XPost: can.politics, bc.politics, ab.politics   
   XPost: mtl.general   
   From: *Oct.15.2015*@tweek.eu   
      
   The Canadian Press — Mar 10 2015   
      
      
   Tories worried about base finding out how much they spend helping immigrants   
      
      
   OTTAWA - A briefing note for a Conservative MP suggests the government   
   is worried about how spending on immigration programs is going over with   
   its base.   
      
   The House of Commons immigration committee is currently studying how   
   government-funded settlement services can better help the economic   
   integration of immigrants.   
      
   A note which appears to have been prepared for Costas Menegakis, the   
   parliamentary secretary for immigration, says the party's base will   
   learn as a result that the government spends close to $1 billion a year   
   on those efforts.   
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   The note says the other risk of undertaking such a study is that the   
   government's relationship with Quebec may surface as an issue.   
      
   And while the study only began last month and the committee has only   
   just started hearing from witnesses, the briefing note also lays out   
   five recommendations for its the eventual report.   
      
   A copy of the note was obtained by The Canadian Press.   
      
   Menegakis' office declined to comment specifically on the note's contents.   
      
   "Committee members are masters of their own proceedings," said an   
   emailed statement. "As always, we look forward to hearing testimony from   
   all witnesses."   
      
   Liberal MP John McCallum, who sits on the committee, called it   
   "chilling" to see the reference to the party's base in the document.   
      
   "It's as if they are concerned their own supporters would be aghast at   
   the idea of spending money to help settle immigrants," McCallum said in   
   an interview.   
      
   "It's good not only for the immigrants, it's good for the country if the   
   newcomers settle quickly and work and not be receiving welfare and   
   become productive Canadians."   
      
   The Conservatives credit much of their electoral success in recent years   
   to the inroads the party has made among new Canadians.  They've also   
   massively overhauled the immigration system which they've said is   
   partially motivated by concerns raised from within the newcomer community.   
      
   Part of the overhaul has been shifting the focus to so-called economic   
   class immigrants, those coming to Canada for work purposes.   
      
   The briefing note suggests, among other things, that employers ought to   
   be more engaged in the settlement process.   
      
   But it's clear what those witnesses say doesn't matter, said Lysane   
   Blanchette-Lamothe, the NDP's immigration critic and also a member of   
   the committee.   
      
   "They already have their lines, and whatever the witnesses are bringing   
   to the table, they already want to go forward with certain things," she   
   said.   
      
   "That's not my view about what should be the work of a committee."   
      
   The committee is scheduled to meet Tuesday morning.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)