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The growth of the Canadian population depends on immigrants. Not since the 1930s has the percentage of immigrants been so high. So we'll ask three MPs, who are immigrants themselves

KATHLEEN PETTY (HOST):

- The growth of the Canadian population depends on immigrants. Not since the 1930s has the percentage of immigrants been so high. So we'll ask three MPs, who are immigrants themselves, about their challenges. -

Well, anyone walking down the streets of Canada's major cities can see for themselves what Stats Canada confirmed this week: We are a nation of new arrivals. One in five people in this country were not born here. More and more, Canada is relying on newcomers to bolster the population. Between 2001 and 2006, more than one million people moved to Canada from abroad. And Canada's federal Parliament is beginning to reflect that new reality. A number of MPs sitting in the House of Commons are immigrants. So we've gathered together three of them to reflect on their experience. Olivia Chow is the NDP MP for Trinity-Spadina, Omar Alghabra is the Liberal MP for Mississauga-Erindale and Deepak Obhrai is the Conservative MP for Calgary East. All three of you, welcome to The House.

OLIVIA CHOW (NDP MP, TRINITY-SPADINA):

Thank you very much.

OMAR ALGHABRA (LIBERAL MP, MISSISSAUGA-ERINDALE):

Thank you very much.

DEEPAK OBHRAI (CONSERVATIVE MP, CALGARY EAST):

Thank you very much.

KATHLEEN PETTY (HOST):

Deepak, I'll start with you. Since we're talking about the changing face of Canada - and you're among that new tide of Canadians - tell me what the challenges were for you as an immigrant coming from to this country?

DEEPAK OBHRAI (CONSERVATIVE MP, CALGARY EAST):

Well, when I first came here in 1977, there was hardly any immigrant population here, it was all, you know, traditional Canadian society. And, because of that, we faced tremendous difficulties, and challenges, and discrimination. There were no settlement services, there was no nothing, and when you went out shopping all these things, it was all traditional, you know. You really felt that you had left behind your home and that this was a total different society. Today's it's quite a remarkable change. Up in northeast Calgary, out here, I mean, all stores carry, you know ethnic food and clothing and everything. It's a remarkable change that has taken place in the last 30 years that I have been in Canada.

KATHLEEN PETTY (HOST):

Olivia, what was the experience for you.

OLIVIA CHOW (NDP MP, TRINITY-SPADINA):

Well, I was 13 so it was easy for a teenager to adapt, I found friends fairly quickly. My parents, however, had it fairly hard. Both my parents were teachers. My dad was a school superintendent and he couldn't practice what he was taught to do. My dad was able to find some part-time job being a substitute teacher and my mom had to end up, even though she was an elementary teacher, she ended up working in a hotel. It was difficult then. I think it's even worse now, because we are finding more and more people coming into Canada have lots of skills and, yet, they cannot use the skills that they trained for. It was very difficult for my dad and I'm sure it's very difficult for a lot of new immigrants.

KATHLEEN PETTY (HOST):

Okay, so your experience, obviously, was not difficult for you being 13.

OLIVIA CHOW (NDP MP, TRINITY-SPADINA):

Not personally.

KATHLEEN PETTY (HOST):

Difficult for your parents, as you point out. And Omar, for you, what was the experience like first coming here?

OMAR ALGHABRA (LIBERAL MP, MISSISSAUGA-ERINDALE):

I had a challenging and fascinating experience. I came here young; I was 19, on my own. I went to school and I had to work full time as I was going to school. I remember, I was going through the subway, I was going to Ryerson University, I had to pause at the concession stand and consider whether I could afford to buy a chocolate bar or not. But that experience, especially throughout university, has been a tremendous experience for me because it taught me self-independence, it taught me a lot about Canada, because I was a new immigrant. I also brought a new perspective to many of my colleagues, the fact that I was a new immigrant, the fact that I grew in Saudi Arabia from Syrian parents. It was, you know, as I remember, my first winter. It was an experience that, probably at the time I taught it was very cumbersome, but looking back at it, I'm very grateful for it and it humbled me quite a bit.

KATHLEEN PETTY (HOST):

Deepak, Omar talks about this perspective and I'm really interested to know from you, given your perspective and your background, to what extent does that influence how you deal with constituents and hear, you know, their worries or concerns if they're immigrants trying to, you know, settle into a new, big and strange country?

DEEPAK OBHRAI (CONSERVATIVE MP, CALGARY EAST):

Well, that's true. My experience, as Olivia said about credentials and all those things - that's exactly what I went through. I was all wrecked my credentials were not recognized, I had to start driving cabs and, slowly work my way out into the system, joining into the system to break it and, gradually, move forward. This experience is what I tell all of immigrants. Many immigrants come here, get depressed and would like to leave and these things. . And I say, no, don't leave, don't go, you know. And I say, "Look, you see, at the end, the result is here: I am as a Member of Parliament working for thirty years all through. This is a land of opportunity, so stay. Yes, there are challenges. Yes, I went through the same thing as you are going through. Yes, it was depressing for me. I came with a small family; I had a little girl three years old. Yes, there is discrimination. But, you know, we are..». Now, for myself and actually Olivia and Omar, being in the policy-making, we take this into account to make sure that these policies, you know, are there and, we work for that.

KATHLEEN PETTY (HOST):

One thing that we noticed just when we decided to assemble a group of MPs to talk about this, it actually wasn't that difficult to find them. Because you increasingly see the representation of the variety of cultures that have contributed to this country and you see it in our Parliament. And so, then I wonder to, from you Olivia, as someone representing immigrants in your riding, are you more effective because you can relate to some of what they are facing?

OLIVIA CHOW (NDP MP, TRINITY-SPADINA):

Perhaps, but I think everyone would want to make sure that immigrants that may not be able to speak English, you might be thinking about my mom... Her English is okay but some of her friends won't be able to speak English. What would happen if she calls 911 and not able to communicate? Whether it's in an airport or any kind of services in the hospital, especially public service. She pays taxes just like everybody else and if she can't speak English or French, if it's a situation where she needs to communicate, what would happen? So, I've strived to make sure that a lot of our services are as multilingual as possible. I also think about her families, because her families are back home, in her home country, and sometimes she misses them, and I know a lot of immigrants in Canada that would love to sponsor their parents, their relatives, and now, sponsoring a person takes five year, eight years. So it's very difficult and we can do better, I think, in Canada.

KATHLEEN PETTY (HOST):

Omar, I think it's generally acknowledged that all of our population growth, virtually all of it anyway, will come from immigration. And so, I'm wondering, from you, I think Deepak and Olivia both think that, you know, strides are made out, I think Deepak would argue more than Olivia, so I'd be curious to know from you to what extent do you think Canada has sort of fulfilled the promise of Canada to those it has attracted here.

OMAR ALGHABRA (LIBERAL MP, MISSISSAUGA-ERINDALE):

In fact, Statistics Canada tell us, why I think, 2011, 100 percent of a net labour force needed could only come immigration. So, you know, immigration is not just, or not necessarily, a feel-good exercise, it's actually an economic and social necessity for the success of Canada. And undoubtedly, there are a lot of challenges and obstacles that immigrants face. Some of them are, you know, perceived, some are real and some of the real ones are... It could be addressed, I think, in a more efficient and effective way by the government, the three levels of government. There are, for sure, responsibilities on the immigrants themselves, when they arrive. But there are also responsibilities on us as a society to ensure that we better utilize, as quickly as possible, the talents and the skills that we invite to come here. We're missing out on approximately 6 billion dollars worth of economic activity by under-utilizing the skills. So, it's in our best interest to find ways to shortcut or to expedite the effective and the smart integration of immigrants. The short answer to your question: There are a lot of opportunities but, no, we could better. We could do better in integrating our immigrants.

KATHLEEN PETTY (HOST):

I have to say, just as I begin to thank all of you, it's nice to have a conversation with politicians that have some personal reflections, rather than the usual sort of cut and thrust. Yes, exactly. You can't see Olivia but she's, sort of, she's miming what it usually is.

OLIVIA CHOW (NDP MP, TRINITY-SPADINA):

Knifing in the back...

DEEPAK OBHRAI (CONSERVATIVE MP, CALGARY EAST):

One issue, I think, one needs to address as well is the second-generation immigrants. Okay. The offspring that have now finished the schooling and are out in the job market and on, are also facing barriers here, and one needs to look at that as well, you know. Today, my children have completed their university degrees and education, are also out in the workforce and feeling the challenges out there.And it's amazing that they're also facing barriers. One would think that they wouldn't, but they are.

KATHLEEN PETTY (HOST):

You're quite right and I'll just... In saying goodbye, I will just acknowledge that we came into this knowing full well that we weren't even coming close to really exploring the issue, which is why we wanted to try and focus, as much as possible, on your personal experiences, acknowledging that there is a lot more to discuss and I hope we get a chance to do it again. Thank you all.

OMAR ALGHABRA (LIBERAL MP, MISSISSAUGA-ERINDALE):

Thank you.

DEEPAK OBHRAI (CONSERVATIVE MP, CALGARY EAST):

Thank you very much.

OLIVIA CHOW (NDP MP, TRINITY-SPADINA):

Thank you very much.

KATHLEEN PETTY (HOST):

Deepak Obhrai is the Conservative MP for Calgary East, Olivia Chow is the NDP MP for Trinity-Spadina and Omar Alghabra is the Liberal MP for Mississauga-Erindale.