In this session, MP Jenny Kwan discusses her personal journey from an immigrant family to Canadian electoral politics, as well as her legislative priorities around housing, immigration, migrant worker rights, and systemic racism during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Personal Journey & Entry into Politics [00:33]
Jenny Kwan shares her experience immigrating to Canada from Hong Kong in the 1970s as part of a low-income family. She details how facing racism and growing up in tough economic conditions led her to pursue criminology at Simon Fraser University, work as a community legal advocate, and eventually enter politics—first as a Vancouver City Councillor, then as a BC MLA, and ultimately as an MP.
Advocacy for Migrant Workers & Caregivers [05:39]
She addresses the vulnerabilities faced by migrant workers and caregivers in Canada, highlighting issues surrounding temporary status, workplace exploitation, and family separation.
Critique of Bill C-17 & CERB Penalties [07:26]
Kwan outlines her concerns with proposed provisions in Bill C-17 that sought to impose criminal penalties or jail time on individuals deemed to have incorrectly accessed the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), emphasizing how these measures disproportionately impact racialized and temporary status communities [15:09].
Pandemic Impacts on Immigration & Processing Times [11:00]
She discusses the delays caregivers face in completing their 24-month work requirement toward permanent residency due to pandemic job disruptions, and calls for lost time to count toward eligibility [12:02]. She also addresses the backlog in the Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship Program [30:40].
Parliamentary Operations During COVID-19 [22:39]
Kwan explains how the House of Commons adapted during the pandemic, transitioning to a hybrid model combining remote Zoom participation and limited in-person sessions to maintain government accountability.
The Affordable Housing Crisis [27:16]
Tracing the origin of Canada's housing crisis to the cancellation of the national affordable housing program in 1993, Kwan calls for 50/50 cost-sharing between the federal and provincial governments to acquire properties and combat homelessness.
Addressing Systemic Racism & Institutional Reforms [36:12]
Kwan addresses systemic racism within Canadian institutions, including law enforcement and the justice system, calling for concrete policy reforms and immediate action on the Calls for Justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls [42:56].
Advice for Youth & Aspiring Politicians [59:34]
To wrap up the conversation, Kwan offers encouragement to students, particularly women and racialized youth, advising them to get involved in community advocacy, align with a political party that shares their core values, and persevere through challenges.
Getting clear data out of this Immigration Minister is like pulling teeth.
During committee, I asked simple, direct questions about the Safe Third Country Agreement and our immigration backlogs. Instead of transparency, we got non-answers, canned talking points, and a complete evasion of the facts.
If you can't manage your own file or answer basic questions about it, you shouldn't be running the department. No wonder MPs are calling for her to resign.
On Monday May 25 2026, NDP MP Jenny Kwan responded to Prime Minister Carney's Spring Economic Update & Bill C-30, the Spring Economic Update Implementation Act.
On April 20th MP Jenny Kwan spoke in support of Bill C-226 for a national food price transparency, and commented on NDP calls for banning surveillance pricing; excess profit taxes on grocery giants; stronger competition enforcement; measures to break up corporate concentration in the food supply chain, and a public option for groceries.