Immigration.ca - Canada Immigration News - March 2009
Speaking at an immigration conference last week in Calgary, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney called for more rigorous enforcement of immigration language policies.
“I believe one area that we can ask immigrants in the country to make a greater effort [in] is that of language,” said Kenney while stressing the importance of newcomer integration.
When applying for their permanent residency, immigrants are tested on their skills in one of Canada’s official languages. However, Kenney says that too many people are making it through the system without a basic competency in either English or French.
“All I can say is if someone can’t conduct an interview in English or French they don’t have basic competences,” said Kenney. “I have citizenship judges tell me that frequently people are given a pass even if they don’t have that ability.”
However, critics such as the New Democratic Party’s MP Olivia Chow, say that such a stance may be too harsh and could hinder the immigration efforts of otherwise qualified potential citizens.
“If the government is saying if you’re not fluent in English or French then you can’t be citizens, I have a real problem with that,” said Chow, adding that more government funding could be put toward language classes to help new immigrants improve their skills.
Source: Globe and Mail
