Immigration community fears Roberge is only a “part-time minister”

Photo: Graham Hughes The Canadian Press Minister Jean-François Roberge already holds, among others, the portfolios of the French Language and Canadian Relations.

Lisa-Marie Gervais

Published at 1:40 PM Updated at 4:49 PM

• Québec

Appointing Jean-François Roberge, who already holds the portfolios of the French Language and Canadian Relations, to the Ministry of Immigration is “a coherent choice” for the current CAQ government, which advocates an identity and economic nationalism and is engaged in a standoff with Ottawa. But Immigration is a real “monster,” which requires complex expertise that goes beyond language and workforce issues, say industry players. Is Mr. Roberge the right man for the job? ?

“I’m not sure he’s very knowledgeable about all the immigration issues,” says Stephan Reichhold, director of the Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes réfugiées et immigrantes (TCRI), which represents more than 150 community organizations. He points out that, in terms of budget and number of employees, francization is the most important issue within the Ministry of Immigration. “I imagine that’s what will interest [the minister] the most. We’ll see. We’ll give the runner a chance.”

Mr. Reichhold is especially concerned that immigration won’t get all the attention it deserves. “He’ll be a part-time minister, and that’s always a real handicap for us,” he says. He cites as examples Christine Fréchette's predecessors: Jean Boulet, who was also Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Solidarity, and Nadine Girault, who was also responsible for International Relations and the Francophonie. “The biggest problem we experienced with Jean Boulet was the absence of the minister.”

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However, he says he was well served by Minister Fréchette, whose sole responsibility was immigration. “She had a good command of her files, and even if we didn’t always agree, it was possible to have good discussions with her,” says Mr. Reichhold. “I don’t know to what extent Mr. Roberge will listen, but we hope to have good relations with him.”

At the beginning of the year, Jean-François Roberge had raised the ire of many immigrants and people working in the field by declaring that the large number of asylum seekers threatened services and could go so far as to compromise Quebec’s identity. Will he get a more lukewarm reception from the community? ? “It’s hard to say,” suggests Mr. Reichhold. “He modeled his speech on that of the Prime Minister. That will dampen his enthusiasm [to become] Minister of Immigration. He will understand that it is not to his advantage to make this type of statement.” »

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The Immigration portfolio, “not a gift”

Catherine Xhardez, an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at the Université de Montréal, also notes that the outgoing minister had managed to skillfully steer the immigration files to please the various “coalitions”—economic, identity—of the Coalition avenir Québec. “She had managed to gain the respect and trust of several groups and navigate between them. That’s the hardest part. It’s going to be a challenge for the new minister,” says the researcher specializing in public policy and immigration.

The challenge will also be to gain the trust of front-line stakeholders. “When you become Minister of Immigration, you’re faced with all this complexity. It’s so diverse. There are a lot of programs. Immigration is a monster. It’s not a gift,” she notes. This is an opportunity for the new minister to immerse himself in the reality on the ground. “It is a challenge and at the same time an opportunity to manage better, in synergy and in a more holistic way,” believes Ms. Xhardez.

And immigration is much more than francization. “To be able to negotiate, you have to know the programs and figures inside out, understand the agreements and remain competitive with the rest of Canada, and that also means understanding employers, management, the business community and understanding the problems on the ground in the reception and availability of services.”