Immigration.ca - Canada Immigration News - January 2010
The province of Quebec is broadening its definition of the term “family” so that aunts, nephews and siblings will be able to sponsor their loved ones’ arrivals to Canada from Haiti after this month’s devastating earthquake.
Though the Canadian Government has thus far been making some exceptions to immigration policy in response to the recent earthquake, they have not conceded on expanding family-class immigration cases to include extended family members.
The Quebec Government, however, does not share this view and this week invoked a special clause from a 1991 federal-provincial immigration accord, allowing the province’s Immigration Minister to use a reasonable “power of selection” in immigration matters.
"It's really an exceptional situation for Quebec because we have the largest Haitian community in the country," said Yolande James, Quebec’s Immigration Minister. "I wanted to look at the possibility, in our own agreement that we could make it possible for people who did not have the eligibility to apply."
However, James stresses that the move does not mean that Quebec will “empty Haiti of its people,” and will adhere to the annual 50,000 quota on immigrants to the province. She added that it is part of her government’s responsibility to bring hope to their citizens, but also be realistic about the help they will be able to extend.
"We're just opening up the door to the possibility," James said. "I want to be as transparent as possible in telling people there will be a limit. You don't want to make promises you can't keep. We are able to help a certain number of people, so let's do that, but let's do it well. “
The Quebec City of Montreal is home to over 100,000 citizens of Haitian descent, which is approximately 90 percent of Canada’s Haitian community.
Source: Montreal Gazette
