Considering the short time available before parliamentary work adjourns in June, and the importance of the issue, the Official Opposition has presented its three deal breaker conditions in order to be able to support the adoption of Bill 9 before the end of the current parliamentary session.
First of all, the Minister of Immigration, Diversity and Inclusion, Mr. Simon Jolin-Barrette, needs to firmly commit to processing the 18,000 immigration files that are currently on hold, as well as retract the articles of the bill that foresaw their cancellation. The minister must go back on his anti-economic decision which does absolutely nothing to meet the needs of businesses.
Secondly, the Official Opposition demands that the conditions for permanent residence be abolished. This aspect of the bill was denounced by many of the groups we heard in parliamentary committee, including the Association québécoise des avocats et avocates en droit de l’immigration (AQAADI), the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse (CDPDJ) and the Barreau du Québec. In addition to being another burden for newcomers to shoulder when they come to work here, the conditions risk compromising their integration. There are also concerns about the administrative burden that these conditions might inflict upon companies that are directly affected by article 10 of the bill.
Finally, our expectation is that this bill makes life easier for entrepreneurs who hire newcomers. Yet, at the moment, Bill 9 is doing just the opposite and is imposing an additional administrative burden. This aspect must absolutely be remedied.
We believe that there are 3 essential conditions for Bill 9 to be acceptable. In its current form, the bill just doesn’t meet our expectations. The 18,000 files that are already in the system need to be processed, the conditions for permanent residence must be abolished and the administrative regulations must not represent a burden for businesses. This bill does not take into account the workforce shortage or business’ urgent needs. We want to work with the Minister to move the bill forward, because the current uncertainty does not benefit anyone. That being said, the Minister must also demonstrate openness and transparency so that we can move ahead.
—Dominique Anglade, MNA representing Saint-Henri—Sainte-Anne and Official Opposition for Economy and Immigration
