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NOTES FOR AN ADDRESS BY
THE HONOURABLE MONTE SOLBERG
MINISTER OF CITIZENSHIP
AND IMMIGRATION

Eighth National Metropolis Conference

Vancouver, B.C.
March 26, 2006

Check against delivery

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Thank you very much for that kind introduction.

It is a pleasure to be here today in Vancouver, an excellent choice for this conference. After all, Vancouver is one of Canada’s gateways to the world, not to mention one of the world’s great cities.

This is my first opportunity to speak at a Metropolis Conference and I want to begin by thanking those of you who are part of this innovative policy-research network for your insights and input into Canada’s immigration policy. Your research carries great weight and gets a lot of attention in my office. But when we talk about research and policy, we sometimes mask the fact that the story of immigration is a human story. I think my job is to make sure that it is a story with a happy ending for both newcomers and native born Canadians.

Today, I want to share how our government intends to help make that happen.

You might say that Canada is a nation founded on immigration and initiative, and very often our history is the story of the two combined. Every year, hundreds of thousands of newcomers place their faith in the promise of Canada, and they don’t come empty handed. They come speaking many languages, with valuable skills and with unique experiences. Most importantly, they come with a huge desire to make a better life for themselves and their families. And of course when they succeed we all succeed.

It’s not surprising that many people are looking to immigration to address Canada’s looming demographic shift, and our shortage of skilled workers. By respecting our immigration rules, we ensure a fair system that meets Canada’s needs and protects all of those involved.

However, for many newcomers the journey here is only half the battle. Early immigrants to Canada faced bitter cold winters and some unbearably hot summers — except here in Vancouver where cherry blossoms are in full bloom in March, much to the chagrin of the rest of Canada’s winter weary population. Today, the challenges faced by newcomers are far less visible, but no less daunting. First of all, before they can even come here they have to wait in a line-up. Sometimes they wait for years. Then before any landing documents will be issued they are charged $975. Processing new applications, quickly and effectively is key for this ministry.

In the meantime, you may know that Prime Minister Harper has already committed to cut the $975 Right of Permanent Resident Fee in half. Not only will that mean more money in the pockets of newcomers to provide for their settlement, it will also send a clear message that Canada wants and values immigrants.

Which brings me to my next point. Foreign credential recognition. Canada attracts the best and the brightest — and they should be able to work in their designated field.

It’s not right that a foreign-trained doctor should spend years charting a course through a maze of rules and regulations before he or she can find any work at all in the medical field, despite a growing shortage of nurses, doctors, and medical professionals of all kinds. The same applies in dozens of other fields.

That’s why my department is working with Human Resources and Social Development Canada, our provincial partners and many others to begin to address the issue of foreign credentials. Together we will take the necessary steps to bridge the unfair gap between selection criteria and outcomes for newcomers to Canada.

Canada’s approach to citizenship and immigration policy is not just about our national balance sheet — it is also rooted in deeply held Canadian values and traditions. Our Government is committed to supporting Canadian families, some of which have experienced the joy of adopting a child born outside our borders. This government is committed to bringing families together. That’s why we want to make the process of obtaining Canadian citizenship for adoptive children easier, not harder. Our Government has committed to supporting Canadian parents who adopt foreign-born children by introducing legislation that will extend citizenship to these children, provided the adoption is legal and in the best interests of the child.

As you know, the theme of this year’s conference is “Canada’s Place in the World”. Canada has never been just a silent advocate for freedom, justice and democracy. We put our words into action by giving refuge to people who suffer under oppressive regimes.

In late 2001, I had the opportunity to travel to two camps in western Afghanistan near the Iranian border with an NGO called Samaritan’s Purse. The idea was to help people start to rebuild their country following the collapse of the Taliban regime. We distributed blankets, cooking supplies and shoeboxes filled with toys for more than 10,000 Afghans who had been driven from their homes by war.

Having seen what I saw in Afghanistan, I believe that part of our role in the world is to help those who have been driven from their homes by war. It is our moral obligation, and it’s what being Canadian is all about. Giving people a hand-up, and a chance to make a life for themselves and their families.

We can’t achieve any of this by ourselves. In fact, in a few minutes, my very talented Deputy Minister Janice Charette will be chairing a panel on how different levels of government can work together with respect to immigration. And you will see that she really is the brains of the operation. Janice and I both know that cooperation is vital to our success. But cooperation has to go beyond governments.

This Metropolis conference is a good example of how we can bring people together to talk about the issues and search for solutions that ultimately shape the government policies that help people.

The decisions the Government of Canada makes today will affect Canadian society tomorrow. Which is why we can’t make those decisions based on news-cycles or newspaper headlines. Canadians and newcomers alike have a lot at stake in the issues you’ll be discussing. Their hopes and dreams are on the line. Again, immigration policy is always about people which is why I am so honoured to be the Minister, and I suspect it is why you are here today. You care about those people, and you care about Canada. I thank you for that and for your attention this morning.