This article was last updated on April 16, 2022
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Today Liberal Members of Parliament and candidates gathered to draw attention to the impacts of the Harper Government’s cuts to local settlement services. In December, the Harper Government cut $53 million dollars from programs that offer support and integration services for new Canadians.
“Despite the Harper Government’s attempt to muzzle the affected organizations, we have been able to confirm that over $2.5 million was cut in the Region of Peel alone,” said Liberal MP Navdeep Bains. “We’ve heard stories of entire programs being shut down and others are struggling to make ends meet.”
Funding for settlement services are provided through Citizenship and Immigration Canada, these services offer new Canadians information about how to access essential services and adjust to life in Canada.“The government keeps looking for ways to pay off their unprecedented $56 billion deficit,” said Liberal MP Bonnie Crombie. “The Conservatives need to look elsewhere for this money. Settlement services provide essential programs, especially in the GTA and the Liberal Party will do whatever it can to maintain their funding.”
While the Harper Government cut $53 million for its national grants program, 81% of these cuts were made to programs in Ontario, with most of those made in the Greater Toronto Area despite the fact that this where the majority of immigrants choose to live.
"The decision by the Government to cut funding for essential services for newcomers will hurt many families in my riding of Brampton Springdale,” said Liberal MP Ruby Dhalla.” “The Conservative Government should support new Canadians instead of cutting funding and services and leaving people out in the cold."
Shortly after announcing how the cuts will affect Toronto, Liberal MP Gerard Kennedy launched FAIR START– Let New Canadians Succeed, a campaign to counter the devastating Conservative cuts to services that help new Canadians become self reliant. In its first few days the campaign has grown with hundreds of people directly affected by the cuts joining together to show support for the cause.
“Conservative cuts to services for new Canadians to become self-reliant are an attack on Canada’s future labour force that will support our economy for many years to come,” said Liberal MP Gurbax Malhi, “Therefore, Fair Start – Let New Canadians Succeed is a necessary campaign to secure Canada’s future and help immigrants to integrate.”
“As the Member of Parliament for Brampton West, I demand that the Harper Conservatives reverse their recent decision to hurt new Canadians by eliminating millions of dollars for settlement services,” said Liberal MP Andrew Kania. “Since their election in 2006, the Harper Conservatives have shown that they simply do not care about new Canadians. After taking office, they reneged on the $200 million promised by the previous Liberal government. Now, to add to the damage, over the 2010 Christmas holidays when Canadians were celebrating with their families, they quietly cut a further $53 million earmarked for settlement agencies: money needed to help some of Canada`s poorest and most vulnerable residents. This callous form of governance is simply unacceptable.”
"These mean spirited cuts reveal much about Mr. Harper’s values especially when he is choosing to give $6 billion in tax cuts to large profitable corporations,” said Liberal candidate Omar Alghabra. “These settlement organizations provide essential services to facilitate successful economic and social integration of new Canadians"
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Maybe they can put some of this cut money into supporting the citizens already here. It’s disgusting how little the government supports those less fortunate here in Canada. A person suffers a serious disabling assault and the amount of support they give is disgustingly below the poverty line. Can’t even get funding to re-educate ourselves in order to rejoin the workforce.
Of course, ruby dhalla has much to say.
She’s the one fighting for immigrants getting old age security and a pension 3 years after arriving here. She wants to bring in all her elderly relatives. FOR FREE !!!
She is a traitor. She only represents people of her culture. She cares not for anyone else. Bob Rae is also a traitor, he supports this comment_content_IDea.
Liberals, ndp & bloc support illegals, criminals and non-citizens over Canada’s legal citizenry. Tough for the newcomers. They should have language, employment and support skills BEFORE arriving. STOP USING MY TAX DOLLARS ON NEWCOMERS. Let them join the back of the line for services like the rest of us.
How about importing people that will bring prosperity to Canada. Not suck it dry by the likes of the usual thieves.
They can`t speak the languages, yet they know how to file discrimination, welfare and benefit claims. NO MORE SUCKERS ON MY TEAT.
[b]Too bad![/b] I am tired of supporting newcomers when we, born and raised here have problems too but you don’t hear of us squawking like some in this part of the GTA.
I’m sure this has NOTHING at all to do with the fact that all of these seats will be in play in the next election. The Libs could give a rats’ about new Canadians, if you caught them in a genuine moment (very brief when you’re a politician). All they want is their seats and their MP pensions, and if you’re the perceived ticket to get them that, they’ll be your bestest friend ever!
The people like me that came in the 50ths to 70ths got nothing from the government we went to work within a week of arrival, so why should the Government spend millions on Freeloaders on the people coming today?
Canada becomes a Welfare haven around the World and millions want to come here to get slice of the pie! Good for our Government to cut them of!
Couldn’t agree more with kay. These people are pure and simple traitors who have abandoned the Canadian people. They don’t care who lives in this country as long as they vote for their political party. They import voters and the consequences to Canadians be damned.
why don’t these immigrant’s extended families offer this support rather than you and I paying for it through taxes. If my family were intent on moving to another country we wouldn’t rely on that country to get us set up, we’d do it ourselves, just as our ancestors dcomment_ID when they arrived here. If Ruby Dhalla is so intent on these new arrivals being helped out she can just confiscate their passports and offer them child care positions at less than minimum wage in her employ like she has done in the past. Problem solved!
Guys supporting new comers to ensure they transition here and become successful immigrants means well to our society economically and socially. This is what makes this country so great. Provcomment_IDing these new comers with ESL classes so they can speak english and get jobs and pay taxes as the rest of us is aswesome. No one is suggesting to give them welfare. You guys have no comment_content_IDea what Canadian Embassies overseas are doing to promote immigrants to this country, 67% of immigrants move back to their countries of origin and say to us “thanks but no, thanks”