Brian Jean

[Audiotaped Conversations, June 9th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the Ethics Commissioner's mandate is to administer the Prime Minister's conflict of interest code for public office holders. Public office holders are defined as “a person other than a public servant who works on behalf of a minister”. This definition would include the Prime Minister's chief of staff, and Mr. Murphy has in the past filed reports with the Ethics Commissioner stating he has complied with the code.

The Prime Minister refused to contact the authorities, on one hand, and on the other hand, the Ethics Commissioner says he cannot investigate the chief of staff.

Just who is responsible then for the unethical behavioural of ministerial staff?

[Supply, May 18th, 2005]

Mr. Chair, I am very proud to be from Fort McMurray and to be a member of the third largest Newfoundland community in Canada. I have been there for 30 years. I am very proud to be part of Newfoundland in essence and proud of the people whom I have worked with over many years in that area. I think quite frankly most Newfoundlanders are proud to be living there. I find the comments quite insulting.

Notwithstanding that, I am curious as to why we do not have some form of equivalency test instead of education level requirements for overseas immigrants coming into Canada.

I would like to hear a little more on that, especially given if the work experience of that person is within a certain criteria of five or ten years. I would be very interested to hear why we do not have some sort of equivalency test instead of a grade 12 diploma or a similar manner.

[Supply, May 18th, 2005]

Mr. Chair, how many people have actually been relocated to northern Alberta under this program over the last three or four years? I would be very interested to hear that. How many people have actually immigrated to northern Alberta from other areas of Canada under this program?

[Supply, May 18th, 2005]

Mr. Chair, I am sure all those people who are watching today who are unemployed will be happy to hear that, in places in Canada that have up to 25% unemployment, they are seeking these temporary workers and providing these permits.

I wonder, though, whether there will be any steps taken to address this issue or will we continue to hear that we have to assess, we have to do more studies and we have to wait for certain periods of time.

I will ask my question again. Will the minister take steps to do what is necessary to ensure that this long term beneficial economic resource that we have is managed properly and get full time people from other countries into that area who will stay and live there and spend their money there?

[Supply, May 18th, 2005]

Mr. Chair, it is encouraging to know that no steps have been taken if those are the first two that need to be taken. I am very concerned. We have had a high demand rate in this area for a long period of time. We have a very small percentage of people coming from overseas. We have a non-renewable resource here. They are not making any more land just like they are not making any more oil and if we manage it properly, we can have a long term, very strong and robust economy.

Have any steps been taken to address the issue of long term immigration needs for foreign workers on a permanent basis in that area? I have not heard of any.

[Supply, May 18th, 2005]

Mr. Chair, I understand that but what steps have been taken to deal with this area in particular and obviously the tremendous growth that is taking place here and the tremendous need for workers on a full time basis, not a temporary basis? We are not looking for temporary employees who will spend their money overseas.

What steps have been taken to find those people in other countries and what steps have been taken to make sure they land in that area, because that is not what is happening right now?

[Supply, May 18th, 2005]

Mr. Chair, I understand that answer but I am curious as to what steps have been taken to have full time foreign immigrants come into this country, take those jobs, live here and establish families, instead of having temporary jobs filled where they fly in and out of the country and take the money back with them and, quite frankly, do not help the economy as they should. We need to keep the oil sands as a natural resource that we can manage properly so we can feed, clothe, buy toys at Wal-Mart and everything else that Canadians want to do. What steps have been taken to address those specific needs and look for long term permanent residents of Canada, permanent immigrants, instead of these temporary workers?

[Supply, May 18th, 2005]

Mr. Chair, has there been any preference given to this area as far as the relocation of immigrants who do come in and who have these skill sets? Has there been any identification by the minister's department of the skill sets necessary and encouragement of relocation to go into that area?

[Supply, May 18th, 2005]

Mr. Chair, I am aware of the signing of the division 8 agreement with the province of Alberta. I am wondering what steps have been taken domestically to find these workers prior to establishing and signing this agreement to bring some 6,000 to 15,000 temporary foreign workers who are actually going to fly from South America into northern Alberta. What other steps have been taken by the minister to communicate these needs domestically?

[Supply, May 18th, 2005]

Mr. Chair, tonight I will give some introductory background and then go over some current and future difficulties. As well, I will have a series of short questions for which I hope to get short answers.

I consider myself to be the luckiest member of Parliament because I am from not only the most beautiful area of the world but an area that in the near future will be in need of tens of thousands of additional workers. Our population will double in the next 15 years.

I come from northeastern Alberta, the constituency of Fort McMurray—Athabasca. The area will need 100,000 more people to be employed directly or indirectly by the oil sands in the near future. Many of these workers make $80,000 per year. We need many different trades people, doctors, lawyers and many different types of people. Indeed, there will be some 240,000 jobs by 2008, directly or indirectly, attributed to the oil sands.

What I would like to find out from the minister is what the plan is to get more overseas employees directly into the oil sands and those areas and get them to stay. I understand we will not have enough workers domestically to supply those needs.