House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2015, with 34% of the vote.
Citizenship and Immigration November 19th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, our immigration system does not just have a francophone component. All immigration to Canada is francophone and anglophone. We are proud to welcome francophones to communities across the country. Actually, 30% of Yukon's population is now francophone. We offer services to new immigrants across Canada. We have made a lot of progress on that, and we have worked closely with the ACFA.
We are proud of the francophone immigration networks we have across Canada thanks to the roadmap.
Citizenship and Immigration November 19th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, that is something we work on every day. Last week, I met with the Commissioner of Official Languages for New Brunswick. The goal is for 4.4% of immigration outside Quebec to be francophone by 2018. We are making progress. As part of the new immigration system, express entry, we want to mobilize all of our francophone immigration networks and all employers across Canada to get thousands of francophone immigrants in all of our provinces and territories.
Citizenship and Immigration November 19th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, Franz Kafka rides again. He has clearly taken out a membership card in the NDP.
Today, the number of Syrian refugees that have arrived in this country has risen to 1,857. We have surpassed our commitment to government-assisted refugees and we have met our commitment to bring 20,000 Iraqis to this country more than a year in advance. That is all good news for refugees. That is something Canadians can be proud of.
In a crisis where there are millions of internally displaced, millions of refugees fleeing terrorist violence, the NDP needs to explain why it is not prepared to do a single thing to face up to ISIL and other terrorist groups.
Citizenship and Immigration November 19th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, no, we are not ashamed of exercising our responsibility to taxpayers, of providing quality health care to refugees, and of appealing the court's ruling. That ruling means that people whose refugee protection claims have been found to be fraudulent could receive better health care than Canadians receive. That would be irresponsible, and this government will continue to protect refugees and taxpayers.
Citizenship and Immigration November 18th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, it is like talking to some kind of Kafkaesque conversation partner. We have received 1,800 Syrian refugees in this country. That is more than 1,300. We have received 20,000 Iraqis in this country. That is more than any other country. What does the NDP not understand about these numbers?
Citizenship and Immigration November 18th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, what is clear is that almost 22,000 Syrians and Iraqis have come to Canada as a result of this government's efforts. Canada is one of the largest donors of humanitarian aid in Syria and Iraq.
What is also clear is that the NDP does not want to do anything at all to oppose the Islamic State and to fight the militants who are the real cause of all these problems and of the misery of millions of people. That is unacceptable, and Canadians know that.
Citizenship and Immigration November 18th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, we have overfulfilled our commitment in this regard.
A total of 1,800 Syrians are already in Canada, and 20,000 Iraqis have arrived in Canada since 2009. That is a track record that Canadians can be and are proud of.
There is something we are wondering about: if the NDP is even the slightest bit concerned about the plight of millions of Syrian refugees, why is it not prepared to do anything to combat terrorism, revoke passports, address the foreign fighter phenomenon, and focus on the ongoing need for humanitarian aid? Our government is doing all of those things.
Citizenship and Immigration November 18th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, it is sad to see the NDP backtracking again this week, claiming that we have denied refugees health care when that is patently false. Health care remains in place. We are appealing the decision of the court, with which we have complied. That decision, which the NDP celebrates, is going to require us to give better health care to failed claimants and fraudulent claimants than Canadians actually receive.
We are the only party that can be counted on to stand up for refugees and the interests of Canadian taxpayers.
Citizenship and Immigration November 18th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, here are the facts: 1,800 Syrians in Canada since the start of the conflict. We have overfulfilled our commitment to bring government-assisted refugees to this country. That commitment was 200, and we have brought many more. Private sponsorships are way up in recent months. We are expecting a lot of progress on that front.
Here is what the opposition does not want Canadians to hear. In 2009, we committed to bring 20,000 Iraqis to this country as resettled refugees. We have met that target one year early.
Citizenship and Immigration November 17th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, we just heard once again why Canadians understand, and certainly Syrian refugees understand, that the one member of Parliament who they cannot count on to get the facts straight is the member for Markham—Unionville.
There are no permanent residents who came as part of that 1,782. They are protected persons. They are refugees. We went over our commitment for government-assisted refugees, and there are hundreds of private sponsors who have put in their applications and who will take those numbers even higher.
What is embarrassing with both the NDP and the Liberals is their refusal to recognize Canadian humanitarian achievements when we work hard to achieve them. We have resettled 20,000 Iraqi refugees.