People’s Party of Canada (PPC) Leader Maxime Bernier wants to change the immigration system by increasing the number of skilled immigrants and giving more control to the provinces..Under the current immigration system, approximately 75% of immigrants are skilled immigrants. Bernier wants to increase the amount to 80%..“About 75% of immigrants coming to Canada are skilled immigrants… We must change the percentage and I think 80% of them will be skilled immigrants,” Bernier told the Western Standard..Bernier wants to turn over more control to the provinces on immigration, such as when Saskatchewan asked the federal government for a similar system to Quebec’s..“We must give provinces more latitude to decide. Actually, in Quebec right now, they can choose their immigrants,” said Bernier..“And it’s not the case in Manitoba. It’s not the case in Saskatchewan. So, why Quebec can do that and not other provinces? So we must change the system.”.Bernier said in Canada there is free trade between provinces and territories for goods, but not services — the PPC would change that to include services..“For example, a doctor in Montreal must be able to work as a doctor, anywhere [in Canada]. And that’s not the case right now,” said Bernier..“They need to be able to work in all jurisdictions … We can help to have a real free trade between provinces like the free trade for goods, but also for services. And right now, it’s not the case. So yes, that’s part of our proposal.”.Bernier said allowing more free movement of skilled service workers is part of the PPC’s “radical decentralization” plan for Canada..“That’s part of our radical decentralization. If you know you need to have nurses here in this province, you must be able to get nurses. But now, going outside [the province] and you have to wait for approval coming from the federal government. So more control on immigration for provinces. That’s part of our proposal for skilled immigrants,” said Bernier..Another immigration issue Bernier pointed out is the time it takes for foreign skilled immigrants to make it through the process. The PPC would speed up the process..“Right now, if you’re a doctor in Paris and you want to be a doctor in Quebec, you’d have to wait maybe two or three years before being approved by the College of Physicians and Surgeons,” said Bernier..“So that must not be the case. We must change the system … You must be able to be approved as a doctor in a year. But when you are in Canada, that’s not the case and that’s how we will help.”
