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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Question period dealt with immigration levels and the immigration system. The Conservative leader said the government had lost track of population figures, with Statistics Canada reporting about 300,000 more people than the Prime Minister had stated, and pointed to a rise in asylum claim backlogs and temporary resident numbers; he said immigrants themselves were not to blame, argued the federal system was broken and that corporations were using temporary workers to hold down wages, and asked that provinces like Alberta and Quebec be given more control over immigration to protect health care, housing and other services. Liberal ministers said the Prime Minister had taken back control of the immigration system and set sustainable levels, that immigrants contribute to the economy and communities, that the government works with provinces and territories on the temporary foreign worker program, and said the Conservatives should stop what they called demonizing immigrants. Both sides also accused each other of inconsistency on temporary foreign workers.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

6 statements

Pierre Poilievre

Conservative
“The Liberals have lost control of immigration. In June, the Prime Minister said our population went down, but official numbers show Canada actually has 300,000 more people than he said. He should not be calling for more immigration when he cannot even count how many people are already here.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Liberals have sent immigration out of control. We now learn that the Prime Minister cannot even keep track of the number of people here in the country. In June, he claimed that the population had gone down, but then Statistics Canada said this month that there are 300,000 more people in Canada than the Prime Minister had said. How can the Prime Minister tell The New York Times that we need an increase in immigration, when he cannot even keep track of the number of people already here?

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François-Philippe Champagne

Liberal
“The Prime Minister has taken back control of Canada's immigration system and set sustainable levels. Newcomers choose Canada, help our society, build families here, and make our country great.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

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  • Government answer in Question Period

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Canadians have heard the Leader of the Opposition, again and again, saying many things. One thing they know is that the Prime Minister has taken back control of the immigration system in the country. Not only did we do that, but we also ensured that we would have a sustainable level of immigration. We know, on this side of the aisle, that the people who come to our country choose Canada, contribute to our society, build families here and contribute to the greatness of the country.

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Pierre Poilievre

Conservative

Linked statement

“Immigrants are not to blame for our broken immigration system. The Liberal government is. Asylum backlogs are up 2,500 percent, and temporary residents are up 260 percent. The government has lost track of 300,000 people. If the Prime Minister cannot count who is already here, he should not claim we need more immigration.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, immigrants themselves are not to blame. They are hard-working, law-abiding and decent people. What is to blame is the Liberal government, which has destroyed the system. The asylum claim backlog is up 2,500% since the government took office. Temporary foreign worker permits are up 135%. The number of temporary residents is up 260%. The Liberals have lost track of 300,000 people. If the Prime Minister cannot even keep count of the number of people here, how can he claim that we need to bring more immigration in?

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Patty Hajdu

Liberal
“The Conservatives need to stop attacking immigrants and claiming they steal jobs. Immigrants work hard, help our economy, and start businesses. The Conservatives also keep asking for more temporary foreign workers while ignoring the need for manageable immigration.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite might want to speak to his caucus about not demonizing immigration. In fact, so often we hear from members on the opposition bench about how immigrants are stealing Canadians’ jobs. They are forgetting about the hard work immigrants do to build a life here, to contribute to our economies and in fact to build businesses. He should speak to the members of his caucus who continually ask for more temporary foreign workers while ignoring the need for sustainable immigration levels that we can manage, that help our economy grow—

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Pierre Poilievre

Conservative
“The government broke the immigration system and let corporations use immigrants to lower wages and raise rents. Provinces pay for the health care, housing, and services newcomers need. I want the government to give Alberta, Quebec, and other provinces more control over immigration so they can protect these services.”

  • Opposition question in Question Period

    Signal 37 of 100

    Much of this statement went to praise, blame, greetings, routine procedure or general stories rather than reasons, requests or specific points.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, if anyone should be apologizing to immigrants, it is the Liberal government, for completely destroying the system and allowing corporate power brokers to use vulnerable immigrants to drive wages down and rents up. Provinces must deliver the services related to newcomers: health care, jobs and housing. However, the Prime Minister wants to concentrate all the power in his hands, where he has let the system run out of control. Why not allow Alberta, Quebec and the other provinces more control so they can ensure that we protect health care, housing and jobs for all Canadians?

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Patty Hajdu

Liberal
“We work with the provinces to help businesses hire temporary foreign workers when there are no Canadians to do the jobs. The Conservatives need to stop attacking immigrants and immigration. Their words make it harder for businesses to find workers and harder for newcomers to settle here.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Signal 40 of 100

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what we have done with the temporary foreign worker program. We have worked closely with provinces and territories to ensure that flexibilities are there for provinces that need short-term labour availability when there are no Canadians to take the jobs. What does not help is an opposition party that demonizes immigration and demonizes immigrants, making it harder for people to get the workers they need, for people to land in our communities and contribute to their fullest. Enough is enough. They need to stop speaking out of both sides of their mouth.

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