OTTAWA — Immigration Minister Jason Kenney says the reason the federal government is cutting millions of dollars from immigration settlement programs is because more new Canadians are choosing to live in some not-so traditional locations.
"We have seen a shift in where immigrants are settling in Canada," Kenney told reporters in a conference call Thursday afternoon. "It used to be that Ontario received, by far, the largest share of immigrants, but that's come down quite significantly."
Liberal MPs held a Toronto news conference attacking what they say are federal funding cuts of $50 million to the settlement programs. But Kenney said the amount of money given to immigration services has more than tripled since the Conservatives took power, and described the Tory move as a reallocation of funds.
The minister said in 2005, Ontario had 145,000 immigrants take up residence in the province, but last year, that number dropped to about 106,000.
"We expect that trend to stabilize, but they're all going somewhere else, mainly the Atlantic and western provinces," he said, noting that adjustments were needed to "make sure the money was following the immigrants."
He said based on current numbers, each new Canadian in Ontario receives about $3,400 for settlement service, while new Canadians in the rest of Canada get $2,900.
"Ontario deserves fair funding, but so do immigrants in the other provinces," Kenney said.
The Liberals said newcomer-settlement organizations in Canada's largest city began receiving notices about dramatic cuts to their funding just days before Christmas.
"This is a terrible decision — it cannot be allowed to stand," Liberal MP Bob Rae said. "We are going to do everything we can to stop it and change it."
Kenney said the changes do not represent significant cuts to funding, but rather a redistribution of the money where it is needed most.
He said the overall reduction in Toronto area will be about eight per cent.
He said those funds are being reallocated to other areas that have evidence of a greater need, citing the York region — north of Toronto — which will receive a 30 per cent boost in funding in the next fiscal year.
Kenney said in 2005, the budget for the immigration programs was less than $200 million and will be in excess of $600 million in the next fiscal year.
In Ontario next year, about $340 million is destined for immigration settlement programs, up from a little more than $110 million when the current government took office, he said.
The minister said the assessments of service providers, which were conducted by non-partisan public workers, were needed because of a lack of clarity in the past as to how the money was being used by the organizations.
Immigrant settlement programs are meant to assist immigrants to settle and integrate into Canadian society. The programs include the delivery of direct services to immigrants such as orientation, translation, interpretation, referral to community resources and counselling.
Liberal immigration critic Justin Trudeau said the Conservatives' spending on other issues, such as fighter jets, are taking priority over important services for new Canadians.
"(Prime Minister) Stephen Harper is choosing to help fund billions of dollars of corporate tax cuts and stealth fighter jets with cuts of more than $50 million from vital settlement services for new immigrants across Canada, with even deeper cuts expected in future years," Trudeau said.
Liberal MP Gerard Kennedy and the federal Liberal caucus in Toronto have written an open letter to the prime minister demanding he rescind the cuts and invest in helping newcomers contribute to Canada.
NDP immigration critic Olivia Chow, meanwhile, said more explanation is needed from government as to why services would not receive maintained funding and affected service providers should be given a chance to dispute the changes.
"Right now, there's no appeal, no real explanations and no transition plan and that's just not good enough," Chow said.
"What they should do is be up front. Say 'this is the criteria, this is why they didn't get funding,' and give them a second chance.
"It's bad management and it's the minister's fault. He can't hide by saying it's the officials who make the decisions. He's the minister."
"We have seen a shift in where immigrants are settling in Canada," Kenney told reporters in a conference call Thursday afternoon. "It used to be that Ontario received, by far, the largest share of immigrants, but that's come down quite significantly."
Liberal MPs held a Toronto news conference attacking what they say are federal funding cuts of $50 million to the settlement programs. But Kenney said the amount of money given to immigration services has more than tripled since the Conservatives took power, and described the Tory move as a reallocation of funds.
The minister said in 2005, Ontario had 145,000 immigrants take up residence in the province, but last year, that number dropped to about 106,000.
"We expect that trend to stabilize, but they're all going somewhere else, mainly the Atlantic and western provinces," he said, noting that adjustments were needed to "make sure the money was following the immigrants."
He said based on current numbers, each new Canadian in Ontario receives about $3,400 for settlement service, while new Canadians in the rest of Canada get $2,900.
"Ontario deserves fair funding, but so do immigrants in the other provinces," Kenney said.
The Liberals said newcomer-settlement organizations in Canada's largest city began receiving notices about dramatic cuts to their funding just days before Christmas.
"This is a terrible decision — it cannot be allowed to stand," Liberal MP Bob Rae said. "We are going to do everything we can to stop it and change it."
Kenney said the changes do not represent significant cuts to funding, but rather a redistribution of the money where it is needed most.
He said the overall reduction in Toronto area will be about eight per cent.
He said those funds are being reallocated to other areas that have evidence of a greater need, citing the York region — north of Toronto — which will receive a 30 per cent boost in funding in the next fiscal year.
Kenney said in 2005, the budget for the immigration programs was less than $200 million and will be in excess of $600 million in the next fiscal year.
In Ontario next year, about $340 million is destined for immigration settlement programs, up from a little more than $110 million when the current government took office, he said.
The minister said the assessments of service providers, which were conducted by non-partisan public workers, were needed because of a lack of clarity in the past as to how the money was being used by the organizations.
Immigrant settlement programs are meant to assist immigrants to settle and integrate into Canadian society. The programs include the delivery of direct services to immigrants such as orientation, translation, interpretation, referral to community resources and counselling.
Liberal immigration critic Justin Trudeau said the Conservatives' spending on other issues, such as fighter jets, are taking priority over important services for new Canadians.
"(Prime Minister) Stephen Harper is choosing to help fund billions of dollars of corporate tax cuts and stealth fighter jets with cuts of more than $50 million from vital settlement services for new immigrants across Canada, with even deeper cuts expected in future years," Trudeau said.
Liberal MP Gerard Kennedy and the federal Liberal caucus in Toronto have written an open letter to the prime minister demanding he rescind the cuts and invest in helping newcomers contribute to Canada.
NDP immigration critic Olivia Chow, meanwhile, said more explanation is needed from government as to why services would not receive maintained funding and affected service providers should be given a chance to dispute the changes.
"Right now, there's no appeal, no real explanations and no transition plan and that's just not good enough," Chow said.
"What they should do is be up front. Say 'this is the criteria, this is why they didn't get funding,' and give them a second chance.
"It's bad management and it's the minister's fault. He can't hide by saying it's the officials who make the decisions. He's the minister."
