to decide where they want to live.

I am very proud that we are working with the Province of Quebec. It is also a really nice place to visit.

[Gabriel Hardy, Conservative, Montmorency—Charlevoix, QC]

Mr. Chair, the Parliamentary Budget Officer forecasts that the interim federal health program, which provides free health care to asylum seekers even when their application to remain in the country, on our territory, is refused, will reach an annual budget of $1.5 billion by 2029–2030.

Does the minister think it is acceptable to spend $1.5 billion a year on services for non-residents, when citizens are not even able to see a doctor?

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

Mr. Chair, I have already answered this question several times in English, but I can also answer it in French.

Quebec has received over $1.1 billion to cover these costs.

Furthermore, the number of refugee claims has fallen by 71%.

[Gabriel Hardy, Conservative, Montmorency—Charlevoix, QC]

Mr. Chair, do the minister and her government still intend to make Canada a postnational state, like the former prime minister and all the ministers who are still here wanted? Do they still want a country with no identity, no history and no values?

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

Mr. Chair, as I said, protecting the French language and protecting all of our provinces, including Quebec, are very important to me, to the Liberal Party and to all members here.

I hope the same is true for all members of the House of Commons.

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Chair, it is always an honour to address the House of Commons, particularly on the matter of immigration as parliamentary secretary responsible for immigration.

We have a discussion tonight that has unfolded, and unfolded sometimes in unfortunate ways. The issue has been politicized over the past few years. Regardless, we have an opportunity now to seize the moment and be serious about a fundamental pillar of Canadian society and the Canadian economy.

What is true for Canada, of course, is true for democracies around the world. We are engaged in a global competition for talent. How could we not be? I used the term “pillar” before. The immigration system has always served as a pillar of our country. When we look at those fundamental aspects that Canadians care about in the present and in the future, we look to the health care system first and foremost.

Mr. Chair, you and I come from southwestern Ontario. We know the importance of nursing in our area. We know the importance of doctors in our area. You are from Stratford, and the surrounding communities have often lacked family doctors. The immigration system can help with that. The immigration system can help to secure nurses as well. In fact, 25% of nurses in Canada are immigrants, 37% of doctors are immigrants and 25% of overall health care workers in this country are immigrants. When we hear the minister tonight talk about pathways that have been made available to immigrants to settle in Canada to engage and work in the health care system, particularly doctors, she focuses on the right things. This government will stay seized with that.

What about the trades? This country is seeing playing out, on a global level, a rupture. The Prime Minister rightly described it as such at Davos in that landmark speech. This is a rupture that is happening across the world. We need to build this country up to address that and to ensure that we export our resources with a focus on oil, a focus on critical minerals and the list goes on.

We have to ensure, beyond sourcing domestic apprentices, which are so tremendously important, of course, that skilled tradespeople can come, and the immigration system has always served to benefit this country in that regard. We can think about Portuguese immigrants, Italian immigrants, and I will not let down my ancestors here, Greek immigrants as well, working in the skilled trades. I could cite many other examples of celebrated heritage communities in our country that have made such an important contribution, and the future is bright in that regard.

We have a Prime Minister and a government that is absolutely focused on the economy and recognizing fundamentally the natural tie that exists between the immigration system and the economic system. Immigration policy is economic policy. We cannot divorce ourselves from that reality.

What about clean energy? What I just said about skilled trades aligns with that as well. We have seen the government pursue a number of initiatives. Just this week, we see the deal that has been set with the German government in terms of LNG. We will see much more work done on this in a variety of ways to advance that important priority. We are going to need skilled tradespeople in that area as well, and the immigration system provides an answer to that.

On advanced manufacturing, our region, and Mr. Chair, we come from southwestern Ontario, is going through a very troubling time right now. We should not hide from that fact. The trade war that we never asked for, but has been put upon us, is a very real one, and so advanced manufacturing needs to continue to be a focus. Once we see, hopefully, the page turn, and the American government and the Canadian government come to an agreement that serves this country's interests, we can see a better future for advanced manufacturing. The immigration system can help in that regard as well.

My question to the minister is on how the main estimates and how her overall approach, and this government's approach, help to serve the immigration system and the economy. If she could talk specifically about the inextricable link between the two, I would appreciate it.

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Chair, I thank the member for London Centre for his tremendous work and for being a super parliamentary secretary. He works extremely hard for his constituents and for Canadians on this file.

Let me talk a bit about talent attraction, about what exactly we are doing and why these estimates are so important.

We are prioritizing top international talent through new ways for doctors with work experience here to apply for permanent residency. We have, through my work on the file, which is something I did at the Nova Scotia level back in 2018, dedicated an express entry stream for surgeons, physicians and clinical specialists with 12 months of Canadian work experience. The first round happened in February, a couple of months ago. We have already issued 391 invitations to apply.

In addition, we have allocated to provinces and territories an unprecedented number of up to 5,000 additional nomination spaces to support practice-ready physicians through the provincial nominee programs.

We are also developing an accelerated pathway for H-1B visa holders, removing the attestation letter requirement for graduate students, launching a targeted pilot for high-value immigrant entrepreneurs, fast-tracking processing for Ph.D. students and creating pathways for researchers. With our new talent attraction strategy, we are going to recruit more than 1,000 highly qualified researchers and give them the resources they need to drive innovation here at home and build the Canadian economy of tomorrow.

This work is already under way, and I work very closely with other departments. Canadians expect us to attract the best and the brightest to build a strong, competitive economy. That is exactly what we are doing, and we will continue to do that.

These initiatives add to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada's $1.7-billion Canada global impact+ research talent initiative to recruit, as I said, over 1,000 world-leading researchers.

Let me end by saying that we have a plan. The plan is working. The facts are there. I am very excited for this country for the next months and years to come. There is a lot of work that is happening, and I encourage all young people and all Canadians to partake in it.

[Shannon Miedema, Liberal, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Chair, I am very pleased to rise today to discuss Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's 2026-27 main estimates, especially because the hon. minister, the member for Halifax West, is my riding neighbour and has been an incredible support to me and members of the Nova Scotia caucus in our first year here in the House of Commons.

Immigration is a critical part of what makes Canada stand out. It fills labour gaps, grows businesses and bolsters sectors like health care. In municipalities like Halifax, we see this every day in growing sectors such as ocean tech and shipbuilding that depend on skilled newcomers. Newcomers bring energy, ideas and global connections that enrich our communities, and I very much enjoy spending a lot of my time in the riding with them on a regular basis.

Immigration is also central to our government's plan to build strength at home amid a rupture in the global order. A strong system depends on clear rules, reliable screening, secure processing and public confidence.

These estimates strike the right balance. They reflect responsible, sustainable use of public funds while maintaining the core work Canadians expect from their immigration system. They ensure that public dollars match the system Canada is building. First, they maintain the essential capacity needed to run the system. Second, they adjust funding where volumes are lower or temporary measures are ending. Third, they target support where capacity, integrity and stability are needed most.

The estimates support the implementation of Canada's multi-year immigration levels plan, which guides permanent resident admissions, temporary resident arrivals and the balance across immigration categories. We are maintaining targeted supports where the system needs them. This includes helping protected persons already in Canada transition to permanent residents, supporting workers already here and contributing to labour needs in communities across the country.

The estimates also support the interim federal health program, which provides temporary health care coverage to eligible people who do not yet have access to provincial or territorial insurance. This program helps bridge the gap so people can access essential services when they need them the most. Many in my riding of Halifax rely on this program, and I am very pleased to see its continued support.

The estimates also support the interim housing assistance program, which helps provinces and municipalities respond to temporary housing pressures linked to asylum claimants. This is a clear example of prioritizing the responsible use of public funds.

As global conflicts, climate pressures and shifting migration patterns continue to displace people, Canada must respond with compassion and with a system that is orderly, fair and sustainable. A sustainable system must still support people in need, work with partners and maintain the services that help newcomers integrate and help communities respond to pressure. In Halifax, organizations like the Immigration Services Association of Nova Scotia, or ISANS, demonstrate how strong community partnerships help newcomers settle successfully.

Canadians need to know that immigration is being managed carefully and strategically, that resources are being used for clear purposes and that the department is adapting as immigration levels, operational pressures and public expectations evolve. These estimates do precisely that.

I will move on to a question for the minister.

The 2026-27 main estimates show that our government is committed to continued support for IRCC operations and newcomer services as we find a more responsible and sustainable path forward. Can the minister explain how the planned spending will support newcomer services in places like Halifax to ensure families benefit from timely processing?

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Chair, first, let me commend the member for Halifax and let her know how much I enjoy working alongside her in her constituency and also right here in Ottawa. She is a passionate leader who has already done a tremendous amount of work for the municipality of Halifax prior to entering federal politics, or any politics for that matter, and who understands the value that newcomers bring to our province.

The member spoke very eloquently, and she understands that newcomers support our businesses and public services, but we need to be targeted in economic immigration to meet Canada's needs as well. That is exactly why the 2026-27 estimates continue to support an immigration system that is more strategic, more targeted and more aligned with Canada's economic priorities.

Because I know Halifax very well, I know the member represents a number of post-secondary educational institutions. We know Canada has world-class educational institutions, and our diverse, welcoming society makes Canada a destination of choice. I would like to spend a little time here making sure people understand what we are doing for Ph.D. students and graduate students through these estimates, that is, attracting leading international researchers to Canada as part of our talent attraction strategy to welcome over 1,000 researchers across all career stages to Canada.

What we have also done in 2026 is introduce new measures to attract talent at the master's level as well as the Ph.D. level; to expedite the processing for eligible Ph.D. students and their families, if they have young kids or families; and to exempt certain master's and doctoral degree students from the provincial or territorial attestation letter requirements.

We have launched new web resources. It is all available online to help prospective graduate students decide whether or not Canada is the right choice for them. I invite them to take a look and make those decisions. I know how difficult it is when people are making the decision to leave one country and come to another, particularly to pursue higher education, a Ph.D. or research work. I would advise them to please do the homework, as they say, pre-arrival and take a look at that.

What we want to do is attract the best and the brightest talent to our country, and we are working extremely hard to do that.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Chair, Bill C-3 introduced unending chain migration to Canada. The minister told the committee this bill would create fewer than 5,000 new Canadians per year. Does she stand by her estimate?

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

Mr. Chair, with Bill C-3, this government acted to protect the value of Canadian citizenship by putting in clear rules in terms of descent—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, John Nater]

The member for Saskatoon West.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Chair, does the minister stand by her estimate of fewer than 5,000 new Canadians per year?

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

Again, Mr. Chair, there is high interest, in the media and everywhere else, by people who are interested, but high interest and even applications do not necessarily mean people are getting citizenship.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Chair, I will help the minister a bit. Her department has already confirmed over 2,600 new Bill C-3 citizens in just two months. Perhaps she wants to revise her forecast?

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

Mr. Chair, as I said, Bill C-3 provides clarity, structure and control to citizenship by descent, and there are also strong safeguards to uphold the integrity of citizenship.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Chair, the minister seems very scared to give a number.

The Liberal news organization, the CBC, says, “Millions of Americans can now claim Canadian citizenship”. How does the minister sleep at night, knowing her estimate of a few thousand might actually be a few million?

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

Mr. Chair, again, I am delighted that everybody wants to come to Canada, but just because they want to come and are expressing their delight in coming, it does not mean they are going to be able to come. There are clear rules in place, and we are monitoring the impact.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Chair, this is the exact opposite of what we heard in committee. We, Conservatives, suggested some conditions that people might have to adhere to, but the minister suggested the law is the law; if people check these boxes, they automatically come in.

Does the minister want to revise her numbers up?

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

Mr. Chair, as I said, the department is monitoring that. Bill C-3 does not create unlimited access to Canadian citizenship by descent. People have to provide proof of ancestry for every generation in the application.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Chair, did the minister understand that Bill C-3 could apply to millions of Americans?

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

Mr. Chair, the integrity of Canadian citizenship is paramount. There are clear, identifiable steps people have to adhere to, follow and abide by in order to even get to that step.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Chair, we know there are certain things that have to be done, but this still allows millions of Americans, potentially, to become Canadian citizens. The minister never told Parliament about this. Did she deliberately hide this information from Parliament?

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

Mr. Chair, again, I believe that the record shows that we are managing migration. It shows the decrease of asylum. It shows that the temporary resident population has decreased as we said it would decrease, and the PBO has confirmed that.

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Chair, the record shows that tens of thousands of people from the United States who are looking to trace their ancestry are starting to apply for citizenship.

Did the minister tell cabinet that Bill C-3 could make millions of Americans eligible for Canadian citizenship?