Immigration.ca - Canada Immigration News - December 2009
Canada’s Minister of Immigration says that the country’s medical groups are not cooperating on foreign credential recognition initiatives.
"There are some of the major professional agencies -- let's make no bones about this -- who are less willing to co-operate, less willing to streamline the process and cut the red tape and reduce the processing time," said Minister Jason Kenney this week.
The comments come after a recent announcement by the government concerning new agreements regarding foreign credential recognition in eight occupations, none of which being doctors, despite a drastic shortage of physicians in Canada at the moment.
Kenny suspects that the hesitation on the part of Canada’s major medical associations might be due to fears of “lower standards,” but argues that it has really only resulted in the wasting of much-needed skills and talent.
"They [the medical associations] need to maintain their standards, no doubt," said Kenney, "but we're simply saying to them through the framework (agreement), 'Keep your standards, but have a process that works more quickly and treats people more fairly.' "
Members of these medical associations, however, are denying Kenney’s accusations, arguing that much progress is, in fact, being made at the provincial levels.
"Canada's doctors are being co-operative and we are at the table," said the Canadian Medical Association in a formal response. "What we won't be is rushed by Minister Kenney or anyone else because the health of Canadians is far too important."
The government has given the medical professionals until 2012 to expedite the credential recognition process for foreign doctors.
Source: Ottawa Citizen
