Quebec Solidaire wants to regularize the status of 10,000 immigrants by 2023
Immigrant Workers Center (IWC) members gathered in Parc-Extension on Saturday to demand that the Quebec government implement a regularization program for young non-status immigrants and their families.
Quebec Solidaire (QS), present at the rally, proposes regularizing 10,000 people in the program's first year, with eligibility criteria established by the federal government.
The measure aims to significantly improve the living conditions of immigrant children and teenagers by allowing them to complete their schooling in Quebec, among other things. Currently, young people with a precarious status—that is, who do not have refugee status or permanent residence—cannot enroll in CEGEP or university.
"They speak French, they have completed high school here, they are on sports teams, they are successful (...) These young people are Canadians. They are Quebecers. We must give them permanent residence as soon as possible so that they can focus on their development and their future," said Guillaume Cliche-Rivard, new MNA for Saint-Henri-Sainte-Anne and immigration lawyer.
For Andrés Fontecilla, the QS MNA for Laurier-Dorion, the situation is "extremely worrying."
"There is a two-tier society being created: people who have rights and status, and all those who live in obscurity and invisibility. (...) We need a political solution that comes from the federal government but which is also accepted by the CAQ government', he said.
Young immigrants also testified at the event, expressing their fear of possible deportation.
"I love the school, my colleagues and my life here. I am an athlete, and I have won competitions in Quebec. But now I'm finishing high school, and I'm afraid I won't be able to continue my education and go to CEGEP. I am afraid that my family and I will be deported when my whole life is here," said a 19-year-old who didn't want to be identified.
-This report from The Canadian Press was first published on March 25, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.
DEVELOPING Israel says Hamas deal is 'far' from meeting its demands as Rafah offensive looms
Israel said the terms of a ceasefire deal Hamas accepted on Monday remained 'far from' meeting its demands and warned its military operations in Rafah would continue, even as it sent negotiators to talk to mediators.
2024 Met Gala: Everything to know about fashion's annual soiree
Fashion's biggest night out — hosted at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York each year on the first Monday of May — is both a forever-evolving spectacle and a carefully crafted event.