Immigration: Minister Tony Clement

New Immigrants Dept: “Yeah, there are groups that are upset. … Hey, listen, they had a good deal going,” Mr. Clement said Thursday following a meeting with fellow MPs in Ottawa, according to Globe And Mail. The Industry Minister’s comments came as the Ontario government turned up the heat in its campaign against the census changes. With premiers gathering in Winnipeg for their annual meeting, Ontario Immigration Minister Eric Hoskins has written Mr. Clement warning the move will erode his province’s ability to plan settlement programs for new immigrants and industry Minister Tony Clement emerged from the Conservative summer caucus meeting to dismiss a proposed compromise floated by the NDP and Liberals – appearing to dash any remaining possibility that the Harper government might back down in the controversy. A new voluntary version of the long-form questionnaire is slated to go to print next week. “They got good, quality data and the government of Canada was the heavy. We were the ones who were coercing Canadians on behalf of these private businesses, or other social institutions, or other governments and provinces, for this data. We were the ones threatening Canadians with jail times or with large fines.” As reported in the news.
@t eric hoskins, immigration minister