ZPRAVY CSSK
Dopis z ministerstva pristehovalectvi
March 22, 2002
Mr. Josef Cermak Q.C.
President, Czech and Slovak Association of Canada
Dear Mr. Cermak:
Thank you for your letter of February 7, 2002, concerning the
proposed regulations to accompany the new Immigration and Refugee
Protection Act, as well as your specific concerns in the areas
of the new skilled worker selection criteria, and corresponding
pass mark and retroactivity.
Let me begin by saying that the new Act is fair and balanced legislation.
While it introduces tough measures, aimed at those who pose a
threat to public security or do not respect our laws, it also
reaffirms Canada's longstanding tradition as a nation open to
immigrants, and renews our commitment to offer protection to genuine
refugees.
Moreover, this legislation represents nearly five years of consultations
with Canadians and key stakeholders across the country. The Government
is committed to continuing this open dialogue with respect to
the accompanying draft regulations - both directly and through
public hearings before parliamentary committees.
You will be pleased to learn that on February 26, 2002 I announced
in the House of Commons that I intended to amend the transition
regulations to allow more skilled workers to be assessed under
the current selection grid until January 1, 2003. The amendments
will:
* help to alleviate the impact on those skilled worker applicants
who might be affected by the transition to the new rules. I have
proposed a reduction of the transitional pass mark from 75 to
70, the current pass mark. This reduction balances fairness to
the skilled worker applicants who applied before the proposed
rules were announced on December 17, 2001, while moving forward
with this Department's contributions to the Government of Canada's
security agenda; and
* allow all skilled worker and business immigration applicants
whose applications have not yet been through the preliminary evaluation
(paper screening) to request a withdrawal of their applications
and refund of the processing fee. To initiate, they can contact
the visa office to which they submitted application.
I Trust this helps to clarify my Department's intentions with
regard to skilled worker selection. I have enclosed the materials
related to February 26, 2002 announcement. For further information,
you may wish to visit the Citizenship and Immigration Canada web
site at www.cic.gc.ca.
I would like to emphasize that these initial changes were made
in response to the comments received about the new regulations.
Beyond this, I fully intend to consider recommendations made by
the public and my parliamentary colleagues before the regulations
receive final approval later in the spring. Please be assured
that I am committed to ensuring that we have a fair and effective
immigration and refugee program. Your comments will be given full
consideration as we move through the regulatory public consultation
phase.
Thank you again for having taken the time to write and bring your
interest in this matter to my attention.
Sincerely
The Honourable Denis Coderre
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
***
Winnipeg hosti 53. kongres CSSK
Letosni 53. kongres Sdruzeni je organizovan winnipegskou odbockou,
ktera pripravila bohaty program.
PATEK, 24. kvetna: ti, kteri prijedou brzy odpoledne, si mohou
prohlednout unikatni sbirky slovanske literatury na University
of Manitoba s odbornym pruvodcem. Vecer, od 18.00 do 23:00 setkani
ucastniku s winnipegskymi krajany s "bohatym obcerstvenim"
v ceskem Klubu Jednoty, 154 McKenzie Street
SOBOTA, 25.kvetna: formalni zasedani kongresu, St. Andrews College,
29 Dysart Rd. Winnipeg (snidane a obed zajisteny na miste "za
velmi rozumne ceny"). Vecer banket s hudbou - 18.00 koktejly,
19:00 banket s veceri (cena 35 dolaru). Po veceri budou udeleny
Masarykovy ceny. Holiday Inn Winnipeg South, 1330 Pembina Highway.
NEDELE, 26. kvetna: 9:00 zasedani kongresu, St. Andrews College
(snidane a obed zajisteny na miste jednani); odpoledne prohlidka
Winnipegu, vecer opekani burtu na farme bratra Dobrovolneho. Prosime
zajemce, aby se prihlasili predem u sestry Evy Sailerove e-mailova
adresa: esailer@shaw.ca nebo na adrese Sdruzeni 740 Spadina Ave.,
Toronto, ON M5S 2J2 tel. c. 416 925-2241, fax 416 925 1940, e-mail
csskho@interlog.com
Organizovani kongresu je velika drina. Dekujeme winnipegskym a
prejeme jim, aby vsecko vyslo, jak si predstavuji.
***