QUESTION PERIOD — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot Project
October 17, 2023
My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.
Senator Gold, in the wake of Minister Miller’s announcement last week, Le Devoir published an article today entitled “Ottawa accusé de faire marche arrière sur son engagement humanitaire après Roxham,” or “Ottawa accused of walking back its humanitarian engagement after Roxham.” Here’s part of what it says:
“I think the meaning of ‘humanitarian’ is being twisted,” said Adèle Garnier, a professor in the department of geography at Université Laval. She believes it is clear that temporary foreign workers “are not humanitarian migrants” according to the traditional definition because this kind of program exists “specifically to meet economic needs.”
According to the article, even though there is already a family reunification program, “The 11,000 Colombians, Venezuelans and Haitians will qualify if a member of their extended family is already in Canada.”
Senator Gold, when will we learn the details of the new program Minister Miller announced, and when will it be on stream?
Thank you for the question. Canada is committed to welcoming 15,000 people from the western hemisphere. As you pointed out, the minister announced a new humanitarian pathway for permanent residence for 11,000 people from the Americas, including Haiti. I’m told the program will open this fall.
The government will also welcome an additional 4,000 temporary foreign workers from the region. The Government of Canada continues to offer regular humanitarian and economic immigration pathways as well as temporary work programs.
I’m also told that work is ongoing in collaboration with our partners.
