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Citizenship & ImmigrationYear End Grants Provided by the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration Klees to McGuinty: You Can Run But You Can't Hide ! (Queen's Park) Oak Ridges MPP Frank Klees called Dalton McGuinty's shutting down of the Legislature 3 weeks earlier than scheduled a "desperate attempt to protect a scandal-ridden minister." Klees was scheduled to question McGuinty cabinet minister Mike Colle today on his role in the slush fund scandal that has been plaguing this government for weeks, but was denied that opportunity when Dalton McGuinty unexpectedly dissolved the Legislature. June 5, 2007 Klees joined My Canada! Executive Director Hashim Ali today in Richmond Hill as Mr. Ali closed the offices of his organization. Despite several requests for help from the provincial government to fund immigration settlement services, the organization has not received the $36,000 they need to stay open. In contrast, the McGuinty Liberals used an end of year Ministry slush fund to hand out $200,000 to the Iranian-Canadian Community Centre only three weeks after it was formed. It is an organization that is not known in the community and that has no track record of providing services. All seven members of the board of directors are Liberal Party donors and included the Liberal candidate for Richmond Hill and the Riding Association President. Klees adds signature to Joint Opposition letter urging Auditor-General to investigate McGuinty Liberal Slush Fund Scandal April 2, 2007 Legacy of Pope John Paul II Relevant to Culturally Diverse Ontario:
June 12, 2007 KLEES: Filipino Independence Day Celebrates Vision of Freedom and Self-Determination "On behalf of Ontario PC Leader John Tory, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the many ongoing contributions to Ontario by our Filipino-Canadian Community and offer best wishes and congratulations on the anniversary of Filipino Independence Day!" Mabuhay Angh Filipinas! April 15, 2007 HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY Klees: The lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten Good Pesach to the Jewish Canadian Community of Ontario April 3, 2007 Ba Shana Haba bi-Yerushalayim! KLEES: Victory Day Recalls Freedom's Sacrifice May 9th , 2007 "On behalf of Ontario PC Leader John Tory, I would like to extend my best wishes to our Russian army veterans and the entire Russian Canadian Community on this solemn day of remembrance of the great struggle of the people of Russia for freedom and independence."
Klees: Russian traditions are Vibrant Part of Canadian Cultural Mosaic Dec 13, 2006 February 28, 2007 KLEES: Liberals Misleading New Canadians! (QUEEN'S PARK) Oak Ridges MPP Frank Klees, the PC Education and Citizenship & Immigration Critic today said the McGuinty Liberals are "misleading New Canadians by claiming they have initiated certain measures to ease their entry into the workforce that are not in place at all." read more Ontario Hansard Record STANDING COMMITTEE ON REGULATIONS AND PRIVATE BILLS Thursday 7 December 2006 FAIR ACCESS TO REGULATED Mr. Klees: Mr. Chair, I just want to say how disappointed I am that we've gone through many hearings on this bill, we have heard what I consider to be some very constructive amendments brought forward by the opposition, and the record now shows that not one single amendment by the opposition parties has been accepted by this government. I think it speaks, frankly, to the dysfunction of our process. The expectation of the public is that when we come together for public hearings, when we meet in committee like this, the process of proposing amendments and voting on them will be exercised with a sense of responsibility as individual members of this committee and of the Legislature. This process has shown again that there is a need for a reform of how we do business in this place. No one can tell me that not one single amendment that Mr. Tabuns has brought forward on behalf of the NDP and not one single amendment that I have brought forward on behalf of the Ontario Progressive Conservative caucus had merit and that it wouldn't be considered to strengthen the bill. So my comment is very simply this: I understand it. I know what's happening. But it's not right, and at some point we're going to have to deal with this. It's no wonder that the public is cynical about politicians and about the political process when they see demonstrations such as we've seen in this committee. To review the recommendations put forward by Mr. Klees click here _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ For Immediate Release November 20, 2006 KLEES: NEW PC PLAN WILL HELP INTEGRATE ONTARIO 'S SKILLED IMMIGRANTS Announces 14 recommendations to help address challenges facing Ontario 's skilled immigrants (Queen's Park) - Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory and Education and Citizenship & Immigration Critic, Frank Klees, today released a comprehensive plan to address the issues facing Ontario 's skilled immigrants with a call for action to implement 14 recommendations. "The status quo is unacceptable," said Klees. "The lack of a real strategy to help our skilled immigrants is a real problem requiring serious and immediate action. We need to take a comprehensive approach that involves speeding up the process, getting to work sooner while immigrants are overseas waiting to come to Canada , providing increased assistance to newcomers once they have arrived and assisting newcomers enter the workforce." Tory and Klees released the report at a Queen's Park press conference accompanied by two of the many new Canadians who have faced challenges integrating themselves into our workforce. The report is a result of a yearlong process of consultation by John Tory, Frank Klees and the PC Caucus. Over the past year, a PC task force has met with organizations of professional immigrants, associations providing assistance to skilled immigrants as well as members of the post-secondary education community. The 14 recommendations focus on three broad categories: speeding up the process, helping newcomers once they have arrived and integrating them into our workforce. Some of these recommendations include: . · Building a really useful, cutting edge web portal that provides accurate credentialing information and opportunities for potential immigrants before they move to Canada . The same portal could and should deliver courses to help people Canadianize their credentials. . · Expand the Ontario Student Assistance Program to make loans available for new Canadians bridging or upgrading their training. . · Provide more supports for ESL training - to lower the language barriers that stand in the way of so many new Canadians' success. . · Use the platform of TVO to provide effective general language, training and integration information to help new immigrants to adjust to Canada . Training materials produced by TVO would be available on-line to people waiting to come to Canada . . · Leverage on our existing system of colleges and universities and support them in providing training opportunities overseas. . · Expand bridging, mentoring and work experience programs for new Canadians by including more small and medium sized businesses. These programs must be attractive, accessible and affordable for smaller enterprises. "There are many unanswered questions as to why it is so difficult for us to properly integrate skilled immigrants into our workforce," said Klees. "I believe that the most significant real barrier comes from a lack of will. We must take the first step of acknowledging the problem and then deploy all of our resources together to fix it." "The status quo is not just dashing the hopes and dreams of skilled immigrants but all Canadians," said Klees. "We face looming and mounting skills shortage across a wide range of professions. For us not to do everything we can to quickly integrate skilled newcomers into their trained professions is a loss to all of us. We must not let the current situation become some sort of permanent fact of life and my leader, John Tory and I are committed to making sure that doesn't happen." March 21, 2007 KLEES: Anniversary of Anti-Slavery Law a Milestone in an Ongoing Struggle March 16, 2007 Iranian New Year's Day Links Ancient Tradition With Contemporary Canadian Society March 16, 2007 All Canadians are Irish on St Patrick's Day!
Foreign Trained Professionals
Nowruz Day Act, 2006 February 23, 2006 Mr. Frank Klees (Oak Ridges): I'm pleased to participate in this debate. I want, of course, at the outset, to pledge my support for this legislation. It is appropriate that we recognize not only the meaning of this important event as it has been over the last 3,000 years -- the principles remain the same -- but in so doing, I believe what this Legislature is doing, more than recognizing an event on a calendar, is recognizing the important contribution of a people who throughout the ages have made such a significant contribution to civilization, to who we are as humanity. ...more Immigrant Services November 21, 2005 Mr. Frank Klees (Oak Ridges): I want to speak today on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of immigrants living in Ontario who have come to Canada , and specifically Ontario , under false expectations -- expectations that have been set by an immigration system that places priority on advanced education, professional training and career experience. I speak on behalf of those immigrants because we have thousands of those people in our communities today who expected that they would be able to come here and make positive contributions to their communities, and they are today seeking to make a living on behalf of their families. They cannot become integrated into their communities because we have a system that puts up barriers to their becoming involved in their professions and getting jobs in this province today. Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy October 27, 2005 Fank Klees (Oak Ridges) In closing, I want to say this: If there's anything we can do to enhance the quality of life, particularly for the immigrant community in the city of Toronto, it's to give meaningful focus to ensuring that foreign-trained professionals and people who come to this country with trade skills have the opportunity to put those into practice and to earn a living for themselves and their families. |
My Canada Integration and Settlement Services - Hashim Ali Thank you for your for speaking up for justice and fairness for all Canadians Rev David Ramiah Liberal Article by Linda Johnson Province must have immigration role, new critic "The province is not doing enough to remove restrictions facing foreign-trained professionals, says Frank Klees, the new opposition immigration and citizenship critic "
Emergencies and Disasters Abroad: How Canadians Can Help
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