Parliamentary Speeches

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, listen, we remain firm on our commitment to resettle at least 40,000 Afghan nationals to Canada and to do this as quickly and safely as possible. We are processing applications day and night for Afghan refugees, and we have mobilized our entire workforce in helping. What I am most proud of is that, as of just a few days ago, 311 Afghans can now call Canada home. We have almost 23,000 …

Statements by Members

Mr. Speaker, on October 1, I was pleased to hold an awards ceremony to present Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee awards at École Béatrice-Desloges in Orléans. During the event, I had the honour to recognize 113 citizens of Orléans from all walks of life for their exceptional contributions to our community, and their contributions beyond its boundaries. In appreciation of their services to better…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, the rental agreements were negotiated based on fair market value to arrive at a competitive price. Given the location of the land and its proximity to the border, this was an ideal location for CBSA. Our government is delivering open, fair and transparent procurement processes, while obtaining the best value for Canadians.

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, let us be clear. Closing Roxham Road or suspending the agreement is not a solution. That would not solve the problem. As the member opposite knows, Canada shares the longest demilitarized border in the country. Roxham Road gives officials an opportunity to obtain identification documents from these asylum claimants and prevent dangerous crossings. We need to modernize the agreement, a…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, we make it our duty to protect Canadians and secure our borders. At the same time, asylum seekers must be treated with compassion, and they have a right to due process. The safe third country agreement is an important bilateral tool for handling asylum claims at Canada's land border. We are in constant contact with the U.S. government on issues related to our shared border, including …

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, our system for asylum seekers must be robust and humane. There really is no magic solution. Calling for the closure of Roxham Road or the suspension of the agreement would likely have the opposite effect. As we have repeatedly stated, this agreement needs to be modernized. That is what we are doing by working with the United States on a lasting solution.

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, I am really proud of my colleague's question because it gives me the chance to talk about what we are doing and the agreements we are working with. I think the member from the Bloc Québécois also mentioned it earlier. I want to be very clear. Our system for asylum seekers must be robust and humane. There is no magic solution. I know there has been talk of suspending the agreement, but…

Adjournment Proceedings

Madam Speaker, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has been working hard to improve processing times for all applications since the beginning of the pandemic. We have hired more staff and implemented new systems to process applications more quickly. We will have hired 1,250 people by the end of the year to process more applications for temporary and permanent residence. We are well on our…

Adjournment Proceedings

Madam Speaker, I am happy about the questions, because I hope they are going to help my hon. colleague to maybe answer some of his constituents and give me the chance to talk here about the accomplishments the government has achieved to strengthen and expand our immigration and refugee system. As I hope the member for Spadina—Fort York is aware, the pandemic presented challenges to our immigration…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about some of the investments we are making. We have taken measures to reduce the wait time. We are doing more to tackle the backlog in the short term, while making our system more sustainable in the long term. We are doing this by hiring 1,250 more staff members. We understand the value of immigration and we will continue to be there in protecting our immigration syste…

Private Members' Business

Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to speak to the House about Bill C‑238 regarding the French language. Everyone in Canada cares about protecting the French language. The latest census data show that French is in decline in Quebec and the rest of Canada. We must act swiftly and collectively. Our government agrees with the Government of Quebec on this matter. I think that everyone in the H…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, we are making every effort to reduce wait times and return to service standards. We have hired 600 staff this year, but we know that more needs to be done. That is why we are adding 650 more staff. We are making progress. We have processed 394,000 work permits between January and August of this year, more than doubling the number processed in the same period last year. Modernizing our…

Statements By Members

Mr. Speaker, it is with great emotion that I rise today to recognize another extraordinary woman whose loss is being mourned by the Franco-Ontarian community. After losing Gisèle Lalonde, who passed away on July 27, 2022, we were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Mariette Carrier-Fraser on September 15. Mariette was another pioneer of the francophonie, a grande dame, a friend and a passio…

Routine Proceedings

Mr. Speaker, as of June 20, 2022, the Canadian government has received 14,951 applications in person for the special immigration measures program. 10,734 of those applications have been approved, including those that have arrived in Canada. Eight applications have been refused for eligibility and/or admissibility reasons. Of the above, 4,422 applicants are in various stages of processing or are ap…

Mr. Speaker, this is a solemn day. For the first time in the lives of many of us here today, we mourn the death and commemorate the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Being our head of state for the past 70 years is an extraordinary feat, something only Her Majesty could have achieved. As we heard all last week and in Parliament today, Her Majesty's passion, resilience and strength in servin…

Statements by Members

Madam Speaker, this week marks the beginning of graduation for our grade 12 students, and I want to take a moment to congratulate the 1,745 graduates from Orléans’s 10 high schools. This year, I am pleased to be attending several grade 12 graduation ceremonies in Orléans. It will be an opportunity to once again celebrate the students' accomplishments with their friends and family. I cannot express…

Routine Proceedings

Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a) and (b), Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, IRCC, understands the importance of the decisions on visa applications. IRCC recognizes that timely decisions are essential. Every case is assessed based on the information provided by the applicant and in accordance with Canada's immigration laws. The time it takes to process an application varies according to …

Routine Proceedings

Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a), the current service standard for applications received electronically in the federal skilled worker, or FSW, program is six months. With regard to (b), processing times for applications received in the FSW program have increased beyond the established service standard over the past couple of years, as applicants in this category are typically located overseas, and …

Statements by Members

Mr. Speaker, on June 6, I had the great pleasure of visiting the brand new plasma donor centre in my community of Orléans. The state-of-the-art donation centre is located in Place d'Orléans Shopping Centre. Donated plasma can be given to those in need of a plasma transfusion or to create plasma protein products such as immunoglobulins, which can be used to help Canadians in need. Currently, there …

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, let me remind this House that since January Canada has welcomed over 43,500 Ukrainians. We have launched the Ukrainian authorization for emergency travel, which made it easier, faster and safer for Ukrainians to come. We secured three targeted flights to get Ukrainians to safety and we are also providing a one-time direct payment of $3,000 per adult and $1,500 per child to them. We st…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, our doors are always open for people who identify as LGBTQ escaping from violence and persecution in their country. We work closely with organizations such as the Rainbow Refugee society, the UNHCR and others to help sponsor LGBTQ refugees from abroad. We are supporting at least 55 service providers to make them feel at home. We have a role to play to make sure LGBTQ people feel safe …

Adjournment Proceedings

Mr. Speaker, following the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan last summer, the government initially committed to resettling 20,000 vulnerable Afghan refugees, and we have now increased that commitment to bringing at least 40,000 Afghans to Canada. On July 23, 2001, the Government of Canada announced special immigration measures for individuals with a significant and enduring relationship with the …

Adjournment Proceedings

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, we are one of the only countries in the world to have implemented a humanitarian stream to welcome even more Afghan refugees based on their particular vulnerability, including women leaders, LGBTQ2 people, human rights defenders, journalists and members of religious and ethnic minorities. With our standard refugee program, the humanitarian stream works through a referr…

Statements by Members

Madam Speaker, as the member for Orléans and a resident of the riding, I want to share the incredible stories and accomplishments of two members of our community. First, I want to celebrate the accomplishment of Stephen Poloz, the former governor of the Bank of Canada and a finalist of the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing. Mr. Poloz’s book, The Next Age of Uncertainty: How the World C…

Oral Questions

Madam Speaker, let me remind the House that last year we welcomed in our country over 405,000 new permanent residents; the greatest number of newcomers in a year in Canadian history. In 2022, we have already hit another record, processing over 246,000 PR applications and 216,000 work permit applications. We are going to continue to invest in our immigration system, and I urge the member opposite t…

Oral Questions

Madam Speaker, we know that immigration is essential to combatting the labour shortage. IRCC is prioritizing work permit applications for in-demand occupations. I know that I mentioned this week that we have processed 100,000 applications, but in fact, 216,000 work permit applications have been processed this year, compared to 88,000 applications over the same period last year. We will continue to…

Oral Questions

Madam Speaker, we understand that decisions on immigration cases can have a profound impact on individual's lives. Every case is assessed based on its merits in a fair manner and in accordance to Canadian law. Each case is unique, but all applicants can expect impartial, professional treatment and clear, accountable decision-making. Due to privacy, I cannot comment on a specific case, but it would…

Oral Questions

Madam Speaker, if last year has taught us anything it is the importance of those who provide care to members of our community to allow them to stay in their homes and receive the care they need in their communities. Last year, we welcomed more than 4,000 new permanent residents through our caregiver stream, and this year we are expecting to see another 6,000 new permanent residents through the car…

Adjournment Proceedings

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to respond to the hon. member's questions because I do not need to pretend we care. We do care. Canada is firm in its support of Ukraine. Ukrainian immigrants are an important part of Canada's cultural history, and we continue to support the courageous people of Ukraine. As part of our commitment to support those fleeing Russia's unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine, our go…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, our government remains very firm in our commitment to resettle at least 40,000 Afghan refugees. Despite all the challenges, there are now more than 14,500 Afghan refugees who have started their new life here in Canada. We continue to process applications for Afghan refugees day and night. We have mobilized our entire global network to process visas and issue them on an urgent basis. W…

Adjournment Proceedings

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member again for her questions, because that allows me to tell her exactly what we are doing above and beyond what I have shared with her. When we talk about the services that we are going to continue to provide on March 30 of this year, we are also extending settlement program services, which actually are typically only available to permanent residents, to make them avail…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague's question. We know that immigration plays a key role in combatting the labour shortage. IRCC is prioritizing jobs in high-demand occupations. I would like to point out again that in the first quarter of this year, the department processed more than 100,000 work permit applications, which is nearly double the number processed over the same period last year. W…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, I am smiling because I always enjoy my opposition colleague's dramatic flair. Let us applaud that lively performance. What I can say on behalf of members on this side of the House is that our government is working very closely with Quebec to make sure workers can work. As I made clear, we have twice as many work permit applications as last year. We will always make sure that Canadians…

Oral Questions

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his great advocacy. We both sit on the immigration committee and I know how passionate and involved he is. We have welcomed over 32,000 Ukrainians to Canada, and certainly our commitment continues to be to helping Ukrainians as they come to Canada. We will continue to support them. Just last week, we announced we would be welcoming a charter flight next week i…

Oral Questions

Madam Speaker, on individual cases, I would certainly appreciate having this conversation with him. As the member well knows, there are numerous measures we have put in place to ensure that individuals can come to Canada. As I mention all the time, we will continue to be there to welcome as many Ukrainians as possible in Canada.

Adjournment Proceedings

Madam Speaker, I am always pleased to have a conversation with the hon. member. I am very happy to report on the settlement. Earlier this year, we made an announcement that we were going forward with $35 million for our rural and small communities. I had the privilege last week to go to Moose Jaw in Saskatchewan, where I announced $14.2 million that will be distributed among 11 rural communities. …

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, I am very sensitive to the issue that is raised by the member. Certainly, as we move forward on numerous measures, we want individual Ukrainians to come as fast as possible. I am happy to report in the House that over 24,000 Ukrainians have made their way here. I had the privilege of meeting with some of them last week when I visited Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Let us not forget our ne…

Adjournment Proceedings

Madam Speaker, I am truly honoured to rise to answer the member's question. Canada stands firm in its support for Ukraine. Ukrainian immigrants are an important part of Canada's cultural history, and we continue to support the courageous Ukrainian people More than 32,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Canada since January 1 of this year. As part of our response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Immigra…

Statements By Members

Madam Speaker, last week I met with representatives of Nova Oculus, a Canadian company that has developed a promising new medical device to treat age-related macular degeneration, or AMD. This incurable disease is the leading cause of blindness for more than two million Canadians over the age of 50. Nova Oculus is currently awaiting regulatory approval from Health Canada for a new form of AMD trea…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, if it were a matter of will, there would be 40,000 Afghan refugees here already. The reality is that every step of the way we are facing obstacles that were not present in other resettlement efforts. There are a number of factors that we do not fully control, such as safe passage out of Afghanistan and the ability of Afghans who want to resettle to leave the country. We are committed …

Statements by Members

Mr. Speaker, as a Rotarian, I was pleased to attend the Rotary District 7040 conference last Saturday to hear from Michel Rodrigue, president and CEO of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and our own Dr. Vera Etches, medical officer of Ottawa Public Health, on the impact of COVID-19 on mental health. Their insight and experience in the field were very insightful and presented valuable lessons…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, Canada's economic recovery is well under way. As of March 2022, 73,000 jobs have been created, lowering the unemployment rate to 5.3%. In fact, Canada's economic recovery is outpacing many employers' ability to find workers, resulting in labour shortages across the country. That is why we have announced changes to the foreign worker program to ensure it continues to meet the needs of …

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, so far, more than 12,600 Afghan refugees have arrived in Canada, and more than half of those arrived through our special immigration measures for Afghans who assisted in Canada's mission in Afghanistan. Another two flights are arriving later this week. We will not stop until we reach our goal to welcome at least 40,000 Afghan refugees to Canada.

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, we recognize that, once again, temporary foreign workers are vital to the Canadian economy. That is why as part of the workforce solutions road map, we will eliminate the limit on low-wage positions for seasonal employers, extend LMIA validity for low-wage occupations, and extend the maximum duration of employment for the high-wage and global talent streams from two years to three yea…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, we know that immigration is critical if we want to address labour shortages. IRCC is fast-tracking work permits for occupations in demand, such as health care, agriculture, food and seafood production. In the last quarter, we processed over 100,000 work permit applications, nearly double the number processed in the same period last year. We will continue to ensure that Canadian and Qu…

Oral Questions

Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her advocacy on this. Last year, we welcomed more than 405,000 new permanent residents: the greatest number of newcomers in a year in Canadian history. In the first quarter of this year, we hit even more records, processing over 157,000 permanent residence applications and issuing more than 100,000 work permits, and we are processing over 10,000 study per…

Oral Questions

Madam Speaker, as I said, more than 24,000 Ukrainians have arrived and hundreds more are arriving every day. I would also like to mention that we have introduced an innovative program in partnership with Air Canada, The Shapiro Foundation and Miles4Migrants. It will allow us to welcome 10,000 Ukrainians and their families. These are free flights to Canada. More than 2,000 Canadians have donated mo…

Oral Questions

Madam Speaker, more than 24,000 Ukrainians have come to Canada since the beginning of January. As the Prime Minister announced, we will charter planes to bring more Ukrainians to Canada. I also want to acknowledge Canadians and Quebeckers for being so generous and for coming together to welcome Ukrainians at this historic moment for Canada. Again, I thank the member for her question.

Oral Questions

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. Last year, we welcomed over 405,000 new permanent residents, the largest number of newcomers in a single year in Canadian history. I would like to let my esteemed colleague know that, in the first quarter of this year, we set even more records. We processed over 157,000 permanent residence applications and issued over 100,000 work permits and o…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. This is a very important question, because immigration is key to addressing the labour shortage. Once again, I would like to inform my colleague and the House that during the first quarter of 2022 we processed more than 100,000 work permits, which is nearly double the number of applications processed during that same period in 2021. We will conti…