AGRI - Biographies - May 2020 - Appearance before the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food - May 22, 2020
Key immigration critics
Conservative
- Peter Kent
BQ
- Christine Normandin
NDP
- Jenny Kwan
House of Commons standing committee on agriculture (AGRI)
Conservatives
- John Barlow (Vice-Chair)
- Richard Lehoux
- Lianne Rood
- Gerald Soroka
BQ
- Yves Perron (Vice-Chair)
NDP
- Alistair MacGregor
Liberals
- Pat Finnigan (Chair)
- Lyne Bessette
- Kody Blois
- Francis Drouin
- Neil Ellis
- Tim Louis
Conservative
Hon. Peter Kent
Thornhill, AB
Shadow Minister for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Committee Membership
- Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration (CIMM) February 2020 – current
IRCC related interventions in Parliament:
May 8, 2020 – HUMA - Government’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Temporary Foreign Workers
- “Last year almost 100,000 temporary foreign workers came to Canada. You've given us the update in the last month of 11,000 with 10,000 approved. We know a good many didn't make it into the country for a variety of reasons, but I'm wondering what is the department's estimate for total foreign workers in Canada being able to get to Canada for the rest of the planting, growing and harvest season.”
- “Minister, many rejections of approved TFWs at border entry points seem to be a result of inconsistent recognition or refusal by CBSA officers of the workers' approved status. How is this being resolved?”
- “Now the Province of New Brunswick is the only province to have imposed a blockade, if you will, against approved temporary foreign workers. How has the government worked to resolve that difference?”
Future Levels Plan
- “Minister, given Canada's massive unemployment for the foreseeable future, and notwithstanding your comments to the Canadian Bar Association immigration law section last week, that immigration will continue to be an economic driver, what is the government's scale-back planning for economic migrants and refugees for the next two years from the current immigration target of 350,000 by 2021?”
- “But given that the economic crisis, if you will, will linger long after the health crisis has passed, can Canada accommodate an additional 1% of immigrants and refugees added to our population in the foreseeable future? When will you provide to Canadians an updated target intake figure?”
Other Economic Immigration
- “Can you provide an update on department operations with regard to economic immigration to express entry and the provincial sponsorship programs, as well as the pilot projects? Are any of these programs suspended pending the end of the COVID crisis?”
- “Would it be prudent in the short term to assign more decision-making responsibility to provinces and municipalities with regards to immigration and refugee intake, given the very needs and capacity-absorbing capabilities of different regions of the country?”
- “I'm just wondering if these pilot projects, particularly the one with regard to remote and northern communities for permanent residents’ skilled intake, are still active.”
Borders/Asylum
- “[…] what is the current processing backlog of asylum claimants?”
- “I'm just wondering how the department ensures that the Immigration and Refugee Board will guarantee a fair and impartial hearing of those claims at a time when there is political sensitivity with regard to federal government relations with China and some timidity with recognizing the crisis for those pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong.”
- “Those who are in Canada now or could make their way to Canada would have that 90-day residency enabled and could make a claim after that time or during that time?”
Social Media and Press Conferences
Tweets:
- April 30, 2020 – “Rethinking “burdensome” challenges to immigrant physician certification - a great policy offering from Robert Falconer in this time of Covid-19 and beyond. https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/files/pdf/20200428_straight_talk_Falconer_FWeb.pdf?mc_cid=824f5ba00c&mc_eid=ff018e4109
Biography
- Peter Kent was first elected to the House of Commons representing Thornhill in 2008 and sworn into Cabinet as Minister of State of Foreign Affairs, responsible for the Americas.
- Re-elected in 2011, Peter was appointed Canada's Environment Minister and served in that capacity until July 2013. In October 2013, Peter was elected Chair of the House Standing Committee on National Defence. In October 2015, Peter was again re-elected as MP for Thornhill and appointed Deputy Critic for Foreign Affairs. In summer 2016, Peter was appointed as Critic of Foreign Affairs. In September 2017, Peter was appointed Shadow Minister of Ethics.
- Prior to his election to the House of Commons, Peter was a broadcast journalist, having spent more than 40 years working as a writer, reporter, producer, anchor and broadcast executive in Canada, the United States and around the world.
- He covered stories that shaped the 20th Century, including momentous events such as, the Vietnam and Cambodian conflicts and recovery, decades of conflict, uncertainty and hope in the Middle East, the Ethiopian famine, the transition from Rhodesia to Zimbabwe, South Africa’s transition from the apartheid era to Mandela’s presidency, the overthrow of Idi Amin, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War.
- Peter won a number of awards over the course of his career, including the prestigious Robert F. Kennedy Award. He is also a member of the Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame.
- A passionate believer in community involvement, Peter actively supports a number of charitable organizations. He has served as a mentor with the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council and was on the Toronto cabinet of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. He remains involved with the Royal Conservatory of Music, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center, and the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.
- Peter is married to Cilla. They have a daughter, Trilby, son-in-law, Daniel, grandchildren, Clea and Tristan.
Bloc Quebecois
Christine Normandin
Saint Jean, QC
Shadow Minister for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Committee Membership
- Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration (CIMM) February 2020 – current
IRCC related interventions in Parliament:
May 8, 2020 – HUMA - Government’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Temporary Foreign Workers
- “Would you be open, for example, to allowing 30 or 60 days on a closed licence during which a worker can go to work in another employer? This would ensure that he or she continues to work, which would allow time to process a new application, or a new IMT, for example. This would allow for a rapid response in emergencies where there is a need for someone. Or it would allow a sharing for businesses that would need someone perhaps one day a week.”
- “So I would like to hear what you have to say about this possibility of faster processing for temporary foreign workers who have been coming back for several years and who meet the criteria every year.”
- “Currently, 85 to 90% of foreign workers have arrived for the seed period. However, there is concern that there will be a shortage in the fall, because many harvests often have to be done manually. I would like to know what has been put in place by the Department of Citizenship and Immigration and the Department of Employment and Social Development to ensure that there is no shortage in the fall.”
Border/Asylum
- “Currently the border is closed, but eventually it will be opened gradually and the issue of irregular migrants will start to arise again. I would like to know if you have a game plan already planned for the reopening of the border based on the Canada-U.S. Third Country Agreement.”
Social Media and Press Conferences
March 15 – Retweeted Yves-F Blanchet: “Le @BlocQuebecois insiste sur 22 mesures urgentes:
- retour imposé des voyageurs
- fermeture du chemin Roxham
- contrôle du prix des vols
- suspension des visas
Le Premier ministre doit écouter et agir, surtout si vous appuyez les mesures. »
Biography
- Christine Normandin is the Member of Parliament for the riding of Saint-Jean in the House of Commons. She was elected on October 21, 2019, with a majority of 8,910 votes.
- A proud Johannaise, Christine Normandin grew up in the region. In 2006, she obtained her bachelor's degree in biomedical sciences after completing a basic research internship on melanoma in India. Wishing to work in an environment offering more direct contact with people, she reoriented her career towards law and was appointed lawyer in 2015. She began as a general practitioner in solo practice before joining a firm specializing in international family law and child abduction.
- Christine Normandin has always been involved in her community. She has sat on the board of directors of the École secondaire Marcellin-Champagnat and was president of the Bloc Québécois Political Commission. In fact, she was named Volunteer of the Year 2018 by the Young Bar Association of Montreal for the hours she has devoted to helping citizens prepare for their court hearings.
- She wants to work to build a strong economy, creating wealth here in a healthy environment for our families. She intends to invest in our culture, our language, our identity, our values, and respect for Québec on a daily basis, without compromise. Christine Normandin is one of those who knows that you don't need to be in power to exercise it. Proactive, she will spare no effort to represent the people of Saint-Jean and achieve maximum gains for them on all fronts.
New Democratic Party
Jenny Kwan
Vancouver East, BC
Critic for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Committee Membership
- Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration (CIMM) February 2020 – current
IRCC related interventions in Parliament:
May 8, 2020 – HUMA - Government’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Temporary Foreign Workers
- “[…] with respect to temporary foreign workers, caregivers, for example, where they have to meet the two-year work requirement. Because of COVID, their work has been interrupted. Will that period of time when their work's been interrupted count towards their two-year work requirement?”
- “[…] the issue around their 24-month work requirement is essential towards their path to permanency. If we don't count that period, it means that these workers will be further penalized and they'll be delayed in their process of reuniting with their loved ones. Already, as it were, my view is that these workers should be allowed to come with permanent resident status on arrival. That is not the case, and this further penalizes them. I hope that you will take that into consideration.”
- “On the issue around open work permits, I hope that the minister will expedite those who have been impacted with their work permits from an employer-specific work permit to an open work permit across the country. On the question around migrant workers and undocumented workers, those who have an expired SIN number, or undocumented workers without a SIN number at all, I wonder whether the minister can give us a quick update on what progress has been made in supporting these workers.”
- “Those with an expired SIN would not be eligible, and those who are undocumented workers, would they be able to use their ITN to apply for emergency benefits?”
- “Could the officials provide the processing time and the backlog in the different categories to the committee, please? I think it's really important to understand what that situation looks like. Particularly, I'm wondering in the instance where people have expired work permits. What is the turnaround for their applications to be processed?”
- “In terms of open-work permits, the minister mentioned that work is underway with respect to that. Can the officials give us an update? For people with employer-specific work permits, if they've lost their job at this time, it would almost be impossible for them to secure employment. Therefore, making open-work permits available to them would be quite essential. Can you give us an update on where you're at with realizing this?”
Citizenship
- “With respect to citizenship certificates, it's been brought to my attention that there is a delay, actually, long delays for people trying to access their citizenship certificate so that they can actually move forward with the process of coming to Canada and so on. When will that resume its normal processing?”
Caregivers
- “[…] it’s been brought to my attention that there are some caregivers, for example, where their employers are telling them that the CERB which they collect is their income, and so therefore they are required to go to work. In that instance, that clearly is not the case. What should the caregivers do?”
- “I'm raising a very specific example where people are applying for CERB and are receiving CERB, and the employer is telling them that it is their income, and then still requiring them to go to work. In those circumstances, should people be filing a complaint in the vulnerable workers category and getting an open work permit, because they're very scared about that, right? And if they complain about it to their employer, would they lose their job and what will happen to them? People are very worried about that.”
Parent and Grandparents
- “It was brought to my attention that IRCC lines for MPs for non-emergency cases has ceased. I'm wondering when that will resume. Second, can you give a quick update on that's happening with the parents and grandparents application process? Has it been delayed? In the beginning of the year, no doubt COVID has impacted this as well. Can you give us a quick update when we can see that program resume?”
CERB
- “I've asked the minister about exemptions for people receiving CERB and other government emergency support at this time. On the IRCC website, the only place where I can find where the exemption is indicated where people would not be penalized in the immigration process would be for spousal, parents' and grandparents' applications. There's no language about applications for TFWs, for example. I brought this to the minister's attention and that is, I think, a technical oversight. I wonder if the ministry will fix this oversight on their website. I looked just this morning and I have not seen an update. As well, do you have any further information with respect to exemptions for other government emergency benefits, aside from CERB?”
May 4, 2020 – HUMA - Government’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
- “In fact, one issue for people who have a work permit that's going to expire is that IRCC is experiencing difficulties in processing, hence there are delays. As a result, people are really left out in the cold. Would you [stakeholder] recommend that IRCC actually automatically extend people's work permits during this period and in fact open it up from an employer-specific work permit to an open work permit?”
- “[…] on the question of migrant workers and undocumented individuals, one of the issues in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic is that some of them may have lost their jobs and their status. The timing was such that those two things literally collapsed together in the same time frame. If you lose your job and your work permit expires, you cannot renew, because your employer-specific status will not allow you to renew. To that end, do you think one way to deal with it would be for the government to allow people who have expired SIN numbers to collect CERB? Is that something you would recommend?”
April 24, 2020 – HUMA - Government’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
- “We have a situation where now with COVID-19 many people's work permits have expired, and they are unable to have them processed and addressed through IRCC in a timely fashion. Consequently, they're not eligible for the CERB, because you have to have a valid SIN in order to be eligible. Will your government look at providing the CERB to those with an expired SIN so that they can get the critical support they need during this time?”
- “For the undocumented workers, the people who are here in Canada, if they're forced to go out to work in an unsafe environment and therefore not flattening the curve or engaging in social distancing and so on, that creates all kinds of problems for all of us. The government can address that issue with the workers' individual tax number, ITN, so you [Minister Qualtrough] can be sure that they are people who are supposed to be working and that they have an ITN. Is that something your government can address?”
Social Media and Press Conferences
- N/A
Biography
- For over 25 years Jenny Kwan has fought for the people of East Vancouver. In 2015, she was elected as the Member of Parliament for our community.
- Born in Hong Kong, Jenny immigrated to Canada at age nine. After graduating from Simon Fraser University, she worked as a community legal advocate in the Downtown Eastside. In 1993, she became the youngest city councillor elected in Vancouver’s history, distinguishing herself as a fearless voice for the community.
- In 1996, she was elected MLA for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant, becoming one of the first Chinese-Canadians to sit in the Legislative Assembly. Jenny was also the first Chinese Canadians appointed to cabinet and served as Minister of Municipal Affairs, Minister of Women’s Equality and Minister of Community Development, Cooperatives & Volunteers.
- Jenny was the BC government’s lead in developing the Vancouver Agreement, a ground-breaking initiative promoting health, safety and well-being in the Downtown Eastside. Re-elected as an MLA in 2001, 2005, 2009 and 2013, Jenny’s work on behalf of our community has consistently been recognized by East Vancouver voters.
- Her tireless efforts were recognized once again in 2015, when Van East residents voted overwhelmingly to send her to Ottawa, to continue the fight for a Canada where no one is left behind. She currently serves as the NDP’s Critic for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, as well as Critic for Multiculturalism. She serves as Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration (CIMM).
- From the community to the BC Legislature to the House of Commons, Jenny has made a difference in the lives of people in Vancouver East. Standing on the shoulders of the people before her, she is continuing to build a multicultural society where everyone, no matter who you are and where you come from, has the opportunity to succeed—a Canada where social, economic, and environmental justice will always prevail.
Conservative
John Barlow (Vice-Chair)
Foothills, AB
Shadow Minister for Agriculture & Agri-Food
Committee Membership
- Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI) Febraury 2020 – Present
- Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA) 42nd Parliament
IRCC related interventions in Parliament:
- N/A
Social Media and Press Conferences
- 2020-04-23: Twitter post calling for program to match students with essential food supply chain jobs.
- 2020-04-15: statement on Canadian farmers and producers working to ensure safety of food supply, farmers, producers and processors work hard day and night to ensure that Canadians have the food they need while they stay home.
Biography
- John Barlow was first elected as a Member of Parliament to represent the riding of Macleod, AB, in 2014. He was re-elected in 2015, to represent the new riding of Foothills, AB.
- Prior to being elected to office, MP Barlow had an award-winning career as a journalist earning numerous individual awards including the Telus Editorial Excellence Award and the Gordon Scott Memorial Award presented to Alberta’s top columnist.
- Additionally, John is a respected member of several industry organizations, including the Journalism Advisory Boards at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) and Mount Royal University.
- He remains a member of the Okotoks Rotary Club and the Okotoks Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion.
- John grew up in rural Saskatchewan where his family has a fourth generation business in Regina.
Conservative
Richard Lehoux
Beauce, QC
Committee Membership
- Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI) February 2020 to present
IRCC related interventions in Parliament:
March 10, 2020 – AGRI - Business Risk Management Programs
- “Many immigrant workers come to work in farm businesses in Canada. What measures could be taken to counter the effects of COVID-19, for instance?”
Feb 27, 2020 – AGRI – “Briefing from the Department of Agriculture”
- “On the subject of coordination between the various departments, many agricultural entrepreneurs in the field tell me that it's very complicated. Given the particular problems in this sector, could there be better co-operation between the departments of Immigration and Agriculture?”
- “On the ground, producers are telling us that, in the past, they used to have delays of five to six months, whereas the wait is now 12 to 13 months. That is far too long. People are losing job opportunities.”
Social Media and Press Conferences
- N/A
Biography
- Lehoux was first elected as a Member of Parliament to represent the riding of Beauce, QC, in 2019.
- A former President of the Fédération québécoise des municipalités (FQM), MP Lehoux is a strong champion of regions. He is really passionate about municipal politics.
- Born in 1956, Mayor of Saint-Elzéar from 1998 to 2017 and Reeve of the Nouvelle-Beauce RCM from 2000 to 2017, MP Lehoux was a member of the Board of the FQM between 2001 and 2017. He was Vice-President from 2010 to 2014 and Interim President for three months in 2012, before his election as President, a position he held between 2014 and 2017. MP Lehoux played a leading role in all battles and all gains of the FQM in recent years: Phase 3 of the National Rurality Policy, Framework Act on the occupation and the vitality of territories, Commission of Inquiry on the awarding and management of public contracts in the construction industry, Mines Act, Partnership with the government in 2016-2019.
- He was also Vice-President of the Mutuelle des municipalités du Québec (MMQ) since its foundation by the FQM in 2003, and was President from 2017 to June 2018.
- MP Lehoux is the father of three children and grand-father of nine grandchildren. As an agriculture entrepreneur and fourth generation dairy farmer, he exported his savoir-faire on the international stage. Now, he puts his expertise and his passion to the service of municipalities and regions of Quebec.
Conservative
Lianne Rood
Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON
Deputy Shadow Minister, Agriculture and Agri-Food
Committee Membership
- Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI) February 2020 to present
IRCC related interventions in Parliament:
May 15, 2020 – AGRI - Canadian Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
- “We know that our seasonal agricultural workers and temporary foreign workers play an integral part in the produce industry especially. I know that you were pleased to see the exemption for our TFWs and our seasonal workers, after our party really did help push the government for this exemption. […] I'm wondering, I know where we're kind of at with receiving workers, but how is this going to affect, for instance, our asparagus farmers and those who have early crops? I know we're still missing a lot of workers, and seeing that there's issues with paperwork for some of our workers coming from some places, how is that going to affect our food supply going down the road as we look into the fall with volume that we may or may not see as farmers may cut back on their acreage this year?”
May 4, 2020 – INDU – Canadian Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
- She spoke about shortages to seasonal agricultural workers and how the new Canada summer jobs stream would match student salaries to provide experience. When asked if they are supportive of this, stakeholders indicated yes because they are looking for labour. “Even with a full complement of foreign labour we are short.”
Social Media and Press Conferences
- 2020-05-06: Twitter post noting disappointment of the aid announced for agriculture sector and willingness to protect food safety.
- 2020-04-24: Twitter post encouraging students to work in AGRI sector.
- 2020-02-06: Tweeted: “Yesterday I had a productive meeting with members of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association @wheatgrowers. We discussed trade barriers, issues relating to the TFW program, and the negative impact of Carbon tax on the #CdnAg industry.”
Biography
- Lianne Rood was first elected as a Member of Parliament to represent the riding of Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON, in 2019.
- MP Rood is an entrepreneur and farmer with a background in politics and small business. She grew up on a 1,000-acre vegetable farm in Grand Bend, Ontario, and is equally comfortable in potato fields as she is in the boardroom. After receiving an Honours Bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Sociology from the University of Windsor in 2003, she worked in Ottawa as a political staffer for six years.
Conservative
Gerald Soroka
Yellowhead, AB
Committee Membership
- Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI) February 2020 to present
IRCC related interventions in Parliament:
- N/A
Social Media and Press Conferences
- N/A
Biography
- Gerald Soroka was first elected as a Member of Parliament to represent the riding Yellowhead, AB, in 2019.
- MP Soroka resides on a farm north of Evansburg on the original homestead that his grandparents moved to in May of 1930. He has lived there his entire life making him a third generation Yellowhead county resident.
- Having been raised on the farm it was an easy progression for him to continue farming after graduating from Grand Trunk High School. He farmed and had two off the farm jobs over the next ten years until he went full time farming. During this time, he was Vice President and President of West Central Forage Association as well as Vice President of the Alberta Forage Council.
- Looking to solve problems at a larger scale, Gerald went on to serve as a Division one Councilor and Mayor of Yellowhead County before making the jump to federal politics. During his time as Mayor, he was also elected as Vice President of the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties (Now RMA) from 2008 to 2010.
Bloc Quebecois
Yves Perron (Vice-Chair)
Berthier-Maskinongé, QC
Committee Membership
- Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI) February 2020 to present
IRCC related interventions in Parliament:
May 15, 2020 – AGRI - Canadian Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
- “When it comes to the arrival of foreign workers, the government talks about 86%. However, in your statement earlier, you talked about 78% in the Atlantic, 39% in Quebec - I may have made some mistakes in the figures, because I was grading them at the same time - and 47% in Ontario. That's a far cry from 86%. Fears of a shortage of workers are real. Is that correct?”
- “The federal government announced, some time ago, direct assistance of $1,500 per foreign worker, because it has decided not to take over responsibility for managing quarantines and to delegate this task to producers. In the presentation, the sum of $1500 was advertised as a kind of lump sum: you receive a temporary foreign worker and get $1,500.
- However, according to comments from the field, there would be a deadline to submit the application, invoices and proof of expenses would have to be provided, and the $1,500 would now have become a difficult maximum to obtain. Could you talk to me about that? Do you have any feedback from your producers on that?”
May 8, 2020 – AGRI – Canadian Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
- “[…] Government people told us that 85% to 90% of foreign workers, usually here at this time of year, would have arrived. Is that the case in your industry?
April 29, 2020 – COVI – COVID-19 Pandemic
- “[…] things that can be done, including speeding up the processing of visa applications for foreign workers, automatically renewing the permits of workers who are already here and giving them an open permit so that they can work anywhere, and introduce a financial incentive to encourage workers to work on farms. That's what we've been talking about today in our proposal; we talked about it in the press briefing this morning. There isn't just a sense of urgency in the fields and on our land, but also of distress. […] Imagine the loss in the time of COVID-19. We're going to wake up in the fall, and there will be a shortfall in the markets and inflation. The time to act is now.”
April 14, 2020 – HESA – Briefing on the Canadian Response to the Outbreak of the Coronavirus
- “Do you really believe that the way it was decided this week to manage quarantines and to delegate all this responsibility to the provinces and to Quebec, as well as to the private organizations that have been organizing the arrival of the temporary foreign workers for a very long time, is the best way? These entities have experience in recruiting workers, not in quarantines. Many housing and transportation issues will vary greatly from one place to another, as will the temptation to work in certain communities. We MPs are connected to those communities, and people call us and tell us their concerns.”
- “Do you think that is the best way to do it? Why did you not decide to centralize quarantines as a service to the farmers? They have enough on their shoulders.”
February 25, 2020 – AGRI – Committee Business
- Mr. Perron moved the following motion, “That the Committee undertake a study of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program for agricultural and agri-food workers, identifying the irritants and administrative constraints, and make recommendations on updating the program to make it more flexible; that the Committee report its recommendations to the House and that it ask the government to table a response in accordance with Standing Order 109.” The Committee did not make a decision on the motion.
Social Media and Press Conferences
- April 13, 2020 - Retweeted Yves-F Blanchet:
- “60 000 trav. étrangers au Canada.
- 16 000 au Québec.
- Ottawa paye les fermes pour prendre le risque des quarantaines.
- Pas d'encadrement de santé publique.
- Personne n'est testé pour la COVID-19.
- Si ça ne va pas, on imposera des amendes.
- Vraiment?”
- April 11, 2020 - Retweeted Marcel Groleau: « Blanchet s'inquiète de la période de quarantaine des travailleurs étrangers. Le gouvernement fédéral devrait prendre en charge les travailleurs pour la quarantaine. On en met beaucoup sur les épaules des prod. @upaqc @yfblanchet ».
Biography
- Yves Perron was first elected as a Member of Parliament to represent the riding of Berthier–Maskinongé, QC, in 2019.
- With a background in social sciences and humanities, up to the 2019 election, MP Perron was teaching high school history in Saint-Félix-de-Valois. MP Perron also has a keen interest in economics, administration, communication, and political science. He has been very involved with the youth in his community, especially through various cultural projects and humanitarian trips.
- MP Perron has chaired several civil and political organizations and has been the national president of the Bloc Québécois since August 2018.
New Democratic Party
Alistair MacGregor
Cowichan-Malahat-Langford, BC
Committee Membership
- Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI) February 2020 to present
- Standing Joint committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations (REGS) February 2020 to present
IRCC related interventions in Parliament:
May 15, 2020 – AGRI - Canadian Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
- “[…] along the lines of the temporary foreign workers, in your opening statement you have given different figures than what the government presented because you said the government's figures seem a little higher than they should be because March and April are combined together. Did I hear that correctly?”
- “So the government has painted a slightly rosier picture than the reality on the ground for your members. However, we want to look at ways in which we can address this problem effectively. Where, in your mind, is the main problem coming? Are we finding the delays because airline travel has collapsed, or because our workers are afraid of coming to Canada because they're afraid of risking exposure to the virus? Is it still too much paperwork? Where more can we find room for improvement to ensure that we have a reliable labour pool for our producers in the upcoming months?”
May 11, 2020 – AGRI - Canadian Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
- “[…] April saw about 86% of last year's number of temporary foreign workers. This is good, given the circumstances. However, we know that much more will be needed, especially as we get closer to harvest season. I think we need to put this into the context of farms really struggling as to whether they're going to make it through this year. How confident are you that we are going to be able to meet our full demands when we get to the really busy season later this summer?”
- “Do you have a specific number? Has the department made any projections [re: TFWs] on the number you [Minister Bibeau] think you'll be able to have in place in the next few months?”
May 5, 2020 – AGRI – Canadian Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
- “The minister gave me a call today before the announcement was made about the change that you're hoping to negotiate with the provinces over AgriInsurance, including the absence of temporary workers as a risk. As things stand now, and looking ahead to the projections for the next few months, is the department aware of how many workers we might be short, for the upcoming agricultural season?”
Social Media and Press Conferences
- N/A
Biography
- Alistair MacGregor was first elected as a Member of Parliament to represent the riding of Cowichan–Malahat–Langford, BC, in 2015.
- MP MacGregor is a strong advocate for agriculture and lives in the Cowichan Valley with his family on a small farming property. He currently serves as the NDP’s Critic for Agriculture, Rural Economic Development, and as Deputy Critic for Justice.
- He has been actively engaging constituents on issues such as climate change, housing, pensions, salmon habitat, and the clean energy economy of the future. A former forestry worker, MP MacGregor has been an advocate for community-based agriculture with a focus on promoting environmental sustainability and ending food insecurity.
Liberal
Pat Finnigan
Miramichi—Grand Lake, NB
Chair
Committee Membership
- Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI), February 2020 to present
IRCC related interventions in Parliament:
April 28, 2020 – COVI – COVID-19 Pandemic
- “The fishing sector isn't spared and is also affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most fishing activity takes place in small coastal villages, where almost the entire population depends on the industry to make a living. COVID-19 is a source of major concern for plant workers and fishers, who are worried about their safety. Another concern relates to the transportation of seafood products to markets and processing plants, since the plants have very limited storage capacity in the event of a surplus. Lastly, …our seasonal workers are very worried because they may not have accumulated enough hours to qualify for employment insurance after the season ends.”
Social Media and Press Conferences
- N/A
Biography
- Pat Finnigan was first elected as a Member of Parliament to represent the riding Miramichi—Grand Lake, NB, in 2015.
- The son of a farmer, MP Finnigan grew up in Rogersville. During the late 1970s, he and his wife, Lise, started their company, best known as “Mr. Tomato”. This prosperous family farming business regularly gives back to the community through their involvement in local events and fundraising for charitable organizations. MP Finnigan is also one of the founding members of the La Récolte de Chez Nous co-operative – a network in which cultivators can exchange products and promote their industry.
- MP Finnigan is very involved in his community. Among other activities, he was the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Association of Community Business Development Corporations (CBDC) and President of the Kent CBDC and the Régie de la Santé de Miramichi. He was also president of the Miramichi Community Action Committee, and a member of the Ministry of Agriculture’s round table. He has received recognition on numerous occasions for his community involvement. In 2008, he received the Award of Excellence from the Province of New Brunswick for his community leadership and the Kent County Citizen of the Year Award, and in 2011, the New Brunswick Institute of Agrologists awarded him the Louis Hébert Award.
- MP Finnigan holds a technical diploma in phytology from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College.
Liberal
Lyne Bessette
Brome—Missisquoi, QC
Committee Membership
- Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI) February 2020 to present
- Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage (CHPC) February 2020 to present
IRCC related interventions in Parliament:
May 5, 2020 – AGRI – Canadian Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
- “[…] regarding the market changes caused by COVID-19, the needs vary from farm to farm. Of course, it's important to show flexibility with regard to foreign workers. Has anything been implemented to facilitate the transfer of foreign workers from one employer to another?”
Social Media and Press Conferences
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Biography
- Lyne Bessette was first elected as a Member of Parliament to represents the riding of Brome – Missisquoi, QC, in 2019.
- After attending high school at Massey-Vanier, MP Bessette went on to study science at the Cégep de Sherbrooke. Around that time, she started a career as a professional cyclist, opening doors to valuable life experiences — meeting exceptional people; seeing all kinds of diversity, from extreme poverty to extreme wealth; and bearing witness to the love people feel for their region and country.
- Her impressive cycling record includes two Olympic Games, several world championships and one gold medal at the London Paralympic Games, racing in tandem with a blind cyclist. MP Bessette is a team player par excellence, and she is passionately devoted to Brome–Missisquoi.
Liberal
Kody Blois
Kings–Hants, NS
Committee Membership
- Member, Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI) February 2020 to present
- Member, Standing Committee on Public Accounts (PACP) February 2020 to present
IRCC related interventions in Parliament:
May 11, 2020 – AGRI - Canadian Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
- “In terms of recruitment of farm workers, we have put some measures in place, on the Government of Canada website, to try to encourage domestic workers and to work with industry, correct?”
- “As part of, of course, the labour challenges we're seeing, you mentioned this. Can you just repeat it for all of us? Right now there are 86% of the number of temporary foreign workers who are actually in-country as compared to last year.”
- “Okay, and we introduced $50 million worth of support programs to help farmers as a result of the additional costs, is that correct?” Minster Bibeau answers, “Yes $1500/ worker”.
May 8, 2020 – AGRI – Canadian Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
- “What about the announcement from the Prime Minister this week of $4 billion for essential workers that could certainly include some of the agricultural workers? Just briefly, how are your discussions going with the provinces and having some of that money flow to them?”
May 5, 2020 – AGRI – Canadian Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
- “We have a large horticultural industry. I've certainly been working closely with the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture, but perhaps, Mr. Forbes, you could speak to the effort that has gone into making sure that our agricultural producers have the labour that they need.”
January 27, 2020 – Debate on Address in Reply
- “[…] the seasonal agricultural worker program is an important federal tool to ensure our farmers have access to the labour they need to grow their businesses and ensure our Canadian agricultural products reach markets both domestically and around the world. While this program is absolutely crucial, I believe there are ways we can streamline the process to make it even easier for our farmers and applicants in our communities […].”
Social Media and Press Conferences
- N/A
Biography
- Kody Blois was first elected as a Member of Parliament to represent the riding of Kings – Hants, NS, in 2019.
- MP Blois is a dedicated leader with a proven record of serving his community. Born and raised in Kings—Hants, he grew up in a working-class household. He understands the priorities of the families who live there and knows what it takes to create new jobs and strengthen the middle class.
- The first member of his family to attend university, MP Blois completed degrees in commerce, law, and public administration - which sparked his interest in serving his community. His parents instilled values in him that he carries to this day: the importance of hard work, caring for others, and making a difference in any way you can.
Liberal
Francis Drouin
Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
Committee Membership
- Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI) February 2020 to present
- Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO) February 2020 to present
IRCC related interventions in Parliament:
Feb 27, 2020 – AGRI – “Briefing from the Department of Agriculture:
- “Food services account for 1.6% of GDP, food retailers and wholesalers for 1.6%, food and beverage processing for 1.8%, and primary agriculture for 1.7%. I know that the major challenge facing people in these sectors is labour shortages. Can you explain what is happening? Is there a coordination table working with the provinces to find a way to finally address this issue?”
Social Media and Press Conferences
- April 7, 2020 – Retweeted Marie-Claude Bibeau: “Our agricultural producers across the country are working hard every day to ensure we have high-quality food on our grocery store shelves and kitchen tables. And to do that, we know many rely on temporary foreign workers – we are working very hard to help. #CdnAg @JustinTrudeau”
Biography
- Francis Drouin was first elected as a Member of Parliament to represent the riding Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON, in 2015.
- MP Drouin is active on a variety of parliamentary associations such as the Assemblée Parlementaire de la Francophonie and the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group.
- MP Drouin holds a college diploma in business administration-finance from Collège La Cité and an Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Ottawa. In terms of his professional experience, he worked as a special assistant in the Office of the Ontario Premier and then went on to work in the private sector as a government relations consultant. As a volunteer, MP Drouin has been a member of the Board of Directors of Collège La Cité and worked as the government relations manager for Startup Canada.
Liberal
Neil R. Ellis
Bay of Quinte, ON
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Committee Membership
- Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI) February 2020 to present
IRCC related interventions in Parliament:
- N/A
Social Media and Press Conferences
- N/A
Biography
- Neil Ellis was elected as the first Member of Parliament to represent the new riding, Bay of Quinte, ON, in 2015.
- MP Ellis has owned and operated a successful local business for nearly 30 years. From 2006-2014, he also served as Mayor of the City of Belleville. A committed leader and visionary, he championed innovative strategies to address a serious shortage of family physicians and other health practitioners in the region and also introduced local infrastructure improvements.
- During his two terms as Mayor, MP Ellis realized the importance of federal leadership to ensuring that municipal governments have reliable funding to allocate towards critical infrastructure projects and service programming. He believes this is the key to promoting economic growth and improving the quality of life for all constituents.
- MP Ellis has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law and Psychology from Carleton University, in addition to a Chartered Director (C. Dir.) and Human Resources Compensation Committee Certification (H.R.C.C.C.), both professional designations through McMaster University’s Directors College programs.
Liberal
Tim Louis
Kitchener—Conestoga, ON
Committee Membership
- Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI) February 2020 to present
- Member, Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage (CHPC) February 2020 to present
IRCC related interventions in Parliament:
- N/A
Social Media and Press Conferences
- N/A
Biography
- Tim Louis was first elected as a Member of Parliament to represent the riding of Kitchener—Conestoga, ON, in 2019.
- As a successful business owner, professional musician, and community charity volunteer, MP Louis is a community leader who understands how to create well-paying new jobs for the families of Kitchener—Conestoga. He has lived in the Forest Heights area of Kitchener for the past 25 years, where he and his wife are raising their two children. His involvement in local community initiatives allows him to have an understanding of our communities and the families that work hard every day to create a better life for everyone in Kitchener—Conestoga.
- MP Louis has firsthand experience with the challenges that middle-class families face every day. He understands the connections to the manufacturing sector, the arts, the tech sector, as well as farming and agriculture.
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