Government Accountability

MEDIA RELEASE: Liberals’ failure to come to the table with a fair deal for workers will worsen immigration system

“The NDP stands in solidarity with the 155,000 federal civil public servants who overwhelmingly voted for a strike mandate—including workers from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). They have been without a contract for over a year. These workers deserve respect.

Justin Trudeau’s government’s failure to come to the table with a fair deal—that considers the impacts of inflation and values the work of federal civil public servants during the pandemic—threatens to worsen an immigration system already in chaos.

MEDIA RELEASE: NDP moves amendments to fix the issue of “Lost Canadians”

OTTAWA — On Monday, NDP critic for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East) will table amendments at the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration to reverse a policy enacted by Stephen Harper’s Conservatives that stripped second generation Canadians and their descendants born abroad from their right to citizenship. This policy was never fixed under Justin Trudeau’s Liberals, and Kwan says it’s time to fix this injustice that destroyed lives.

“This punitive measure has caused so much hardship and pain for Canadian families. Their lives are in limbo and too many are having to struggle with forced family separation. Some Canadians even found themselves to be stateless,” said Kwan. “It is time to fix this injustice once and for all.”

MEDIA RELEASE: NDP: Liberals are taking the side of Rogers and Shaw CEOs instead of Canadians

"Canadians who work hard and play by the rules should be able to get ahead. Unfortunately, under Justin Trudeau, Canadians are still paying among the most expensive cell and internet bills in the world and now, despite their conditions, Liberals just decide to make it worse by approving the Rogers-Shaw merger.

Right now, Rogers and Shaw CEOs Tony Staffieri and Bradley Shaw are popping the champagne and toasting the Liberal government for the helping hand.

Justin Trudeau and his team are showing once again that when push comes to shove, they are taking the side of the rich and powerful over the interest of working people.

MEDIA RELEASE: NDP forces Liberals to finally start cracking down on tax evasion

That’s why, for years, New Democrats have been pushing and advocating for the establishment of a public beneficial ownership registry to make it harder for wealthy tax dodgers, corrupt businesspeople and sanctioned Russian oligarchs to hide their assets in Canada. This registry will ensure transparency so the government can ensure everyone pays what they owe in taxes and put a stop to money laundering that is increasing real estate speculation which makes it harder for families in Canada to find a home they can afford.

The NDP used the Confidence and Supply Agreement to force the Liberals to stop dragging their feet on combating tax evasion and money laundering and implement a registry this year.

New Democrats would welcome the swift passage of this bill so the government can begin negotiating with the provinces and territories to get the public beneficial ownership registry implemented as soon as possible.”

MEDIA RELEASE: Conservative block an important vote for a public inquiry into foreign interference

OTTAWA — On Tuesday, Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives blocked an important vote for a motion calling on a public inquiry into foreign interference. The motion was supposed to be moved in the House of Commons this morning but the Conservatives shut it down, proving that they’re not interested in getting results for Canadians.

New Democrats want the inquiry to call ministers, former ministers, chiefs of staff to the prime minister and to the leader of the official opposition during the 2019 and 2021 federal election campaigns as well as both parties’ campaign directors so that Canadians have the answers they need and confidence in their institutions moving forward.

Hill Times: Immigration minister defends department’s multi-million-dollar contracts with McKinsey, but lawyers describe resulting product as ‘crappy’

NDP MP Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East, B.C.), her party’s immigration critic, attended the Feb. 15 House Government Operations Committee meeting so she could question Fraser, who appeared virtually from his constituency in Nova Scotia. 

Kwan pointed out that immigration consultants and lawyers have testified at the House Immigration Committee “to talk about what a disaster the transformation in digital processes is,” Kwan said. “In certain areas, they are saying that they can’t upload documents, and when they do spend hours doing it, the system crashes.” 

“The minister, I’m sure, is aware of all of this. And so this is what we bought? $24.8-million?” she queried. 

Fraser acknowledged the system isn’t running smoothly right now. 

“I would suggest that we’re in the middle of a major transition and the system we’re working with now is predominantly the legacy system … rather than a fully modernized system, which will be available and fine-tuned after a few years,” he offered. 

“I appreciate the new system, but the reality is it’s not working very well,” Kwan retorted. “So if McKinsey was actually spearheading this, $24.8-million of tax dollars on this is not a very good job, I have to say.” 

CBC: Poilievre accuses Trudeau of ignoring election interference by China

NDP MP Jenny Kwan said Friday the government should be more transparent when it's briefed on foreign interference.

"They cannot try to shield this information just because it may be that it's the Liberal who will be benefiting, potentially, from these activities," Kwan said in an interview.

"The issue here, for me, fundamentally — irrespective of parties — is about our democratic system. Something that I think sometimes we take for granted, but for me, as an immigrant … is something that I absolutely cherish.”

HANSARD: Jenny asks when the government will fix the housing crisis

Media Release: Liberals are falling behind in delivering homes Canadians can afford

OTTAWA—NDP Housing Critic Jenny Kwan issued the following statement in response to a report by the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) on the Liberals’ failure to meet their housing goals for Canadians, while a recent report shows a 10.7 per cent hike in rent prices since one year ago:

“The NDP is echoing a major concern raised by the PBO in a report: the Liberal government is failing further and further behind its own housing goals because it isn’t accounting for inflation. Meanwhile, the Liberal government’s failure to keep up with the housing needs of Canadians amid a housing crisis is contributing to a whopping 10.7 per cent hike in rent year-over-year.

CIMM#53: Government Operations Committee on Federal Government Consulting Contracts Awarded to McKinsey & Company