SoVote

Context: House Hansard - 195 - May/11/23

Mr. Tom Kmiec (Calgary Shepard, CPC)

May/11/23 10:32:37 a.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the Bloc leader a question about his motion. He spoke a bit about the workers we need. I would like him to think on the following question. In Quebec and across Canada, we need skilled trades workers. The government's most recent numbers show that in 2019, we had to wait 12 months to bring in a skilled trade worker to work in Canada and Quebec. In March 2023, the wait time for a worker to come to Canada was 73 months. We have desperate business owners who need these workers to be able to keep their businesses going. I would like the member to address this question about the number of workers we need in Canada. After eight years, the government is still completely incapable of providing our businesses with the skilled workers they need.

145 words

Context: House Hansard - 195 - May/11/23

Hon. Pierre Poilievre

May/11/23 11:21:01 a.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, what interests me are the figures for small- and medium-sized businesses in the Saguenay—Lac‑Saint‑Jean region that are looking for workers but facing a labour shortage. During a labour shortage, immigration numbers will be higher than average. When jobs are more scarce, the numbers drop. Immigration numbers should be based first and foremost on Canada's needs. When companies and farmers need more workers because there are no Canadians to fill the vacancies, the process has to be fast-tracked to allow them to sponsor the workers they need. When the economy slows, there will obviously be fewer. We have to base our numbers on common sense, not on the hopes and dreams of the CEOs of multinationals, like Dominic Barton. That is what common sense is all about.

137 words

Context: House Hansard - 195 - May/11/23

Mrs. Caroline Desbiens (Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d'Orléans—Charlevoix, BQ)

May/11/23 12:47:02 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his speech, which was very interesting. I myself come from the business world, and I know that when an employee is happy, he becomes actively involved in the business. I would like the member to explain to me how, if we open the floodgates of immigration, businesses will be able to integrate workers and make them happy. If businesses are unable to integrate workers, if they cannot teach them French or if they cannot make them happy in Quebec because they are overcome by all sorts of variables, the workers will leave. That costs businesses dearly. It must be taken into consideration.

109 words

Context: House Hansard - 195 - May/11/23

Hon. Diane Lebouthillier

May/11/23 1:44:09 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, I have met with business owners in my riding and all over Quebec, and I have also worked in the health care sector. I can say that businesses will do the work and take care of teaching people French. We know that. They are ready to do it. The business community is ready to co-operate, be it the Quebec Employers Council or the chambers of commerce. In the health care sector, back home, the physicians who are coming to work in our emergency rooms are travelling doctors. They are doctors who come from abroad. They speak other languages, but they also speak French. They are able to come help out in our communities. This is a plus for the region. I also want to point out that Quebec sets its own targets for immigration.

137 words