NLIS 4
October 21, 2002
(Executive Council)

 

Immigration strategy beneficial for province

On October 15 - 16, Tom Lush, Minister for Intergovernmental Affairs attended a meeting of ministers responsible for immigration, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He noted that the proposed strategy to spread the benefits of immigration to all regions of Canada, as suggested by Citizenship and Immigration Minister Denis Coderre, should prove beneficial for the province.

"We support Minister Coderre�s commitment to a more equitable distribution of newcomers throughout Canada, especially to smaller centres," said Minister Lush. "This province is in an unique position to provide the necessary supports to immigrants coming to Canada. We have an excellent service provider, the Association for New Canadians, a strong volunteer community, and easy access to integrated programs and services which help immigrants adjust to their new environment."

The minister also pointed out other provincial advantages including a warm, welcoming atmosphere, low crime rate, and excellent access to education services at the K-12 and post-secondary levels.

"All of these factors combined make Newfoundland and Labrador an excellent destination choice for new immigrants," said Minister Lush. "Yet, Newfoundland and Labrador, with approximately 1.7% of Canada�s population only attracts 0.2% of immigrants to Canada. Our declining population and skills shortages in some specialized areas means that we are increasingly looking to the advantages, both socially and economically, of increasing immigration to our province.

"However, as I told my colleagues, we must be careful not to displace local workers in the process," said Minister Lush. "As a first step, we must better understand our labour needs, where skill shortages exist and how best to address them. The labour force development strategy currently being developed under the leadership of the Department of Human Resources and Employment will help to determine our present and future work force needs.

"We also need to ensure mechanisms are in place to assess and recognize foreign credentials so that new arrivals are able to work in their chosen profession," said Minister Lush. "In some cases, we have people tied up in the system for years. Many skilled professionals are sometimes unable to work in their occupations because their credentials are not recognized by provincial professional associations or employers. We need to do more to ensure that newcomers to Canada can contribute to their maximum potential."

The minister stressed the importance of cooperation among all parties in addressing immigration, especially attracting our "fair share" of newcomers and making it easier for them to stay.

"It is our hope that by the time the next meeting of ministers is held in 2003, we will have a clearer idea of our needs and what we want to do as a province and as a country," said Minister Lush. "Between now and then, we will work with provincial stakeholders and the federal government to develop and implement an effective approach to the immigration issue in this province."

Media contact: Janice Lockyer, Communications, (709) 729-1341

2002 10 21                                        2:55 p.m.


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