Immigration Minister John McCallum slammed Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitchâs proposal to screen immigrants for Anti-Canadian values, calling it âdog-whistleâ and âOrwellian.â
Speaking for the first time since Leitchâs proposal, McCallum told Evan Solomon, host of CTVâs Question Period, that Canadians arenât interested in having a debate of this nature. âI think itâs very sad that these Conservative candidates are offering things that for a long time, Canadians have rejected,â said McCallum.
McCallum praised Conservative interim leader Rona Ambrose, who on took a strong stance against Leitchâs proposal on
âI respect Rona Ambrose because she did the unusual thing as interim leader to dump on this policy,â McCallum said. âShe understands itâs bad for her party, but itâs bad for Canada, for us to be going down this destructive route. I think Canadians are better than that.â
While McCallum said he isnât interested in a test for anti-Canadian values, he did note that the government is always looking to strengthen security checks at the board. âWeâre not specifically looking at (security checks) right now but weâre always looking generally to improve our security checks,â said McCallum. âIf we could do it better, and make Canadians safer, weâd certainly look at that.â
Temporary Foreign Workers
McCallum said the government is considering a pathway to citizenship for temporary foreign workers. âWe think that those who come in general, should have a pathway to permanent residence more so than is the case today,â said McCallum. âWhat we want is permanent immigrants who come here and raise their families, so if theyâre on a pathway to permanent residency, theyâre only temporary for awhile, then they become full Canadians.â
McCallum agreed with some critics who believe that the temporary foreign worker program drives down wages. âIt could (suppress wages) in certain circumstance, I donât suggest that never happens,â said McCallum. He said that the program can be effective âin areas that Canadians donât want to work or areas where (businesses) truly cannot find Canadians (to fill jobs).â
Syrian Refugees
With the government hoping to bring in 6,000 more Syrian refugees to Canada by the end of the year, McCallum said the Liberals would not look to increase funding for Syrian refugees that have already arrived in Canada. Currently, the government gives Syrian refugees monthly financial support for up to 12 months after they arrive, to help cover the cost of basics, such as food and shelter. Some provinces and municipalities are worried that the cost of helping Syrian refugees will fall to them after the federal funding stops.
âWeâve done it 12 months for decades, and it has worked extremely well with refugees from other places,â said McCallum, citing refugees from Vietnam, Hungary and Uganda as examples of those who have thrived under the 12-month system. âItâs always a difficult process when you come from a war-torn country, you donât speak the language, you may not have much education, it does take a certain amount of time,â McCallum said.
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