The third question in the Alberta referendum takes aim at immigrants’ use of social services and how long they should be here to use them.
It reads:
Assuming that all Canadian citizens and permanent residents continue to qualify for social support programs as they do now, do you support the government of Alberta introducing a law requiring all individuals with a non-permanent legal immigration status to reside in Alberta for at least 12 months before qualifying for any provincially-funded social support programs?
The premier’s office says this could potentially include child-care subsidies, student aid, as well as other benefits and income supports.
The Immigration Education Society, which helps thousands of people from places that include Afghanistan, India and Mexico.
Those clients use provincially funded programs such as the Alberta Child and Family Benefit, meant for lower-income families.
“Our clients, they struggle with basic needs,” said Noha Eltanahi, the manager of settlement and financial literacy at the Immigration Education Society.
“Social support is the first thing that gets them on their feet in the beginning.”
Immigrants rely on supports
At the Centre for Newcomers, many clients use provincially funded social services for temporary housing.
“(A ‘yes’ on Question 3) could exacerbate or create housing instability within the province,” said Centre for Newcomers CEO Nketti Johnston-Taylor.
She also added many of her clients use the child-care subsidy program, which helps to offset costs for eligible families with children in full-time kindergarten up to Grade 6.
“The child-care subsidies, that’s, that’s a big one because it enables families to be able to go out and find employment and the absence of child-care subsidies, you know, affects women in particular,” said Johnston-Taylor.
The province estimates these services cost more than $100 million annually.
In a statement to CTV News, regarding Question 3, it said:
“Thanks to Justin Trudeau’s disastrous border and immigration policies, Alberta’s population grew by 600,000 people over the past five years alone. This created unprecedented pressures on health care, education and other social programs, with recent estimates indicating that delivering government social services to temporary residents is costing Alberta taxpayers over $1 billion annually.”
The province didn’t provide a number for how many people would be impacted by Question 3 or a full list of all the social services programs.
‘There is a breach’
Litigation specialist Chad Williamson with Williamson Law labeled the question “fundamentally an equal rights question.”
“It’s definitely arguable that there is a breach of equality rights,” said Williamson. “There’s essentially a distinction being made between citizens and non-citizens.”
He points to the possibility of it being challenged in court if it passed during the referendum, which would come down to if the province can justify it under section 1 of the Charter of Rights.
“Is the objective legitimate? And is this a 12-month wait a reasonable, proportionate way to get there?” said Williamson.
Albertans head to the polls on Oct. 19.
