On Parliament Hill

Last week, Conservative leader Andrew Scheer outlined our positive Conservative vision for Immigration.

People come to Canada because they want freedom, equality and opportunity. They want a better life for themselves and for their children. Freedom and opportunity have always been the promise of Canada.

Sadly, under the Trudeau Liberals, Canadians are questioning the integrity of our borders and losing confidence in the fairness of our immigration system.

Mr. Scheer reminded Canadians that “since 2017 more than 43,000 people have crossed into Canada illegally from the United States – which is still one of the safest, most prosperous and most free countries in the world. This has cost tax-payers well over a billion dollars and that number is only going up.”

Among the people I hear from most on this issue are new Canadians themselves. People who respected the land they wished to call home. People played by the rules rather than flouting them.

Mr. Scheer describes the same experience.

“No one is more offended at Justin Trudeau’s status quo where some are able to jump queues, exploit loopholes and skip the line than those people who have played by the rules.”

Sadly, anyone who questions the government’s handling of immigration must suffer the attacks, accusations and insinuations of the Liberals. As Andrew Scheer said earlier this week:

“I think we can all agree that we should be able to have an immigration debate in this country without the government calling the people who disagree with them racists and bigots.”

To draw such comparisons and ascribe those motives to Canadians who simply want stronger border security makes a mockery of such hateful forces. Our Conservative leader and members have been very clear:

“There is absolutely no room in a peaceful and free country like Canada for extremism and racism of any kind.”

Over the past several months Andrew Scheer and Canada’s Conservatives have been consulting Canadians and newcomers alike on the kind of immigration system they would like us to have.

We heard concerns about public safety, national security and the ballooning costs of Justin Trudeau’s border mess.

“We have heard concerns about the failure to ensure processing standards… about inadequate integration services for newcomers, about backlogs and delays in the system.”

“Canadians want an immigration system that is safe, fair and managed competently.”

They want a system that works.

A Conservative Government with Andrew Scheer as Prime Minister will restore Canadians’ faith in our immigration system. Here are some of the highlights from the speech.

I will set immigration levels consistent with what is in Canada’s best interest… and emphasize economic immigration” based on what Canada’s economy needs.

I will improve credential recognition, making it easier for new Canadians who have existing skills that meet our standards to ply their trades here.”

I will work to allow those who enter Canada as low skilled workers a permanent path to residency and, making sure wages are fair and worker abuse is prevented.

I will improve language training to ensure greater proficiency in English or French to help newcomers succeed economically and socially.

I will stand up for families and ensure that spouses and children can be reunited.

As Prime Minister I will work to immediately restore fairness, order and compassion in our immigration system.

Conservatives will work to simplify and promote the private sponsorship of refugees. We will close the loophole in the Safe Third Country Agreement and secure our border. We will fix what Justin Trudeau has broken. We will seek unity in diversity.

Justin Trudeau often says that “our diversity is our strength.” That’s a nice soundbite but, as with so much of what Justin Trudeau says and does, it fails the test of logic. Diversity in and of itself is not our strength. Diversity is the result of our strength, and our strength is, and has always been, our freedom. A freedom that a Conservative government will provide and protect as we ensure that our immigration system is worthy of the promise that is Canada.