Ontario Liberals want to take control of immigration in the province


Del Duca says immigration is key to achieving the other main elements of his party’s platform for the North, including access to primary care providers and economic development.

He says the province’s takeover of immigration to select immigrants with certain qualifications would particularly benefit the North.

In a statement, the head of OLP thus indicates that it is responding to long-standing requests from elected municipal officials, who wish to attract more immigrants to the North to fill jobs.

The Liberal leader accuses Doug Ford of having rejected this request during a leaders’ debate in 2018.

Mr. Ford said he wanted to focus on Ontarians first.

Promotional banner of our file on the 2022 elections in Ontario.

Currently, the federal government selects 90% of immigrants who settle in Ontario, notes Thomas Mercier, coordinator of the Support Network for Francophone Immigration in Northern Ontario (Réseau du Nord).

He believes the Liberal promise deserves closer study and he sees pros and cons.

The positive is that it is clear that Ontario has done its job in recent years. The Francophone immigration target through the Ontario immigrant nominee program is achieved year after year, above their target of 5%. »

A quote from Thomas Mercier, Coordinator of the Francophone Immigration Support Network of Northern Ontario

He adds that this is not the case with the federal government, which does not reach this threshold for Francophone immigration.

Mr. Mercier points out, however, that relations between the province and the Francophone community are not always good.

Thomas Mercier poses for the camera in downtown Sudbury.

Thomas Mercier is the coordinator of the Francophone Immigration Support Network of Northern Ontario.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Yvon Theriault

He adds that the federal government is making efforts, in particular with pilot projects to encourage immigration to Northern Ontario.

The Northern Network coordinator therefore sees a risk in the repatriation of immigration control by Ontario, if a future government no longer considers Francophone immigration targets as important.

He also wonders how the Liberals intend to go about attracting immigrants to the North. We can’t force themhe said.

Mr. Del Duca, if elected, would appoint an immigration minister to carry out his promise.

The Department of Citizenship and Immigration was dissolved in 2018.

In 2021, the Progressive Conservatives created the Department of Citizenship and Multiculturalism, without bringing back the word immigration in the name of the department.

More health services

A bit like the NDPwhich announced Monday in its platform for the North wanting to recruit 300 doctors for the region, the Liberals are committed to ensuring access to a family doctor or a nurse practitioner for Northern Ontarians.

To achieve this, the OLP offers to pay tuition for medical and nursing students who are committed to relocating to a rural or remote community for the long term.

The Liberals also promise to increase admissions to the University of Northern Ontario School of Medicine and bring a midwifery program back to the North.

Transport and road safety

The Liberal Northern Platform contains several commitments related to transportation.

This includes four-laning Highway 69 south of Sudbury and Highway 11/17 between Thunder Bay and Nipigon by 2025, and improving safety with the 2+1 model on d other roads as well as faster snow removal.

Like the other parties, Steven Del Duca promises the return of the Northlander.

A train wagon with the inscription "connect the north".

The Northlander train is particularly important for communities in the north of the province, since transportation options in these areas are more limited.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Aya Dufour

In a statement sent Tuesday morning, the NDP says the Liberals have created many of the problems they plan to fix, including freezing hospital budgets and cutting Northlander.

The NDP also points out that the Liberals have not yet named candidates in the ridings of Kenora—Rainy River, Kiiwetinoong, Sault-Sainte-Marie and Timmins.

No wonder the Liberals are showing up with a record in the North that no one would be proud of.can we read in the press release.



Reference-ici.radio-canada.ca

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