What is likely to change in the immigration file? To inform its readers about issues that matter to communities, La Converse offers a series of articles that, theme by theme, detail what the competing parties are proposing.
While immigration is not at the heart of leaders' debates, it has been a major topic since the start of the pandemic. Foreign workers have proven to be both the “guardian angels” of a country in a health crisis and an essential part of economic recovery. At the same time, they belong to the communities that have suffered the most from the consequences of the pandemic.
Jurisdiction over immigration is shared between Ottawa and the provinces. The federal government deals with the admission of immigrants, national immigration levels, asylum claims made in Canada, family reunification, and eligibility criteria for settlement.
But Quebec has a particular status, which gives it more powers and makes it a subject of debate. Especially since Prime Minister François Legault presented his traditional notebook of grievances to the leaders of the parties to increase Quebec's immigration powers.
The Green Party
Annamie Paul's party rejects immigration for exclusively economic and commercial purposes, while promoting economic immigration, like all other parties.
Roxham Road and the 2004 Safe Third Country Agreement
The Green Party is proposing to repeal the Safe Third Country Agreement between Canada and the United States. As a result of this agreement, a person coming from the United States does not have the right to seek asylum at a border crossing. Many migrants must therefore enter Canada illegally, and the majority pass through Roxham Road in Quebec. In 2019, more than 16,000 people were intercepted in the province (out of a total of 16,500 in Canada). Repealing the agreement would therefore allow migrants to arrive in Canada by a legal and safer route from the United States.
CBSA agents
One of the problems that is often pointed out in immigration matters is the discretionary power of Canadian border services officers with respect to immigrants. Currently, agents can accept them, refuse them on the territory, or even place them in immigration prevention centers.
The Green Party therefore proposes to “review all the practices of the Canada Border Services Agency”, but also to “put in place a monitoring mechanism to remove the discretion of agents”, John Chenery, the party's communications director, explains to us by email John Chenery, the party's communications director.
Processing times and temporary workers
Like all other parties, the Green Party intends to reduce the processing times for asylum and family reunification applications. How? By reviewing immigration requirements and increasing staff to review applications, spokesperson John Chenery told us.
And as for the issue of foreign workers vulnerable temporary, he is barely mentioned in the program. Asked about this, Mr. Chenery did not specify any measures, but reiterated that workers who wanted to report abusive working conditions should be protected and not punished. He added that permanent residence should be more accessible for them.
The other measures:
- Adjust fees for permanent residence and citizenship applications based on income.
- Edit Canada's history in the citizenship guide to mention the damage caused to Aboriginal people.
- Addressing issues of discrimination and xenophobia throughout an immigrant's journey (application, arrival, settlement, family reunification). No details, however, on the means planned to achieve this.
The New Democratic Party
Known for its anti-racist positions and its fight against discrimination, Jagmeet Singh's party seems to make immigration a central issue. In the section on this issue, the party recalls the essential contribution of diversity and immigration to the country, while denouncing the conditions of reception and integration of immigrants. The NDP is proposing to repair the Liberals' mistakes, but beyond that, the proposals are not very practical.
Recognition of competencies
New Democrats also want to find a balance between resolving the labour shortage and welcoming everyone. Nothing is specified about the details of this in-between. Jagmeet Singh's party wants to “improve the recognition of foreign credentials” by the provinces, but without specifying how. In Quebec, for example, getting your diplomas and experience recognized can be difficult, and many people have to go back to school (often in full) to practice their profession.
Family reunification
Presented as “a priority” for the party, family reunification is a process that is seriously delayed and that the NDP wants to tackle. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, the ministry's offices abroad were closed,” which caused a lot of delay, explains Thibault Camara, from the group Le Québec 'est nous aussi. The activist says that many families are separated because they cannot obtain a visitor visa to Canada while waiting to obtain family reunification.
For New Democrats, the lottery system currently in place must be abolished because it is too arbitrary and unfair. Instead, they are proposing an end to the “unfair cap on requests,” which could mean higher thresholds. The lottery had already been abolished by the Liberals. But faced with the fiasco of the “first come, first served” model, which replaced it, the draw was reinstated in 2020. For Thibault Camara, from the group Le Québec ça nous aussi, which helps immigrants in Quebec, family reunification is a crucial issue that is talked about too little in Canada.
The other proposals:
- Protect newcomers from “unscrupulous” immigration consultants and lawyers.
- Reduce asylum processing times by “fixing the system.”
- Integrating refugees into communities.
- Strengthen pay equity to end discrimination that affects women (immigrants or not).
The Bloc Québécois
Led by Yves-François Blanchet, the Bloc Québécois is the only party in the running to defend only the interests of Quebec. He has never hidden his outrage at the delays in processing immigration applications from Quebec, denouncing Ottawa's laxity.
Roxham Road, asylum seekers and refugees
True to its positions, the Bloc Québécois is taking a stand against the Safe Third Country Agreement in order to stop any irregular crossing to Quebec via Roxham Road. To do this, the party wants “the entire border to be considered a border post.” There is also a question of increasing the number of commissioners to speed up the processing of asylum applications and of not authorizing any deportations to countries where there is a conflict. Already in 2019, Mr. Blanchet said that these delays were costly for Quebec taxpayers: “It is not up to Quebecers to shoulder the bill,” he declared in September 2019.
Processing times and temporary workers
For a candidate for permanent residence living in Quebec, the processing of their application can take up to 27 months. For someone living elsewhere in Canada, getting a response from Ottawa takes six months. According to Quebec is us too, this gap affects about 56,000 people, which the Bloc strongly condemns. Although nothing is specified in the program to correct this delay, communications manager Karine Lafontaine presents us with four concrete solutions by email:
- That the files are no longer returned “as soon as a document is missing”.
- “That [federal and provincial immigration] applications be processed in parallel” rather than serially.
- Let Ottawa invest in immigration.
- That the processing of requests be computerized.
- On the other hand, the Bloc only blames the federal government, while Quebec immigration thresholds, which have been lower in recent years, are also at issue, according to the Quebec Is Us Too movement.
Expansion of Quebec's immigration powers
In line with the demands of Prime Minister François Legault, the Bloc would like the province to have control of the “family reunification” category, but also of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. In this way, he hopes to speed up the processing of applications and to select candidates based on their proficiency in French. Family reunification represents 24% of immigration in Quebec.
Finally, the Bloc intends to table a bill to make French a condition for obtaining citizenship (of federal responsibility) for applicants living in Quebec. However, it is difficult to know if such a measure is feasible.
The Liberal Party
Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party met 52% of its commitments made in 2019. When it came to immigration, promises were few: he promised to modernize the Safe Third Country Agreement, increase immigration, and allow permanent residents to apply for citizenship for free. Two years later, out of these three major promises, only one has been fulfilled. Applying for Canadian citizenship still costs $630 to adults, and the Safe Third Country Agreement is still in force. There is no provision for this in the current platform.
Vulnerable temporary workers
Revealed by the pandemic, the living and working conditions of vulnerable temporary foreign workers are not mentioned in the Liberal agenda. But Radio-Canada says in an article that the party plans to improve the measures put in place to protect the most vulnerable.
In 2019, an open work permit and a complaint system had already been put in place. But according to labor organizations and immigrants themselves, these measures are difficult to access and do not provide real protection. On September 9, the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR) organized a conference to outline the various shortcomings of these measures. For example, 0.016% of the open permits requested are accepted, according to the CCR study.
Measures to regularize all essential workers are still awaited by organizations like the Migrant Rights Network, which has launched an online campaign allowing citizens to write to federal election candidates and ask for status for all.
Family reunification
In its new platform, the Liberal Party intends to reduce processing times, which can currently reach 24 months. To make up for these delays, the Liberal Party is proposing to issue visas to spouses and children abroad. A way to reunite families while waiting for their permanent residence. But parents and grandparents are not concerned.
More refugees and permanent residents
The Liberals propose to open permanent residence even more to workers and graduates living in Canada. But that would only concern the Express Entry program, and therefore not Quebec, a prima facie.
As for refugees, the party wants to welcome 2,000 according to labour needs. However, the document does not specify whether this figure is added to or is part of the 2021-2023 Immigration Plan, which provides for the reception of 421,000 newcomers in 2023. In addition, this measure is part of a pilot project launched in 2018.
Processing times
Since the start of the health crisis, immigration application processing times have exploded. To make up for the accumulated backlog, aggravated by the pandemic, the Liberal Party is proposing to reduce processing times to 12 months. However, it is not specified which requests are concerned, or what means will be used to achieve them.
Other measures:
- Eliminate the family reunification lottery and digitize applications.
- Improving access to housing for immigrant women.
- Create an immigration program for rural and northern communities.
- Better integrate French-speaking immigrants across Canada.
- Align the needs of businesses with foreign workers through a variety of means: improving the recognition of qualifications and skills by provinces and simplifying work permit applications for certain programs.
- Welcome an additional 20,000 Afghans. In total, 40,000 nationals could settle in Canada by 2023.
The Conservative Party
Erin O'Toole's party proposes to “fix the mistakes of the Liberal government” by putting “order” in the immigration and asylum systems and to achieve this goal by better law enforcement. The Conservatives' measures mostly go against those of the other parties. On the other hand, they are the only ones to tackle discrimination and injustice in the granting of visitor visas.
Asylum seekers and refugees
Conservatives are proposing to increase the resources of the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) to speed up the review of asylum applications. The IRB is the court that deals with refugee claims and cases of immigrants who have been returned or have appealed a decision.
Still going against the other parties, the PC would like the State to no longer intervene in the resettlement of refugees. Sponsorship (private or joint) would be encouraged.
The autonomy of Quebec
For months now, Erin O'Toole has largely shared her intention to give Quebec more autonomy. Like the Bloc Québécois, the Conservatives support Prime Minister Legault's demands for family reunification and the temporary foreign worker program.
The other measures:
Improve the recognition of achievements and skills.
Accelerate the processing of applications in the family reunification category.
“Complete” the Safe Third Country Agreement to stop all illegal crossings and set up border patrols. At the same time, and in a contradictory manner, the party is proposing to reimburse the housing costs of people who have illegally crossed the border to enter Quebec.
The People's Party of Canada
Known for its radical positions on immigration, Maxime Bernier's party was rejected from the leaders' debates, due to a lack of support and sufficient elected parliamentarians. The program of the People's Party of Canada reflects the speeches of its leader, Mr. Bernier. The immigration measures are brief: according to the party, immigration must be of greater benefit to Canadians.
To do this, 100,000 to 150,000 newcomers must be admitted annually at most. In comparison, Ottawa expects 401,000 people to arrive in 2021. The People's Party also intends to select them more according to labour needs and so that they do not compete with Canadian workers. Martin Masse, the party's spokesperson, referred us to the party's immigration policy to answer our questions.
The other measures:
- Accept fewer resettled refugees who have acquired refugee status outside of Canada.
- Reduce the number of people arriving through family reunification and remove the parents and grandparents category.
- Conduct an interview with immigration candidates to see if their values match Canadian identity and increase intelligence and RCMP resources to find out who has been admitted.