Opening Remarks for The Honourable Marco E.L. Mendicino Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship To the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration (CIMM)

Mandate Letter and Supplementary Estimates

Ottawa, Ontario
March 12, 2020

Introduction

Thank you, Madame Chair.

Let me first acknowledge that we gather today on the traditional territory of the Algonquin Nation.

I am pleased to make my first appearance before this committee as Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.

As a result of Canada’s history of immigration, today more than one in five Canadians were born outside Canada. This is a strength for our country and a source of great pride.

Canada’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is essential to making our nation and this world a better, safer place.

That is why the Government of Canada is focused on building an inclusive society with a sense of belonging, trust, and shared values throughout our country.

We know that immigrants make important contributions to Canada, both economically and through cultural diversity, and our government will continue to defend immigration in this country.

Our aim is to further improve Canada’s immigration system for the benefit of all Canadians and newcomers.  This is no small task and it is a responsibility that I do not take lightly.

Madame Chair, the Prime Minister identified many objectives in my mandate letter, and I am happy to report that I have already begun this work in earnest.

Levels

As you know, in recent years, our Government has moved to multi-year levels planning.  This approach allows us to work more effectively with our partners all across the country, as we make responsible increases to immigration.

My Department will soon table its Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration, which will include Canada’s Multi-Year Levels Plan for Immigration, for 2020 to 2022.

Immigration builds vibrant and dynamic communities, and gives Canadian businesses the skills they need to thrive in global markets and create good-paying middle class jobs. Our government is working with our counterparts to ensure these benefits are distributed across the country, particularly in this period where several regions were affected by the labor shortages.

We live in an increasingly competitive world and we must seize the opportunity to work together to ensure that Canada remains a world leader.

I’m pleased to have just returned from Germany, where Canada was recognized as a world leader and an example for the rest of the world in terms of immigration. Germany invited us to share the lessons we have learned together over many years. These lessons have strengthened our system, which has been hailed by the OECD as the “benchmark for other countries” when it comes to integration.

To seize the opportunity and stay that world leader, we are working on various projects to enhance economic immigration everywhere in Canada.

Pilots / Express Entry

Take the Atlantic Immigration Pilot, for example, which has been a great success. We are building on it to attract even more skilled immigrants to live and work in Atlantic Canada, and taking the next steps to it becoming a permanent program.

In addition, our Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot is rolling out in partnership with eleven communities, from Northern Ontario to British Columbia.  

We are also looking at developing a new Municipal Nominee Program, to allow local communities, chambers of commerce and labour councils to directly sponsor the workers they need.

Express Entry

Similarly, the Express Entry program is the fast lane for immigrants who have the skills and experience to “get started”. And it’s getting results:

• 95% of participants have a job;
• 83% in their main occupation; and

20% earn more than principal applicants not registered more than non-Express Entry principal applicants.

Humanitarian Immigration

We are also maintaining our commitment to family reunification and will continue to play a leadership role in refugee resettlement, by introducing a dedicated refugee stream for journalists and humanitarian workers at risk, with a target of helping to resettle as many as 250 people a year.

To help all newcomers and their families integrate, our government will continue to deliver innovative settlement programming and to further invest in research, support, and employment projects for visible minority newcomer women.

Newcomers, whether refugees or from family reunification, give back to their host country by participating in the economic development of their communities. I know you will be as familiar with these success stories as I am.

Supporting positive outcomes – not only for the newcomers who come to Canada, but for our communities across the country – is critical, and my Cabinet colleagues and I are working diligently with partners and stakeholders across the country to achieve this.

Attraction

Madame Chair, a timely and efficient immigration system is of critical importance, in order to attract the world’s most talented individuals, meet our commitments to family reunification, and provide humanitarian leadership. It’s also key to maintaining the confidence of Canadians.

Canadians continue to view immigration as key to filling labour gaps and a tool in addressing the challenges of an aging working population. But, while Canadians continue to express strong support for immigration, we cannot become complacent.

Security

We know that Canadians’ continued support of immigration goes hand in hand with our ability to manage the system in an orderly and principled way, and one that is beneficial to the country.

While Canada is open and generous towards the world’s most vulnerable, we must also remain vigilant in the enforcement of our borders, while ensuring our asylum system remains open for those who truly need it.

To that end, working with my colleague, the Minister of Public Safety, I will continue to advance reforms and investments in the capacity of the asylum system, to ensure it is efficient while meeting Canada’s international legal obligations.

Fraud Prevention

Madame Chair, improving our immigration system for all of our clients means that we must also endeavor to protect them from fraud, and from falling prey to immigration and citizenship consultants who take advantage of vulnerable applicants.

To that end, my Department will implement the new professional governance regime for immigration and citizenship consultants, under the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Act, bringing strengthened government oversight and new compliance and enforcement tools into effect.

Francophone Immigration

The protection of our official languages is very important and that is why we want to put in place measures to strengthen the capacity of francophone communities across the country.

We want to increase francophone immigration between now and 2023 and support the integration and retention of French-speaking newcomers outside Quebec.

Citizenship / Oath

Canadian citizenship is the hallmark of a newcomer’s full integration into Canada.

I have attended a few citizenship ceremonies since I took office and I can tell you, there is no greater pride than the pride that can be seen on the faces of newcomers on this significant day.

Becoming a citizen is a key of an immigrant’s journey, and 86 percent of newcomers go on to become Canadians – this is one of the highest naturalization rates in the world.

In fact, more than 200,000 people took the oath of citizenship and became citizens in 2018-2019.

Through our shared citizenship, we are building a stronger Canada and promoting equality and diversity.

To encourage even more newcomers to take the full path to citizenship, our Government will bring forward a plan to eliminate fees for citizenship for those who have fulfilled the requirements to obtain it.

Furthermore, to ensure all new Canadians understand and appreciate the importance of Indigenous peoples to our heritage, we re-introduced legislation to change the Oath of Citizenship, to reflect the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.

Conclusion

Madame Chair, in conclusion, I believe that Canadians should have the utmost respect for the people who want to rebuild their lives in Canada and make contributions to our country.

I know that everyone around this table shares the same goals of seeing how we can use immigration to improve not only our country, but to make the world a better place. For example, the work of your committee on the issue of the labor shortage comes at an important time, and I look forward to working with you on this to address the challenges and find new opportunities.

Together I know we can generate and shape the ideas that will drive Canada’s long-term prosperity and I look forward to collaborating together to that end.

Thank you.