Canada Immigration Announcement On Family Reunification

Ottawa declared its plan to get around Quebec’s immigration cap to expedite family reunions. This ruling demonstrates the federal government’s dedication to resolving the persistent issues that families split up due to immigration laws.

Ottawa hopes to expedite the process by avoiding provincial quotas, giving numerous families waiting for reunions hope. Read on for more details.

Canada Federal Immigration Minister Mark Miller’s View

Ottawa claims that to expedite family reunification, it will get around Quebec’s immigration cap. Federal Immigration Minister Mark Miller says it’s time for his government to stand down after pleading ineffectively with the Quebec government for an increase in family reunification capacity for several months. Miller claims that his ministry would start providing permanent residency permits to anyone who wants to go to Quebec to be with their loved ones, despite the province’s self-imposed, what he calls artificially low, applicant cap.

He referred to the backlog as a humanitarian issue in an interview with Radio Canada, saying, “We are talking about people who are husbands, wives, parents, and grandparents who are waiting on success to be reunited with their families in Quebec.” For me, the issue is social justice.

The annual cap on applications for Quebec’s family reunification envelope is set at 10,000, a number that is much below the need. Miller claimed he has been pleading with Christine Frette, the Quebec immigration minister, for months to lift the cap and let more people into the province, but he is fed up with having to wait. A federal family reunion program has been opted out by Haitians in Quebec, which is discriminatory.

In a letter to Frette that was received by Radio Canada on Sunday, Miller claimed he had a moral obligation to address Quebec’s slowness in reunifying families. In his letter, he directed his ministry to start processing all family reunification applicants’ petitions for permanent residence as soon as they have the necessary paperwork from Quebec.

That comes to over 20,500 applications by January 31, 2024, according to Miller. Miller stated that his ministry will continue to grant permanent residence to applicants within the customary time frames if the backlog worsens, even if it means going above the government-set threshold.

Implications of Ottawa’s Move

With superior court litigation already pending against the Coalition of Quebec government over the delays in family reunification, Ottawa’s decision may exacerbate already existing tensions. The attorney suing Frette, Maxim Lapoint, said to Radio Canada that he intends to withdraw his case should Ottawa proceed with its proposal.

Currently, Quebec takes roughly 34 months longer than other Canadian provinces to process applications for spousal sponsorship when a parent or grandparent is from outside the country. While other Canadians only have to wait an average of 24 months, the wait is approximately 50 months.

The yearly cap on applications in Quebec, which does not specify the optimal number of admissions, contributes to this discrepancy. Miller claims that Quebec stands to gain immensely. I continue to believe that lifting the cap will benefit both Quebec politically and humanitarian by allowing these individuals to settle down and start families there.

Many people are threatening to leave Quebec, he said, so that their spouses, parents, grandparents, and other family members can follow them abroad.

A Direct Affront to Quebec’s Areas of Jurisdiction

Frette’s office responded to the News on Monday morning by stating that Miller’s direction is an outright violation of Quebec’s territorial jurisdictions. Quebec has its own permanent immigration goals. It is intolerable that the federal government is acting in a way that disregards the wishes of the Quebec Nation.

In a statement to Radio Canada, Frette’s press secretary stated that while the government acknowledges that the delays in family reunions are substantial, it views its immigration policy as balanced and maintains that Ottawa has no authority to place restrictions on the province. She continued by saying that the government is aware of the difficulties these families are facing and that it is exploring potential solutions.

To discuss potential arrangements that respect the rights of the Quebec government, a preliminary discussion with the group that advocates for the reunion of families in Quebec was held in December. The block’s immigration critic, Alexis Brunell DP, also criticized the federal government for moving into Quebec’s territory and interfering there instead of staying out of affairs that don’t affect it.

Brunell DP stated that Ottawa ought to handle its jurisdiction, beginning with providing Quebec with the $1 billion needed to receive asylum seekers.

Additional Details

Quebec has requested reimbursement from Ottawa for its solitaires. Gom Cliche, an immigration critic, claimed that while actual families suffer, politics is being played at all levels of government. He notes that Ottawa is not in a position to impose the barrier and that Quebec should reevaluate it for applicants seeking family reunification.

Ignoring Quebec’s immigration restriction appears to be a critical step in Ottawa’s direction as it seeks to accelerate family reunions. The choice is indicative of a larger dedication to promoting harmony and kindness in Canada’s immigration framework. By giving families’ needs top priority, the government shows that it is committed to creating a society that is more welcoming and helpful to everyone.