Hoskins:
Federal Stalling Leads To Immigration Agreement Expiry
March
31, 2011
Dr.
Eric Hoskins, Ontario’s Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
On
March 31, Ontario’s immigration agreement with the federal government
expired.
For
months, the McGuinty government has been fighting for a new deal from the
Harper government – one that would treat Ontario’s newcomers fairly
and give them the support and services they need to find jobs here in
Ontario, and contribute to our province’s economy.
We
have been fighting for our newcomers because we know that immigration is
an economic imperative. We
value all of our newcomers, and we want to ensure that they have the
opportunity to succeed in Ontario.
Unfortunately,
when the Harper government finally came to the negotiating table, they
were completely inflexible on all of the points that Ontario raised on
behalf of our newcomers, and their inflexibility is the reason we
couldn’t reach a deal before the federal election.
The
Federal Conservatives unilaterally imposed a $44 million cut to settlement
services in Ontario that help our newcomers adjust to life in their new
home, find jobs, and learn a new language.
This cut comes on top of a promised $207 million that the Harper
government failed to spend on services that help Ontario’s newcomers
succeed.
The
Harper government has refused to reach a new immigration deal that treats
Ontario and our newcomers the same way they treat newcomers in provinces
like British Columbia, Manitoba, and Quebec.
For
example, in Quebec the Harper government spends one and a half times more
per immigrant than for a newcomer in Ontario.
That funding goes toward settlement and training programs –
programs that help newcomers succeed.
Ontario is fighting for a deal that sees the federal government
treat our newcomers fairly. But
Prime Minister Harper won’t agree.
A
few months ago, Canadians learned that the federal government planned to
significantly reduce the number of Federal Skilled Workers it would admit
to Canada, as well as reducing the number of families it would re-unite by
admitting parents and grand-parents.
The Harper Conservatives made these decisions without consulting
Ontario, and they are decisions that hurt our newcomers and hurt
Ontario’s economic future. We
need a stronger voice so that we can stand up for Ontario’s newcomers on
the issue of selection, but Prime Minister Harper won’t agree.
We
are proud of our diversity here in Ontario.
We are proud of each and every one of the immigrants who have
chosen to come to Ontario to build a better life for themselves and their
families.
Our
newcomers deserve to be treated fairly by the Harper government.
And even though the Harper Conservatives have let Ontario’s
agreement expire, the McGuinty government will keep fighting for our
newcomers. We will keep
fighting for a deal that treats our newcomers fairly, and that helps
secure Ontario’s economic future.
