VANCOUVER – Evidence continues to mount that Conservative Immigration Minister Jason Kenney cannot be trusted after his recent callous comments about family reunification and expert condemnation that he has misled New Canadians by making twisted statements about the state of Canada’s immigration and refugee system in order to win votes.
“It is unacceptable that Mr. Kenney is falsifying the Conservative’s poor record on immigration and refugees in order to win votes,” said Liberal candidate for Papineau Justin Trudeau. “More than 46 experts have confirmed what Liberals have known: the Conservatives have drastically reduced the numbers of family reunification immigrants since 2006, and are misleading newcomers about the facts.
“Not only is Mr. Kenney twisting the truth to win newcomer votes, he has also made callous comments telling newcomers that choosing to come to Canada means they will face an either/or proposition – you can either come to Canada and become citizens or stay where you are with your parents and grandparents,” Mr. Trudeau said.
“He says they can hope, at some point in the future, that parents will be able to immigrate, and faint hope is all that is on offer from Harper’s government. In his own words Minister Kenney abdicates any responsibility for addressing the unconscionable wait times, the backlog of cases and most importantly, the simple requests from ordinary Canadians for accountability and action.”
Jason Kenney made these insensitive comments during a teleconference call on February 18, 2011, during which he attempted to address the question of family reunification. Liberals have obtained a transcript of the teleconference.
“What this document reveals is the Minister’s callous disregard for the years of frustration and disappointment that typifies so many of my constituents’ experience with Citizenship and Immigration,” said Liberal candidate for Vancouver South Ujjal Dosanjh.
“These are Canadians who work hard, who play by the rules, who personify the new Canadians who will help define our country’s long term economic success. When our Citizenship and Immigration Minister openly dismisses the frustration they have endured for years by the past response that they made their choice to come to this country, and that they can always go home if they want to see their parents, he reveals a startling ignorance of the importance of family reunification in attracting the brightest and best from around the world.
“One thing is perfectly clear,” concluded Mr. Dosanjh. “Jason Kenney cannot be trusted.”
