Immigration
Settlement
Head Tax Redress
Employment Equity and Diversity
Youth
Inclusion
Anti-Racism and Human Rights

Immigration (Questions 1, 2, 3)

The Liberal government is proud of its record on immigration. Canada has one of the highest per capita rates of immigration in the world, with nearly 17 percent of our population foreign-born and another 30 percent descended from earlier generations of non-British, non-French immigrants.

Canadian citizens and permanent residents living in Canada, 18 years of age or older may sponsor close relatives or family member who want to become permanent residencts of Canada. Sponsors must promise to support the relative or family member and their accompanying family members for a period of three to ten years to help them settle in Canada.

You can sponsor relatives or family members from abroad if they are:

• spouses, common-law or conjugal partners 16 years of age or older;
• parents and grandparents;
• dependent children, including adopted children;
• children under 18 years of age whom you intend to adopt;
• children under guardianship;
• brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces or grandchildren who are orphans; under the age of 18 and not married or in a common-law relationship; or
• you may also sponsor one relative of any age if you do not have an aunt, uncle or family member from the list above who you could sponsor or who is already a Canadian citizen, Indian or permanent resident.

A son or daughter is dependent when the child:

• is under the age of 22 and does not have a spouse or common-law partner;
• is a full time student and is substantially dependent on a parent for financial support since before the age of 22, or since becoming a spouse or common-law partner (if this happended before age 22); or
• is financially dependent on a parent since before the age of 22 because of a disability.

To sponsor a relative or family member you must sign an Undertaking with the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. You must also sign a Sponsorship Agreement with your relative or family member that outlines your mutual commitments to each other. You may also sponsor a spouse or common-law partner from within Canada if they have been living with you in Canada and have maintained their legal temporary status. Sponsorship of a spouse or common-law partner includes their dependent children whether inside or outside of Canada.

Since 1990, Canada has welcomed more than 200,000 newcomers annually - with China, India, Pakistan and the Philippines now representing our chief source countries.

Language skills are an important factor in the selection process. Points are given for one's ability in one or both of Canada's official languages, English and French.

Settlement (Questions 4, 5)

Citizenship and Immigration Canada supports a variety of program designed to welcome new Canadians and help them effectively integrate into Canadian society. Some of these programs include:

Immigration Settlement and Adaptation Program (ISAP)

The objective of ISAP is to assist immigrats in settling and integrating into Canadian society, so that they may become participating members as soon as possible. ISAP funding is provided in order to deliver direct services to immigrants such as reception, orientation, translation, interpretation, and referral to community resources, para-professional counselling, general information and employment-related services.

Canadian Orientation Abroad

This initative provides a realistic view of life in Canada before arrival. Orientation sessions are delivered by an NGO in Kenya with outreach to surrounding countries, Pakistatn, Vietnam, Syria (with satellites to surrounding countries), Egypt and the Philippines. Topics include education, climate, housing, cost of living, and employment.

Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC)

The objective of the LINC program is provide basic language instruction to adult newcomers in one of Canada's official languages. LINC facilitates the social, cultural and economic integration of immigratns and refugees into Canada. In addition, the LINC curriculum includes information that helps to orient newcomers to the Canadian way of life. This, in turn, helps them to become participating members of Canadian society as soon as possible.

HOST Program

The objective of the Host program is to help immigrants overcome the stress of moving to a new country. Volunteers familiar with Canadian ways help newcomers learn about available services and how to use them, practice English and French, get contacts in their field of work and participate in the community. At the same time, host Canadians learn about new cultures, other lands and different languages; they make new friends and they strengthen community life.

RAP and Private Sponsorship

The Resettlement Assistance Program provides income support, reception, temporary accomodation and basic orientation services for government assisted refugees. Within the Private Sponsorship program, groups in Canada take on responsibility for resettling refugees from abroad by providing necessary financial and emotional support. This includes Joint Asistance Sponsorship in which private sponsors and government share responsibilities.

Head Tax Redress (Questions 6, 7)

The policy of the Government of Canada is consistent with those aspects of Bill C-333, the Chinese Canadian Recognition and Restitution Act that call for acknowledgement and commemoration of the historical experiences of Chinese Canadian communities.

Commemoration may include support for museums and memorial plaques and other initiatives available through existing government programs and institutions.

The Government has maintained dialogue with communities requesting restitution for incidents in our nation's past.

In an effort to ensure that these actions do not happen again, the Government has encouraged communities to tell their stories, and has focused Government resources and efforts on forward looking approaches to create a more equitable society for future generations.

Employment Equity and Diversity (Questions 8, 9)

The Liberal government is committed to encouraging a fair and equitable workforce and is working with employers to ensure that Canadian workers are treated with respect and are judged on merit.

The Public Service Commission has established several programs to help federal government departments meet their Employment Equity commitments. As well, the Employment Equity Act seeks to promote equality and diversity in the workplace.

The Liberal government recognizes that immigrants want to particpate in Canada's economic, social and cultural life. That is why we have increased our financial commitment to language training and to the recognition of foreign credentials.

The Liberal government is committed to ensuring tha the skills and qualifications immigratns bring to Canada can be fully utilised to meet the needs of new Canadians.

To this end the Liberal government is investing:

• $40 million for foreign credential recognition;
• $15 million in Budget 2004 for enhanced language training for skilled workers, which builds upon $5 million allocated in the previous year;
• $5 million in Budget 2004 for non-regulated sector councils;
• $3 million over 3 years previously announced for upgrading foreign trained medical graduates; and
• $1 million on licensing medical graduates.

Youth (Questions 10, 11)

The Liberal government remains committed to helping Canada's children and youth realize their full potential.

The National Children's Agenda was developed by the Liberal government in collaboration with provinces and territories. It sets out a shared vision for ensuring that children in Canada have the best possible start in life.

The federal government invests more than $13 billion a year to help children. Through the Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB), which is the main instrument for the provision of financial assistnace for families with children, we provide $8.4 billion annually in assistance to over three million families. The National Child Benefit Supplement also allows provinces and territories to redirect close to $380 million to child care initiatives, early childhood programs and children-at-risk services. The Early Childhood Development Agreement provides $500 million annually to help provinces and territories improve and expand early childhood development programs and services. And thanks to our Five-Year Tax Reduction Plan, introduced in 2000, families with children now enjoy an avearage reduction in their personal income tax of at least 27 percent annually.

The Youth Employment Strategy (YES) is the federal government's commitment to help young people, partiuclarly those facing barriers to employment, get the infomation and gain the skills, work experience and abilities they need to make a successful transition to the workplace.

On the issue of tuition fees, it is important to note that the Liberal government respects provincial and territorial jurisdiction over education.

The federal government is taking action within tis own areas of responsibility to assist students and their families with rising tuition costs. A primary focus for Government of Canada is to maintain and improve access to post-secondary education (PSE) by academically qualified Canadians. In this regard, Canada has performed well. In fact, it has one of the highest post-secondary attainment rates among industrialized countries. In Budget 2004, the government of Canada acted to assist students and their families with rising tuition costs:

• It is providing more financial assistance to students through grants for first-year students from low-income families and for students with disabilities, and an updated system of Canada Student Loans, including increased weekly loan limits and lower expected parental contributions; and
• It is helping low and middle income families save for their children's post secondary education by introducing the Canada Learning Bond and enhancing the matching rates on Canada Education Savings Grants.

Inclusion (Questions 12, 13)

By continuing to work with communities and public institutions, the Liberal government will draw on collective strengths to shape a cohesive Canadian society, based on the values of equality and mutal respect with regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, colour, and religion.

The Canadian Multiculturalism Act and Status of Women Canada (SWC) commit federal institutions to carry out their activities in a manner that is sensitive and responsive to gender equality and to the multicultural reality of Canada.

Under the Canadian Multiculturalism Act, federal departments and agencies have successfully promoted the multiculturalism policy goals of civic participation, social justice and identity. As well, Status of Women Canada (SWC) promotes gender equality, and the full participation of women in the economic, social, cultural and political life of the country. SWC works with other federal government departments and agencies to provide Canadians with Strengthened and more equitable public policy. Gender-based analysis, a process developed by the federal government, ensures that gender equality concerns are integrated into all federal legistration, policies and initiatives. Finally, the Policy Research Fund supports research that identifies policy gaps, trends, emerging issues, and provides concrete recommendations and alternative solutions to policies and programs affecting women. Rsearch results inform government policy making, enhance the public policy debate, and enable equality-seeking organizations to have greater impact on the public policy process.

The Liberal Part is also committed to getting all groups involved in public policy. It has done this through its various commissions and standing committees. These include the Women's Commission, Aboriginal Peoples Commission, Senior Liberal's Commission, the Young Liberals of Canada and the Standing Committee on Multiculturalism.

Through the establishment of these commissions and committees the Liberal Party works with groups and individuals to encourage political participation, by assisting in the development of policy, representing and promoting the interests of various groups within the Liberal Party of Canada and by encouraging all individuals to participate at all levels within the Party.

The Liberal Party of Canada has established a strong team, with a large slate of candidates representing a variety of communities. The Liberal Party will continue to work hard to reach out to the grassroots and ensure that all Canadians become increasingly involved in the broader political system.

Anti-Racism and Human Rights(Questions 14, 15, 16)

The Liberal government remains committed to ensuring that the human rights of every Canadian citizen are respected. A new Liberal government will continue to carry out its activies in a manner that is sensitive and responsive to the multicultural reality of Canada.

In that spirit, the government is in favour of allowing same-sex couples access to civil marriage as long as freedom of religion is protected. As you may be aware, the Liberal government has submitted a reference to the Supreme Court of Canada which will give the Supreme Court the opportunity to examine the government's draft bill which proposes to extend civil marriage to same-sex couples while protecting religious freedom. The federal government has submitted the reference to ensure that the draft legislation complies with three principles: equality, freedom of religion, and the importance of a full and informed debated on this important social issue.

Finally, CISS and the RCMP do not conduct racial and religious profiling. Under the CSIS Act, CSIS investigates individuals and groups based solely on their activities, to the extent that they may pose a threat to the security of Canada. For its part, the RCMP is committed to Bias Free Policing. Its law enforcement actions are based on preventing and investigating possible criminial activities in order to provide safe communities for all Canadians.

The Liberal government remains sensitive and respectful of diversity, in all of its forms, and goes to great lengths to ensure it operates in accordance with such core values.