MEDIA RELEASE: Liberals fail to fix major problems in Canada’s immigration system

“While the NDP welcomes the government’s plan to bring 500,000 new immigrants to Canada by 2025, we cannot ignore that the Liberals miss the mark on several key immigration streams with their plan.
Decades of Liberal and Conservative governments expanded Canada’s reliance on temporary foreign workers—without ensuring protections to their health and safety. For many years, these workers have been subjected to exploitation by employers who use their temporary status to drive down wages. The Liberals’ plan fails to ensure that these workers get the protections they need by not giving them permanent status, as the NDP has been calling for.

Liberals fail to fix major problems in Canada’s immigration system

NDP Critic for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Jenny Kwan, issued the following statement:

“While the NDP welcomes the government’s plan to bring 500,000 new immigrants to Canada by 2025, we cannot ignore that the Liberals miss the mark on several key immigration streams with their plan.

Decades of Liberal and Conservative governments expanded Canada’s reliance on temporary foreign workers—without ensuring protections to their health and safety. For many years, these workers have been subjected to exploitation by employers who use their temporary status to drive down wages. The Liberals’ plan fails to ensure that these workers get the protections they need by not giving them permanent status, as the NDP has been calling for.

Furthermore, the Liberals are failing to meet their commitment to bring Afghans who served Canada, and their families to safety in Canada. As they are hunted down by the Taliban, the Liberal government refuses to lift the cap on Special Immigration Measures so they can be brought here to safety. This is unacceptable and New Democrats will continue to push for action to ensure those who served Canada are brought to safety.

And in the last few months, many media outlets reported about the Liberals' failure to meet their targets in terms of francophone immigration to Canada. Today’s plan announced by the Liberals isn’t going to fix this systemic problem—we must do better. Hopes for Canadians wanting to sponsor their parents and grandparents are also dashed by the Liberal’s refusal to allow for new applications and put in place arbitrary caps. Not to mention that processing times remain through the roof while families are waiting years to be reunited with loved ones.

The NDP will continue to fight to ensure our immigration system is accountable and rooted in the values of fairness, respect, and dignity.”

– 30 –

Les libéraux ne parviennent pas à régler les problèmes majeurs du système d'immigration du Canada

La porte-parole du NPD en matière d'immigration, de réfugiés et de citoyenneté, Jenny Kwan, a fait la déclaration suivante :

« Bien que le NPD accueille favorablement le plan du gouvernement visant à faire venir 500 000 nouveaux immigrants au Canada d'ici 2025, nous ne pouvons pas ignorer que les libéraux manquent la cible sur plusieurs volets clés de l'immigration avec leur plan.

Des décennies de gouvernements libéraux et conservateurs ont accru la dépendance du Canada à l'égard des travailleurs étrangers temporaires, sans assurer la protection de leur santé et de leur sécurité. Pendant de nombreuses années, ces travailleurs ont été victimes d'exploitation de la part d'employeurs qui utilisent leur statut temporaire pour faire baisser leurs salaires. Sans leur accorder le statut permanent comme l'a demandé le NPD, le plan des libéraux ne garantit pas que ces travailleurs obtiennent les protections dont ils ont besoin.

De plus, les libéraux ne respectent pas leur engagement de faire venir les Afghans qui ont servi le Canada et leurs familles au Canada pour leur sécurité. Alors qu'ils sont pourchassés par les talibans, le gouvernement libéral refuse de lever le plafond des mesures spéciales d'immigration afin qu'ils puissent être amenés ici en sécurité. C'est inacceptable et les néo-démocrates continueront à faire pression pour que des mesures soient prises afin que ceux qui ont servi le Canada soient mis en sécurité.

Au cours des derniers mois, de nombreux médias ont rapporté que les libéraux n'avaient pas atteint leurs objectifs en matière d'immigration francophone au Canada. Le plan annoncé aujourd'hui par les libéraux ne va pas régler ce problème systémique - nous devons faire mieux. Les espoirs des Canadiens qui veulent parrainer leurs parents et grands-parents sont également anéantis par le refus des libéraux de permettre de nouvelles demandes et en mettant en place des plafonds arbitraires. Sans compter que les délais de traitement sont toujours aussi longs alors que des familles attendent des années avant d'être réunies avec leurs proches.

Le NPD continuera de se battre pour que notre système d'immigration soit responsable et ancré dans les valeurs d'équité, de respect et de dignité. »

Latest posts

City TV NEWS: Rally outside Vancouver college protests sudden termination of key English program

Dozens of students and instructors gathered at Vancouver Community College (VCC) Tuesday to protest the unexpected shutdown of the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) program.

LINC, which has helped thousands of immigrants learn English, secure jobs, and work toward citizenship, is set to be terminated at the end of March due to federal funding cuts.

The move has left over 800 students without a clear path forward and more than 30 instructors without jobs.

“We found out just before winter break, and this was the first opportunity to get people together to raise spirits, because people have been really down.” said Frank Cosco, president of the VCC Faculty Association.

Toronto Star NEWS: ‘An ordeal that doesn’t end’: Lost Canadians’ citizenship at risk with Parliament suspended

If Ottawa lets the deadline lapse and the two-generation cut-off is thus voided, affected lost Canadians could just come reclaim their citizenship. If the court cuts the government some slack and grants another extension in light of the circumstances, the uncertainty will continue.

“During that extension period, we could very well be in an election, in which case, no bills could be passed,” said MP Jenny Kwan, immigration critic of the opposition NDP, and a staunch supporter of the bill.

Media Statement: In Response to the Hong Kong Government’s Issuance of a Wanted List for Overseas Pro-Democracy Activists

I call on the Canadian government to take urgent and decisive action to:

1. Strongly condemn the Hong Kong government’s NSL and the targeting of overseas activists, including Canadian citizens and residents, and call for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners in Hong Kong.

2. Impose targeted sanctions on Hong Kong and Chinese officials responsible for human rights violations and the erosion of Hong Kong’s freedoms.

3. Stop according any special rights or diplomatic status to the Hong Kong Economic and Trade offices in Canada.

4. Expedite the processing of PR application for Hong Kongers fleeing political persecution and to automatically renew their work and study permit in the meantime.