44th Parl. 1st Sess.
October 5, 2022 02:00PM
- Oct/5/22 2:22:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the new Conservative leader will put the people first: their paycheques, their savings and their country. After years of government mismanagement and Liberal-made backlogs, it is time to get the gatekeepers out of our immigration system.
Conservatives are bringing hope to doctors, nurses and newcomers who are dreaming of coming to our country but are blocked from working in their profession simply because of the country they come from. We will team up with the provinces to fix the broken foreign credential recognition system by guaranteeing within 60 days that immigrants applying for work in their profession will get an answer based on merit, not on their country of origin.
As Canada faces a labour shortage, we need to empower workers to fill the gaps in our workforce. Red tape and bureaucracy should not stop newcomers from achieving their dreams.
Enough talking, enough empty rhetoric and enough broken promises. It is time to remove the gatekeepers and get more doctors, nurses, skilled workers and inflation-protected paycheques for our hard-working and skilled immigrants.
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- Oct/5/22 2:49:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canada has one of the best immigration systems in the world. Furthermore, we have the advantage of having a population and a Parliament that are very much in favour of immigration. That is a significant asset on this planet in the current geopolitical context.
The reality is that we have a labour shortage. We need to create population growth, and we will welcome even more immigrants. The reality is that we must do so using a fair and rigorous system that is rooted in our values. That is what we always try to do.
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Mr. Speaker, I congratulate my hon. colleague from Beauport—Limoilou. Her speeches always include little snippets that are very poetic and moving.
My question has to do with temporary foreign workers. Quebec has jurisdiction over labour matters. We have the Commission des partenaires du marché du travail and the Conseils régionaux des partenaires du marché de travail. Each sector is analyzed to determine labour needs, but the temporary foreign workers program comes under Ottawa's jurisdiction. It is appalling. You have to knock on one door and then another and another. It is ridiculous.
I would like to hear my colleague's thoughts on that.
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Mr. Speaker, foreign workers are essential to our businesses. Everyone can agree on that.
What is not essential during a labour shortage is forcing businesses to conduct studies to prove that their employees are essential. Make no mistake, they are essential. People from other countries are not brought in if they are not needed. Quebec needs to have full jurisdiction over foreign workers.
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Mr. Speaker, I know that the Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons stated that this bill and two others have measures to help people face inflation. That is fine. However, there may be other solutions available.
One of the solutions put forward by the Bloc Québécois was to enlist experienced workers. We know that some people who retire may be reluctant to return to the labour market to help out because the little income they would earn per year would be taxed. The Bloc proposed creating a tax credit for these people so this additional income would not be taxed. In addition to helping them cope with inflation, it could help alleviate the labour shortage.
Does my colleague agree with this proposal?
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for that creative solution. She is absolutely right that Canada is facing a labour shortage that is really unprecedented. As health critic I see this most acutely in the health care sector, where across this country, in every profession, we have a shortage of workers and they are facing a crisis.
Any measures and policies that are fair, that are targeted at getting people back in the workforce, and that encourage people to work are something we should be looking at. Any policy that discourages someone from entering the workforce is something that is unacceptable and should be changed.
I am happy to look at any proposal that the Bloc has in this regard.
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