Ms. Christine Fréchette, Minister of Immigration, we, Reunified Quebec, a group of more than 1,800 members, as well as our supporters, are addressing you with this open letter. We ask for your sensitivity to our cause and your kindness to help resolve the painful situation that thousands of Quebec families are currently going through.
Our collective, made up of more than 1,800 families, represents a diverse range of citizens and permanent residents from all regions of Quebec. As of December 2023, we identified 38,600 families affected by excessive processing wait times in the family class, where sponsors are Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
We would like to draw your attention to the alarming reality of waiting times, reaching up to 42 months in Quebec, compared to 10 to 12 months in other Canadian provinces. The repercussions of this situation are directly linked to the limitation of admissions to family reunification, causing profoundly heartbreaking human consequences, including psychological distress. Families thus find themselves separated, and citizens see their mental and physical health deteriorate due to obstacles hindering the realization of their family life plan.
Our collective carried out a mental health survey with 408 families undergoing sponsorship in Quebec. This study, based on the mental health index recommended by the INSPQ, is supported by the Drs Sacha Sidani and David Edward-Ooi Poon. The preliminary results shared by the Dr Sidani in his open letter are critical: 97% of respondents present clinical depressive symptoms and 73% anxiety. In comparison, in September 2020, 72% of 1,200 couples separated by the pandemic were likely to receive a clinical diagnosis of depression, compared to 53% for a positive clinical diagnosis of anxiety disorder. We are thus observing the deterioration in the health of binational couples over the last three years, many of whom are now in a sponsorship situation.
Thus, we firmly believe that in the context of family reunification, thresholds should not prevail, as in other provinces.
Furthermore, maintaining the current maximum admission threshold, despite the constant increase in applications, delays the integration of family members into Quebec society.
It is imperative that the government reconsiders this situation.
We call on you to act so that processing times are aligned with the Canadian standard of 12 months.
Our collective represents a forgotten and misunderstood category of immigration; we are determined to defend the rights of Quebec families. The family is the fundamental pillar of any society, necessary for a prosperous economy. By investing in family well-being, the government is investing in the vitality and resilience of society. Thus, the revision of these thresholds could truly shape the future of the Quebec of tomorrow.
We carry the voice of thousands of people who are suffering because of these decisions.
We ask you to consider this letter as an additional invitation to act in order to promote a reasonable processing time, equivalent to the Canadian standard, in order to reunite families.
No Quebecer deserves to live separated for years from their children or their spouse.
In the hope that this missive will arouse your attention and your rapid action for Quebec families who are suffering, we ask you to accept, Madam Minister, our respectful greetings.
*Have signed this letter: Parliamentary support: André Albert Morin Ad. E, Member of Parliament for Acadia, spokesperson for the official opposition on immigration, francization and integration; Guillaume Cliche-Rivard, MP for Saint-Henri–Sainte-Anne, spokesperson for the second opposition group on immigration, francization and integration. Municipal support: City of Prévost. Union support: Confederation of National Trade Unions (CSN); Quebec Federation of Workers (FTQ); Quebec Interprofessional Health Federation (FIQ). Signatory organizations: Reunified Quebec and 12 NPOs; Quebec Women’s Federation (FFQ) and 26 women’s rights organizations; Fierté Montréal and 4 LGBTQ+ rights organizations; The Magdalen Islands Chamber of Commerce; 21 law firms and jurists; 50 immigration consultant offices; 11 private companies; 5 citizen associations and collectives; 11 personalities from the municipal and community sectors; 78 members of the Quebec Bar, including Me Maxime Lapointe, lawyer. And 1745 members and supporters of the Quebec reunited collective.