We’ve just published our weekly edition of Muslims in The House for the week of May 6 - May 10.
This week’s edition covers issues relating to the Ramadan and the Immigration System.
Also, we have our Youth Internship applications due on May 31st - please share the like with youth who might be interested: https://www.canadianmuslimvote.ca/yip
And please don't forget to get your Eid Dinner Tickets. Last year we sold out well before the event. We hope to use this dinner as a forum that will allow attendees to meet and greet with politicians running for election and help people make an informed and educated decision at the ballot box. This year we are expecting each of the party leaders to address the 1000+ guests.
Ramadan Mubarak
On May 6, MP Karen Vecchio (Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON - Con) wished Muslims across Canada Ramadan Mubarak while affirming the “love and goodwill for Muslims Canadian,” and acknowledging the many contributions Muslims have made to Canadian history and society. She encouraged non-Muslim Canadians to use the holy month of Ramadan as an opportunity to connect with their Muslim neighbours over community Iftars at local mosques.
MP Mark Holland (Ajax, On - Lib) extended his well-wishes to Canadian Muslims for Ramadan. In addition to wishing Muslims Ramadan Mubarak, MP Holland confirmed that he would be supporting the Muslim community by participating in fasting this holy month. As he has done in the past, MP Holland will use the money he saves from fasting to donate to local food banks, as part of the Give 30 charity.
Auditor General’s Report on Immigration System
MP Lisa Raitt (Milton, ON - Con) called the effectiveness of the Canadian immigration system into question, following the spring report on immigration from the Auditor General. MP Raitt cited the “Roxham Road illegal express entry” in Quebec, as an example of the Liberal’s ineffective approach to immigration. She called on the Prime Minister to review and implement the proposed recommendations provided by the Auditor General’s report. MP Pierre Paul-Hus (Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC - Con) accused the Prime Minister of compounding the issue with irregular border crossing via a tweet that the Prime Minister issued in January 2017. MP Paul-Hus claims there have been 40,000 irregular border crossings in the 2 years since the tweet, which the Auditor General’s report acknowledged that the existing system was not equipped to handle.
Prime Minister Trudeau confirmed that the Government will carefully review the Auditor General’s recommendations. In addition, he reaffirmed his commitment to providing the immigration system with the funding it needs to remain as effective and efficient as possible. In the increases in asylum seekers and migration across the world, the Prime Minister noted that it would be unreasonable to assume that Canada would remain immune or isolated from the global trends. The Prime Minister pointed to the 2019 budget, which has the “largest investment in the history of the IRB” to ensure that the process if fair and fast.