NDP says it’s time for the immigration system to work for people

NDP Critic for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Jenny Kwan, made the following statement:

“Canada is supposed to be a country that welcomes immigrants, but right now, there are millions of people waiting for their immigration applications to be processed. There are massive backlogs in every immigration stream across the country and the delay in processing has severe consequences for the families.

The delays are keeping families apart, keeping people up at night with stress, and stopping families from moving forward in their lives.​ A mother who has been separated from her daughter and husband for 2 years pleaded with me to help her reunite with her loved ones. The lengthy separation is an affront to the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child, and the federal government is solely responsible.

New Democrats believe that people applying to be residents or citizens of this country deserve to be treated with respect. No one should have to put their life on hold because the Liberal government is not investing the ​necessary resources needed to help get these applications processed. ​The NDP is once again calling on the government to adequately ​resource Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada so applicants can see their families again, move on with their careers, and live the lives that they deserve.”