APRIL 27, 2006

Source:Hansard

Hon. Albina Guarnieri (Mississauga East-Cooksville, Lib.):
First, Mr. Speaker, the fate of Portuguese construction workers was declared a low priority by the government. Now we have an appointments commissioner who has declared that immigration from Jamaica and Vietnam is to blame for gang violence in our cities. He says that Jamaican and Vietnamese cultures are "dominated by violence and lawlessness". We have not heard a public figure slander immigrants like this since the days of the Reform Party.

I ask the Minister of Immigration to apologize to Jamaican and Vietnamese Canadians for the appointment of Gwyn Morgan.

Hon. Monte Solberg (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, if the member is concerned about lawlessness, she certainly belongs to the wrong party. Going to an earlier question, hers is a party that still has not accounted for $40 million that disappeared while it was in government. I want to say to this issue that Gwyn Morgan is one of the most decent and respected men in this country. I would be happy to have him as an appointments commissioner. There is not anybody on the other side who has the kind of integrity of Gwyn Morgan.

Hon. Albina Guarnieri (Mississauga East-Cooksville, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, obviously the member is more concerned about the reputation of one oil baron. He should be more concerned about the reputation of thousands of hard-working immigrants and new Canadians here in this country.

Gwyn Morgan is responsible for more than his own opinions. He is now responsible for overseeing appointments to the Immigration and Refugee Board. Mr. Morgan said that "most immigrants who abuse our society have come in as refugee claimants-

Hon. Monte Solberg (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, the member conveniently forgets to point out that under her government well over 100,000 immigrants were deported. I point out that in previous years, in the last few years, over 700 people from the Portuguese community were deported, despite all the rhetoric from members on the other side about how they wanted to do something about this issue.

I find it a little ironic, and frankly it is pretty hypocritical, for members to get up on their high horse and say they are concerned about this issue when they deported so many of the people they say cared about.

For Further information contact:
Robert Cline
(905) 566-0009
guarna@parl.gc.ca