1. As we know, most immigrants on PEI do not have citizenship, making them ineligible to vote. However, we also know that immigrants are the key to economic success on PEI as they are, and will continue to be, the main drivers of the population growth needed on PEI to build a sustainable economy. What efforts will you make to ensure that 1) you are aware of the issues most important to immigrants, including international students and migrant workers, and 2) that those issues are well represented in government policies? (Topic: General)
As our province continues to grow its population, immigration will continue to play an important role. Effective dialogue is an important tool to make sure that the government understands the needs of the community and works collaboratively so that newcomers to our province can thrive and prosper.
Consulting community partners like BIPOC USHR, the Black Cultural Society, la CIF, and the Immigration and Refugees Services Association (IRSA PEI) are key. Our government is committed to multi-funding agreements with these organizations to help deliver settlement services for newcomers to PEI for social, cultural and economic inclusion and provide supports to their members.
Our government also regularly consults with stakeholders such as the UPEI and Holland College Student Unions to discuss pressing issues for post-secondary students and we would welcome the opportunity to broaden those discussions with other interested stakeholders.
When it comes to government policy, the Anti-Racism Advisor and Anti-Racism table all provide valuable input and include these key stakeholders.
2. In the work that our organizations have done in the community, we have worked with clients who have experienced racism from government, or government-adjacent, institutions, such as Health PEI, the sheriff's office, etc. We have not seen any accountability for these actions to date. Unfortunately, lack of accountability erodes any trust that may be there between community and government. Moving forward, what will you do to ensure anti-racism policies are in effect and people are being held accountable when harm is done? For example, would you support an Anti-Racism Act that will govern the PEI government’s anti-racism initiatives and promote accountability? (Topic: Anti-Racism in Government)
In 2021 our government established the first Anti-Racism Table in the history of the province. The Anti-Racism Table was established to identify ways and actions to address systemic racism on PEI in the areas of education; Justice and policing services; legislation, regulations, and policies; employment; health care; housing; and social programs. The Anti-Racism Table is made up of representatives from stakeholders and members of the community.
This has been a positive early step but more needs to be done to build on that progress. Our government is committed to working collaboratively to strengthen the work of the Anti-Racism Table to advance our shared goals including anti-racism initiatives and promoting accountabilty.
3. In the last few years we have become increasingly aware of the racism that racialized physicians, including those of Muslim, South Asian, and African descent, face from their colleagues and supervisors. Many of the physicians end up leaving the province. How will you ensure that racialized healthcare providers, including mental healthcare providers who understand the impact of racial and immigration trauma, are prioritized in recruitment AND retention? (Topic: Healthcare)
Diversifying our health care workforce and supporting those professionals is important for several reasons. These professionals add needed capacity to our health care system. These professionals can have specialized areas of expertise that can better support our growing population of newcomers and racialized Islanders. As the number of racialized Islanders continues to grow, having more racialized health providers working will help members of the community be better reflected and see themselves in our healthcare system, however, we need to do everything we can to create a positive and welcoming work environment for everyone working in our health care system. We would take the recommendations from individuals within the health system on what additional supports would be needed to foster and develop an inclusive work environment. We are also open to expanding resources available to support racialized healthcare workers through Human Resources and exploring adding more resources to the Office of the Ombudsperson to investigate when racism does occur.
In addition, the Public Service Commission offers training and educational opportunities to all government employees, including Health PEI employees, to foster and develop more inclusive workplaces.
4. As the PEI population grows more diverse we are seeing an increase of diversity in our schools. Yet, we too often hear of instances of racism, including anti-Black racism, anti-Indigenous racism, and Islamophobia, and a continued exclusion of non-white, non European education in our curriculums. How do you plan to address both interpersonal racism and institutional (exclusion from curriculum) racism? (Topic: Education)
The educational curriculum have been evolving over time and must continue to evolve, to better reflect the learning needs of students. In 2021 the Public Schools Branch launched a pilot program at five Island junior high and high schools (Queen Charlotte, East Wiltshire, Birchwood, Colonel Gray, Westisle) to educate students and staff on racism.
A re-elected PC government will work collaboratively with our learning partners to address interpersonal and institutional racism in our schools and update the school curriculum to better reflect the growing diversity within Island classrooms, based on input from key stakeholders.
5. We know that immigration is a federal issue. However, there are limited resources for immigrants in terms of legal counsel, information, or protection on PEI. This leaves those without citizenship - such as those with work permits, international students, and migrant workers - who constitute most of the PEI’s non-Indigenous racialized community, without much protection or support. People then have to navigate a complicated and often changing immigration system on their own. In addition, there appears to be a reliance on entities like the CBSA on matters of immigration, including working with our educational institutions and policing. The CBSA as an entity has proven itself harmful to racialized populations all across Canada for, among other reasons, jailing migrants in both provincial jails and detention centres with no clear rationale, and this reliance on CBSA for immigration support puts many people in harm's way.
How will you increase safe local supports for immigrants, including international students and migrant workers, on PEI and limit the role of CBSA on PEI? (Topic: Immigration)
Access to justice services and support can be a roadblock for anyone but this is especially true for vulnerable populations. Over the last four years our government has increased funding for legal aid services, and passed the Temporary Foreign Worker Protection Act to better protect workers.
Our government is also working with the federal government to strengthen working relationships when it comes to immigration-related issues.
A re-elected PC government will:
- Hire a Temporary Foreign Worker Protection Officer
- Establish a Community Legal Aid Service to increase access to justice including legal representation which is not currently provided by existing legal aid programs;
- Continue to work constructively with the federal government to address issues in immigration and better support newcomers.
6. Electoral systems such as proportional representation allow marginalized peoples to engage in the political arena. The first-past-the-post voting system currently used on PEI is known to be an unfair process as it is, notwithstanding the fact that our electoral system doesn't allow for immigrants on PEI who do not hold Canadian citizenship to participate in the voting process. Given that, because of their residency status, the majority of the racialized population on PEI cannot have a say in a political process which will impact their lives, will you support and prioritize Permanent Residents’ Voting in the legislature to ensure it becomes law in time for the next election? (Topic: Politics/Political Engagement)
A re-elected PC government will work with Elections PEI and community stakeholders to improve civic education and identify opportunities to increase democratic engagement for Permanent Residents.
7. Research shows PEI's immigrant retention rate is by far the worst in Canada at 15.6% (the next lowest is at 47.8%, and highest over 90%). How will you address the reasons for this and what actions will you take to raise the retention rate for a more inclusive and diverse province? What initiatives are you planning that align with the current government mandate to retain immigrant populations on PEI? How will you work to ensure workplaces, government departments and institutions, organizations, and Island communities are safe for racialized groups? As the current system of relying on entities such as the Human Rights Commission are ineffective in addressing racism, we are asking about new initiatives. (Topic: Anti-Racism)
Better immigration retention is a key goal for the province and much progress has been made over the last twenty years to improve the retention rate. Strengthening settlement services delivered by government and community partners; improving access to housing, health care, education and employment opportunities; and working to modernize our public institutions to better reflect changing realities are among some of the measures we will pursue to improve immigration retention rates.
8. The federal government usually only allows international students to work a maximum of 20 hours during the school year, and 40 hours during breaks, such as the summer break. (There are some temporary changes in place until the end of this year). This can leave many students in difficult financial situations, which became very evident during the pandemic lockdowns. Additionally, international students are not eligible for the same means of support that are available to domestic students such as family and disability supports. Will you continue to advocate for the federal government to either extend the number of workable hours (beyond temporary changes currently in place) or amend to remove the restriction altogether; and will you work to have the eligibility requirements for social supports available to post-secondary students amended? (Topic: Immigration; Education)
Premier King has worked with Minister Fraser to get this temporary change in place as a pilot. There is a commitment from the Federal government to look at making this change permanent.
Supporting post-secondary learners to succeed is a priority and a re-elected PC government would work collaboratively with our community partners to identify roadblocks to success.
9. A great deal of the work on anti-racism, supporting and advocating for racialized communities, and making PEI safer for racialized communities has fallen, and will continue to fall on grassroots community organizations such as BIPOC USHR, the Black Cultural Society of PEI, and Cooper Institute. Our work makes PEI safer and more welcoming, which can boost government efforts to increase retention. However, we need funding security to do the work we do and to have sufficient capacity. Will you commit to provide long-term funding and support to grassroots organizations whose mandate is to serve all racialized communities? (Topic: Community support; Anti-Racism)
Yes. Our government respects and values the work done by our community partners and has financially supported this work. A re-elected PC government will continue to provide multi-year funding agreements with our community partners to support their work. Our platform commits to long-term funding for the Black Cultural Society to renew their strategic plan and to ensure it can continue to address structural and systemic racism in PEI.
10. Racialized people live at all intersections of identities. Racialized people who are 2SLGBTQIA+ are disproportionately at risk for violence. In thinking about the escalating threats to our 2SLGBTQIA+ community in the form of discrimination within our schools and the broader community, as well as physical and verbal assaults, how do you plan on addressing this through specific policies and practices to ensure the safety of racialized individuals living on the intersections of these identities? (Topic: Anti-Queerphobia; Anti-Racism)
Ensuring safe and supportive spaces for vulnerable populations is something that as a society we all need to make a priority. We have implemented new Gender and Diversity Guidelines in our schools that reflect the input and feedback of community stakeholders, students, staff, families, and vulnerable populations. A greater emphasis has to be made on educating individuals to be more accepting and inclusive. Our platform commits to continue funding 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations to continue their work in promoting education and understanding and celebrating diversity across the Island and we look forward to continue partnering with these organizations in their important work.
11. Reports and feedback received from community members indicate that refugees are leaving PEI, citing "difficulties to adapt to life in Canada". While accommodations are provided to them, the lack of understanding and sensitivity to their cultural backgrounds causes difficulties in navigating different systems. Similarly, lack of supports for out-of-status immigrants leads to them being left out of services meant to meet basic needs, including food, shelter, and healthcare. What recommendations will you have in place to ensure protection of human rights for refugee groups and out-of-status immigrants? (Topic: Human Rights; Immigration)
Our government will continue to take the advice of key stakeholder groups who know what can be done to support refugee groups and out-of-status immigrants. Short-term funding could be provided for basic human needs such as food, shelter, and healthcare and could be administered in-partnership community organizations directly to the individuals that need the support.
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Completed by:
PEI PC Party Policy Team
[email protected] / 902-628-8679