Canadian Alliance Applauds Changes to Immigration Rules
Ottawa - Diane Ablonczy, M.P., Canadian Alliance Chief Critic for Citizenship and Immigration, applauded a move by the Immigration Minister to finally respond to the thousands of immigrant applicants prevented from entering Canada by his new rules last year.
The Canadian Alliance had strongly criticized the Liberal government for taking applications and fees from over 100,000 applicants, and then changing the rules in order to keep those immigrants from entering the country.
“These people applied to immigrate to Canada in good faith and paid a lot of money to do so. Suddenly the rules were changed on them unfairly and they were told that they no longer qualified,” Ablonczy explained.
The Minister lost two court rulings and watched thousands of lawsuits pile up before he finally acknowledged that he was in the wrong and reversed his unfair new rules.
The Canadian Alliance is also pleased that the Minister has moved the pass mark for immigrants from 75 to a much more realistic 67.
The Canadian Alliance as well as many others, told the Minister before he even put the new regulations into place that they were too harsh. The rules kept many prospective immigrants who would be a tremendous asset to Canada, from even applying.
The Canadian Alliance is happy to see that common sense has prevailed. “I think the Minister was forced to realize that he has been on the losing side of his attempts to keep skilled immigrants out of Canada, and decided to do the right thing,” Ablonczy said.
The Canadian Alliance believes that Canada must now work towards better integration and settlement of newcomers to Canada and should work especially hard to recognize foreign credentials.
“We want to see Canada welcome qualified immigrants from around the world to a new and prosperous opportunity here in our wonderful country.”
