Québec solidaire demands from the Legault government “very rapid action” to regularize thousands of young people and their parents who currently have a precarious status, some being threatened with imminent deportation. To lend weight to this request, party representatives invited young people without status to the National Assembly who spoke in French of their desire to stay in Quebec.
Uprooting these young people from Quebec would be “dramatic”, argued the deputy for Saint-Henri–Sainte-Anne, Guillaume Cliche-Rivard, who worked as an immigration lawyer. “If we don’t quickly put a Quebec program in place to give them a path to permanent residence, we risk losing these young people. It would be very dramatic for them and, of course, for us. »
Mr. Cliche-Rivard explained that these young people, and their parents, are in a legal situation on Canadian territory, even if they are waiting for a letter indicating the date of their removal. They ended up with a precarious status either because they stayed in the country after their study visa or work permit expired or their asylum application was rejected. “They have no status but they are legally recognized. They are unfortunately awaiting their fateful summons. »
According to the MP, these young people would be uprooted if they were fired. “Some have been there since they were 8 years old, 9 years old, 10 years old, all they have known, all they remember is here in Canada. Their friends are here, their dreams are here. »
Mr. Nadeau-Dubois argued that it is “unfair” not to regularize these young people, who have “fulfilled their part of the contract”. “They have learned French, they have integrated and work hard […] they want to build Quebec with us and we are going to close the door to them? ” did he declare. It would also be absurd not to welcome them, when we are in the midst of a labor shortage, he added.
Quebec has a “duty” not to let them down, he believes. “This is what I ask of the government of François Legault. Let them stay. »
Touching testimonials
Among a handful of young people, three dared to take the microphone to deliver touching testimonies. Shivani Sachdeva, 20, explained that she was an assistant manager at a Couche-Tard and wanted to become an accountant. “I think that with this experience, I will open my business. »
Harshpreet Singh, a student of 2e secondary school of the Lucien-Pagé school who arrived in 2018 with his family, spoke, in very good French, of his wish to continue his studies here. “My favorite subjects are math and science, I would like to become a mechanical engineer,” he said. “I had difficulty understanding French, but I took some time and finally managed to speak and write. »
The duty was able to talk a little longer with Jaskamal Singh, a student of Indian origin in 3e secondary school at Lucien-Pagé secondary school. For him, everything would be fine in the best of all worlds if he and his parents had not become non-status since they decided to stay after their asylum application, made in 2017, was rejected. Returning to Punjab, where some farmers, like her parents, may be at risk due to ongoing conflict, was not an option.
“It’s hard not to have status. I can’t go to CEGEP, ”dropped the 16-year-old student. The young man who dreams of becoming a police officer fears having to return to Punjab after six years in Quebec. “I don’t know how to speak and write Punjabi well,” he said. They won’t accept me. »
What would a permanent resident status change? “Our lives would no longer be in danger,” he replied, always referring to the fear of returning to his country. “My parents can’t work somewhere like that. They can’t buy a house, a car. »
Quebec has a role to play, says QS
During his campaign to be elected in Saint-Henri–Sainte-Anne, Guillaume Cliche-Rivard had made regularization one of his main concerns. His proposal would regularize people without status who have been in the country for at least five years, but families with at least one child residing in Quebec would be eligible immediately. “We are talking about 10,000 people for year 1,” reiterated the MP.
He insisted that such a regularization program is not solely the responsibility of Ottawa. “It is enough for the minister to say so and it could be done,” he argued, recalling that Quebec had “played a central role” in the establishment of the guardian angels program, aimed at regularizing people. with precarious status who worked during the first wave of the pandemic.
“Quebec issued Quebec Selection Certificates and Immigration Canada gave residence according to the CSQ. It’s essentially the same thing we’re asking. […] Quebec has all the legislation and authority to do so. »
As reported The duty During the recent study of budget credits, the Minister of Immigration, Christine Fréchette, had not closed the door to such a program, maintaining in the same breath that it was still too early to comment on this question. Her press secretary, Alexandre Lahaie, recalled that the minister still had the same position. “We are waiting to see what the federal government will offer us. He informed us of his intention to act in this file and we will not be closed. Currently, the conversation on the subject is taking place between the two levels of immigration departments.