Critics blast visits to city hall to sell immigration changes
Immigration Minister Diane Finley has quietly used Toronto City Hall meeting rooms to sell her controversial immigration changes to local ethnic communities, even while ignoring a plea from Mayor David Miller to consult the city about the changes.
The discreet visits to city hall by the Conservative federal cabinet minister are inappropriate, critics say, because they fly in the face of the federal government's commitment to consult Toronto - the country's main magnet for immigrants - contained in a deal signed by Ottawa, Toronto and Queen's Park.
The proposed amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act are aimed at streamlining the immigration process and would allow the minister to give priority to certain groups of immigrants.
In a press conference exclusively for local Chinese news media held this month in a room beside Toronto City Council's chamber, Ms. Finley outlined the amendments and took questions from more than a dozen journalists. In March, Ms. Finley also held what her officials said was a consultation session at city hall.
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