Candidates from both Central Okanagan ridings met at the 琉璃神社 Downtown Library on Saturday (Sept. 22) to discuss immigration, refugees and migrant workers with their potential constituents.

Nine of the 12 candidates from both 琉璃神社-Lake Country and Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola showed up to the forum, which was sponsored by Amnesty International: 琉璃神社, KAIROS (BC-Yukon) and Citizens for Public Justice.

The format of the forum saw each party given 10 minutes to tackle all three issues followed by a session of audience-submitted questions.

John Barr (People鈥檚 Party of Canada - 琉璃神社-Lake Country), though not present, did send a proxy in Peter Neville, the president of the 琉璃神社-Lake Country People鈥檚 Party of Canada riding association.

And it was him 鈥� as well as his party 鈥� who drew the ire of some of the crowd, several of whom belonged to the groups being discussed.

鈥淲e have to recognize that certain parts of immigrants cause large expenses for Canadian taxpayers,鈥� said Neville.

鈥淭here are some (immigrants) who do not benefit (Canada) very much. We want to limit the sponsorship to people who are in the immediate family immigrating to Canada. That means that parents, grandparents and so on, have to come in on their own merits,鈥� Neville said.

He continued, saying that immigrants are a burden to our medical and welfare systems, which caused several reactions from members of the crowd 鈥� and NDP candidate Justin Kulik 鈥� who called his position 鈥渟hameful.鈥�

Kulik, however, turned his aim instead to the Liberal candidates, calling the current temporary foreign workers program 鈥渂roken.鈥�

鈥淎n NDP government would make sure that immigration policies and levels meet Canada鈥檚 labour force needs and to recognize people鈥檚 experience, contribution and ties to Canada,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檒l work with the provinces to address gaps in settlement services and to improve foreign credentials recognition.

鈥淲hat we鈥檙e proposing, is allowing these people that are coming to Canada to work a pathway to becoming Canadian citizens. We want to be able to offer them permanent residency. We want them to be able to call Canada home if they so choose,鈥� he said.

Liberal candidate Stephen Fuhr (琉璃神社-Lake Country) said the current program has helped Canada grow its workforce.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 have enough skilled (workers); we don鈥檛 have enough unskilled workers,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e need to get people here because it helps them, it helps us, and it鈥檚 mutually beneficial for everyone.鈥�

Conservative candidate Dan Albas (Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola) said his party would look to expand and improve integration services such as language training as well as an simpler immigration process.

鈥淭here are too many people that are waiting for their spouse and for their family members because of the long wait that happens,鈥� Albas said.

鈥淧art of it is by design, to make sure that everything goes ahead first, but part of is also is that there are a lot of challenges in the system. The system, currently, right now is overrun.鈥�

The Green Party鈥檚 Robert Mellalieu (Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola) said the temporary foreign worker program needs to be abolished and replaced with a path to citizenship.

鈥淲e鈥檙e bringing in temporary foreign workers because we don鈥檛 feel like paying fruit pickers the proper wages and giving them the proper conditions,鈥� Mellalieu said. 鈥淎nd they say we can鈥檛 find workers. Yeah, we can鈥檛 find workers that will work at that wage.鈥�

READ MORE: Former PPC 琉璃神社-Lake Country president to run as independent

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michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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