PSPP CAQ condemns immigration “fraud”.

For the leader of the Parti Québécois, Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon, François Legault’s government presented new immigration thresholds on Wednesday “a fraud” that would plunge Quebec into an “unprecedented social crisis.”

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In a lengthy message published on his Facebook account on Sunday, Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon argued that the government was “tampering” with figures when it presented a threshold of 56,500 permanent migrants for 2024 and 2025.

“They essentially changed their immigration accounting method to try to disguise the increase in thresholds,” Mr. St-Pierre explained in an interview with Plamondon. News magazine.

According to him, about 64,000 immigrants enter Quebec annually, taking into account the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) and immigrants classified as “business persons.”

“Generally, when we talk about immigration thresholds, we talk about all immigration categories. We are not excluding it in an attempt to mislead the population,” adds the PQ leader.

Fear of worsening crises

In his publication, Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon argues that these new thresholds will exacerbate the housing crisis, accelerate the decline of French in Quebec, and undermine the state’s mission to provide services.

He described as “rubbish” the speeches suggesting that immigration could meet labor needs and indirectly housing needs.

“The Bank of Canada, the National Bank and the Bank of Montreal confirm what I am saying. […] A worker who comes to Quebec is also a consumer, which equals zero in terms of solving the labor shortage,” he explained.

The PQ leader also believes that immigration increases labor shortages because it can mobilize so many resources.

“What we need to do is to restore the thresholds based on our reception capacity, so that part of our workforce is available to ensure the basic missions of the state and to build houses,” explained Mr. Saint-Pierre Plamondon.

The PQ is also opposed to requiring level 4 oral French skills from certain temporary foreign workers.

“This will not lead to French being the common language in Montreal or Laval. An equal level is needed [en espagnol] has cervesa please», he explains.

According to Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon, the CAQ “lacks a balance of power” against the federal government, which has “lost control over immigration in its territory”.

“Clear” thresholds according to Minister Frechette

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“50,000 regular admissions, French-speaking students ready to work in addition to PEQ and already [Québec] », reiterated the minister.

“Our approach represents a historic shift in favor of the French,” adds Christine Frechette. A change that was never made when the PQ was in power. »