QUESTION PERIOD — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Immigration to Quebec
May 9, 2023
My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. The Journal de Montréal has just published a whole section that characterizes the federal government’s immigration goal as a trap for Quebec and an existential threat to the survival of French in America.
I personally reject this perspective, which fuels xenophobia and the fear of immigration in Quebec. That said, I don’t believe that the federal government can simply ignore these alarmist scenarios. Ottawa has the responsibility to rebut these arguments and explain its objectives to reassure people. Senator Gold, what does the federal government intend to do to explain its policies, demonstrate the benefits of immigration and reassure people?
Thank you for your question. First of all, it should be noted that Quebec sets its own immigration targets and has exclusive authority over selecting the majority of its immigrants, and thanks to the agreement between Canada and Quebec, the government offers Quebec financial compensation to ensure the francization of newcomers. The government of Canada always respects Quebec’s jurisdiction over immigration.
Ensuring the vitality of francophone communities remains a key priority for the federal government. The government is proud to announce that it has reached its target of 4.4% francophone immigration outside Quebec. In 2022, Canada admitted over 16,371 French-speaking immigrants outside Quebec. That is a nearly 450% increase since 2015, and that is the largest number of francophone immigrants admitted to Canada outside of Quebec since data tracking began in 2006.
The government firmly believes it can grow the economy while protecting the French culture and language.
The public is still scared, however, and some people are happy to take those fears and exploit them. I don’t think we can try to make them go away.
That was the point of my question. Is the federal government considering strong action to positively counter or correct the fearmongering about immigration? Unfortunately, the immigrants themselves are the ones who suffer from prejudice.
Thank you for the question. As the Prime Minister recently said, and I quote: “Building a world free of racism requires deliberate, continuous efforts to change perceptions.”
In that respect, the government has committed to building a more inclusive country where everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed. With the support of the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat, the government is continuing to take steps to combat racial discrimination and its impacts on individuals and communities across the country, including in the health care system.
The government has put in place initiatives such as Promoting Health Equity: Mental Health of Black Canadians Fund, which supports community projects designed to promote mental health in Black communities; the Addressing Racism and Discrimination in Canada’s Health Systems Program, which funds projects that fight systemic racism in our health care systems; and the Indigenous Health Equity Fund, which demonstrates Canada’s commitment to implementing Joyce’s Principle to bring in legislation on Indigenous health, address systemic inequities faced by Indigenous people and give them access to high-quality and culturally appropriate health care free from racism and discrimination.
