Speaking notes for The Honourable Jason Kenney, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism
At the Chandigarh Golf Club
Chandigarh, India, September 9, 2010
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Thank you for that kind introduction. I am delighted to be back in Chandigarh.
Ladies and gentlemen, as two great democracies and as members of the Commonwealth, Canada and India have much in common.
Diversity, as you may know, is one of the defining characteristics of Canada’s society, but we are not unique in that respect. In fact, India has a long tradition of integrating ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity.
As Prime Minister Stephen Harper noted in June when he welcomed Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on his visit to Canada, our two countries have both built cohesive, pluralistic societies from ethnically, spiritually and linguistically diverse populations.
We both grew out of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy, to which we have adapted the ingenuity of federalism to accommodate our considerable regional differences.
We are both societies that support and respect diversity, and that value freedom of speech, assembly, worship and trade.
The bonds we share explain why the Government of Canada is working to expand and deepen the commercial, diplomatic and cultural ties between our countries.
And they explain why our economies complement each other in so many ways, and why we have the opportunity to enhance this relationship in the future.
Like India, Canada has demonstrated economic strength and weathered the recession better than most.
Starting in the early 1990s, India underwent a period of tremendous economic reform and liberalization carried out by the then Finance Minister and current Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
India’s economic openness to trade and investment today is a welcome addition to the lengthy list of principles our countries share.
I know that Prime Minister Harper values the friendship Canada continues to have with India and looks forward to building on that relationship.
Last November, Prime Minister Harper visited India and met with Prime Minister Singh to review bilateral relations and discuss issues we share. The trip was a great success and strengthened the ties between our two countries.
On that trip, the Government of Canada signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a Joint Study Group, to explore the possibility of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between India and Canada.
This past June, during Prime Minister Singh’s visit to Canada, our two prime ministers welcomed the conclusion of that report in which the Joint Study Group identified potential economic gains that both countries could achieve through such an agreement.
As they noted, the recommendations in the report will be examined by both of our countries. The necessary processes for obtaining approvals have been initiated and we aim to complete this process by the end of October.
In addition to our expanding economic relationship, our two prime ministers also discussed the need to intensify global cooperation to combat international terrorism and announced the signing of an historic nuclear cooperation agreement to share civilian nuclear technology.
Canada and India maintain open dialogue on regional security and global issues of common interest through the annual meetings of the Canada-India Strategic Dialogue and the Canada-India Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism.
We also continue to take steps toward finalizing the Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement to help protect Canadian and Indian investors reciprocally.
Since 2009, we have opened three new trade offices and increased our presence in existing missions, not only to help Canadian businesses, but to help Indian companies looking to Canada for innovative and creative solutions to their business needs.
Along with our High Commission in New Delhi and consulates in Chandigarh, Chennai and Mumbai, we now have a total of eight trade offices in India. Canada’s trade network in India is, in fact, one of our most extensive anywhere in the world.
Last September, we opened our two newest trade offices in India – in Ahmedabad and Kolkata. And earlier in 2009, we also opened a new office in Hyderabad, deepening our relationship with South India.
The Government of Canada, in partnership with the Association of Canadian Community Colleges, has launched an innovative project in our visa offices in India.
Its goal is to improve visa approval rates for Indian students who choose to study at Canadian community colleges.
Since the Student Partners Program was launched, with 20 participating member colleges, Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s visa offices in India have received over 9,000 applications from Indian students in the program, leading to triple the number of study permits for these colleges compared to the previous year.
In 2010, we expanded this program to include 38 colleges!
In addition, the visa office in New Delhi has developed a “Business Express” program for companies that have demonstrated their reliability and that do high volumes of travel to Canada.
Companies join Business Express at the invitation of the High Commission. The service provides simplified documentation and expedited processing for trusted partners. The program continues to grow steadily, and now has 55 corporate members.
Last year when I was in India, the companies asked me to expand the program to include those coming to Canada as temporary workers. And so, our Canadian visa office in New Delhi created the Worker Express program to do just that, and it has been very popular.
Our ability to conduct business around the world and facilitate business travel is part of Canada’s competitive advantage. After all, in a global economy, having a global trade presence and a global work force just makes sense.
As you know, India continues to be among the top source countries for newcomers to Canada – not just students and workers, but also permanent residents.
In 2009, in fact, India ranked second in the number of family class visas issued, with a total of 6,390 issued – an increase of more than 13% compared to the previous year. This shows our ongoing commitment to family reunification.
In 2010, we will welcome more than a quarter of a million permanent residents from all over the world. Of course, it is our duty to ensure that all people coming to Canada are selected for the right reasons, and that they are who they say they are when they apply.
Our government is committed to ensuring that all information provided in immigration applications is accurate and complete. This applies to all applicants, including those seeking to bring spouses and family members to Canada.
We aim to reunite our citizens and permanent residents with family members and we recognize that most individuals who apply for family reunification are in genuine relationships.
But we also aim to protect the integrity of our immigration system and uphold our laws by identifying and addressing fraudulent activity. This includes ensuring that fraudulent marriages are discovered and not used to circumvent our laws.
Accordingly, if we find evidence during the sponsorship process that individuals are committing marriage fraud, we can and will refuse the application for permanent residence.
Our officials at missions here and around the world are trained to assess relationships based on customs, traditions and practices of the specific cultures in which they work.
I can assure you that the Government of Canada is working to limit abuse and fraud, and we will not be limiting immigration to Canada or the protection Canada provides to refugees.
For example, our government is aiming to crack down on crooked immigration consultants who exploit prospective immigrants.
In June, the bill An Act to Crack Down on Crooked Consultants was introduced in our legislature. This bill would strengthen the rules governing those who charge a fee for immigration advice, close immigration system loopholes currently exploited by crooked consultants, and improve the way in which immigration consultants are regulated.
While most immigration consultants working in Canada are legitimate and ethical, it is clear that immigration fraud remains a widespread threat to the integrity of Canada’s immigration system.
We call these profiteers what they are – crooked consultants – people who may charge significant fees, promise prospective immigrants jobs or fast-tracked visas or who may sell counterfeit travel documents among other unscrupulous activities.
And too often, those who do pay find out too late that they’ve been deceived and lose all the money they have paid.
There is also evidence that these crooked consultants encourage prospective immigrants to lie on their immigration applications or to enter into sham marriages with Canadian citizens and permanent residents. This behaviour undermines the integrity and fairness of Canada’s immigration system and is completely unacceptable.
In their quest for personal gain, crooked consultants have displayed a disdain for our immigration rules, bilked numerous people out of their hard-earned money, and left countless lives in tatters along the way.
Of course, as we all know, the problem exists both in and outside of Canada’s borders. There are many people in every country around the world who will look for victims and try to cheat the system.
That’s why, as part of this effort, Canada is also encouraging the governments of foreign countries to cooperate in this crackdown on crooked consultants who are exploiting people trying to immigrate to Canada.
Both my U.K. and Australian counterparts have also voiced similar concerns.
We started this process last year during my visit to India, when I met here in Chandigarh with the Chief Minister of Punjab, Mr. Parkash Singh Badal.
I’m pleased to see an increase in the number of charges laid and convictions secured against fraudsters in the immigration field. I am also pleased to have received a renewed commitment from the Chief Minister today to crack down on crooked consultants who operate out of Chandigarh.
Ladies and gentlemen, Canada and India have the foundations for an enduring friendship.
Canadian athletes, some of Indo-Canadian origin, look forward to participating in the Commonwealth Games which Delhi will proudly host next month, and which will be the largest multisport event ever held in India.
Canada is also welcoming even more Indian visitors. In the first quarter of 2010, India ranked second in visitors’ visas and extensions issued, with a total of 20,804, an increase of 12% compared to the same period last year.
In fact, in June, I and the Minister of State responsible for tourism welcomed a leading film and pop star in India, Akshay Kumar, to be tourism ambassador for India. We were thrilled to have him promoting our diverse country and it shows our commitment to continuing our strong relations with India.
Prime Minister Harper’s visit last year demonstrated how the relationship between our countries is growing stronger. And Prime Minister Singh’s visit to Canada during and after the G20 Summit in June reinforced this strength.
I am confident that through the actions and initiatives I have mentioned here today, Canada and India will continue to create opportunities to enhance our business, economic, educational and family ties.
Our countries’ strong relationship is also rooted in the almost one million Canadians of Indian descent who have enriched Canada with their skills, their knowledge and their talent.
Indo-Canadians contribute to something we treasure in Canada: a pluralist society that sees diversity as a key to a strong and prosperous country.
People of Indian descent have made vital contributions to Canada and continue to shape our national story.
I’m sure you would all share my hope that such ties will continue to build a bright future for both of our countries.
Thank you.
