Manitoba NDP accused of threatening people protesting provincial nominee program changes
CBC
The Opposition Progressive Conservatives say people protesting immigration delays have been threatened by Manitoba's labour and immigration minister, in an attempt to keep them silent.
The Tories presented a heavily redacted letter during question period at the legislature Thursday that contained the allegation.
It claimed Immigration Minister Malaya Marcelino threatened to intentionally delay specific draws through the provincial nominee program draws if individuals continued to hold protests.
Some of those protests have occupied the front steps of the legislature.
Information redacted in the letter included the name of the person who sent it to Jodie Byram, the PC Party's labour critic. The individual, who is trying to get permanent residency, fears retribution from the NDP government, Byram said.
The labour critic said she met with the letter writer and trusts them.
"These individuals are extremely fearful of retribution by this NDP labour minister," Byram said after question period.
"We do not bring forward these accusations against the labour minister lightly. These are real, frightened individuals who are worried about their future here in Manitoba and that it may be taken away from them."
The PCs called on Marcelino to resign, describing her alleged interference in people's right to protest as a breach of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Opposition has also asked for an independent investigation.
Marcelino strongly denied the PC's allegation.
"That is completely false. I have never threatened folks."
The allegation comes after some newcomers have spoken out in recent weeks about the provincial nominee program, saying it's increasingly stacked against them.
The province periodically selects people from expressions of interest who are invited to apply to the provincial nominee program — which matches foreign workers with specific labour needs in Manitoba. A certain number of those applicants are then approved to come to the province.
The draws are not random, but determined using a ranking scale, with points awarded for a range of factors. The NDP government's recent draws have prioritized skilled workers who already have family in the province — a move the province believes will help Manitoba retain more newcomers.
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