QUESTION PERIOD — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Immigration Transfers
November 15, 2022
My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.
Senator Gold, I would like to talk about immigration in Quebec. We know that this subject has received extensive coverage lately.
Early this month, journalist Joël-Denis Bellavance published an article in La Presse stating that Quebec spent only 25% of the funding it had been given by the federal government for the 2021-22 fiscal year to help immigrants integrate and learn to speak French. We are talking about $168 million out of a total of nearly $700 million.
Senator Gold, can you confirm whether Mr. Bellavance’s reporting is true? If so, is the federal government okay with the fact that this federal funding intended to meet specific provincial objectives is not being spent?
Thank you for the question.
As you know, senator, Quebec has exclusive authority to select the majority of its immigrants. Under the Canada-Quebec Accord, Quebec receives funding to provide French integration programs to newcomers.
The government respects this agreement, which has worked very well for decades. However, the article to which you refer is still concerning. I have been assured that the government continues to work closely with Quebec and is committed to always respecting provincial jurisdiction in immigration matters.
I recognize, accept and approve of the fact that, according to the 1991 Canada-Quebec Accord on immigration, Quebec is responsible for welcoming and integrating newcomers to Quebec and ensuring they know French. I agree with Premier Legault that integration must be at the heart of our immigration policy. However, this recent news troubles me.
If this money were used for the intended purpose, perhaps Quebec could welcome more immigrants and would be able to better integrate them, which could alleviate some of the pressures on the labour market.
Doesn’t the federal government have a responsibility to ensure that the money it transfers to the provinces for a particular program is spent on that program?
Is it time to re-evaluate the concept of unconditional federal transfers to the provinces and explore a transparency and accountability mechanism?
Thank you for the question.
The Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec have been collaborating for some time to advance and ensure respect for shared immigration priorities. The 1991 Canada-Quebec Accord defines the bilateral relationship between Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and Quebec, which is guided by the principle that immigration must help preserve Quebec’s demographic weight within Canada as well as its distinct identity. The agreement has provided Quebec with a lot of money, and that funding has gone up in recent years. Funding is not tied to the total number of new immigrants to Quebec in a given year. The amount of funding never goes down, and the amount established in one year becomes the baseline for the following year.
The Government of Canada will continue to work closely with the Government of Quebec to achieve the goal of bringing in as many immigrants as necessary to help our businesses thrive and ensure the vitality of French in Canada.
