The CBA welcomes the Minister of Jobs and Families

(Disponible uniquement en anglais)

Via email: patty.hajdu@parl.gc.ca

The Honourable Patty Hajdu, P.C. M.P.
Minister of Jobs and Families
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

Dear Minister Hajdu:

On behalf of the Immigration Law Section, Family Law Section and Labour and Employment Section of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA Sections), we congratulate you on your appointment as Minister of Jobs and Families. We look forward to working with you.

The Canadian Bar Association is a national association of 40,000 members, including lawyers, notaries, academics and students across Canada, with a mandate to seek improvements in the law and the administration of justice. The Immigration Law Section is comprised of over 1,000 lawyers, practising in all aspects of immigration, refugee and citizenship law and rendering professional advice and representation in the Canadian immigration system to clients in Canada and abroad. The Family Law Section consists of family law specialists from all regions of Canada, with clients representing the full range of individuals impacted by family breakdown. The Labour and Employment Section looks at labour relations, trade unions, boards and tribunals, employment standards, collective agreements and arbitration of labour disputes from all sides – management, union and neutrals. 

Invitation to CBA Immigration Law Conference

We take this opportunity to invite you to speak at the CBA Immigration Law Conference, taking place June 5–7, 2025, in Victoria, British Columbia, themed “The Modernization of Citizenship, Refugee & Immigration Law Practice and Delivery: Advancing Fairness, Justice & Inclusion”.¹

Several sessions at this year’s CBA Immigration Law Conference speak directly to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and other ESDC-administered pathways for migrant labour. These include panels examining how inadmissibility assessments affect low-wage workers, the evolving role of port-of-entry decision-making, and broader system design challenges affecting temporary migration. In light of the Liberal platform commitments to cap temporary resident levels, streamline foreign credential recognition, and increase labour mobility across provinces, the conference offers a timely forum to exchange views with legal experts and stakeholders on the future of temporary labour migration and improving alignment with Canada’s economic and social priorities.

We see important opportunities to modernize the Temporary Foreign Worker Program in ways that would strengthen its impact on the Canadian economy and contribute to a more resilient, inclusive workforce. We welcome the opportunity to meet with you to explore how the CBA Section can continue to contribute meaningfully to these policy development and reform efforts.

Aligning Legal, Social, and Tax Policy to Benefit Families

We applaud your commitments to maintain affordable childcare, to support families and family reunification. A coordinated, family-focused approach is needed to better align government justice, social policies, and CRA rules affecting families—particularly regarding shared parenting, child support, and tax benefits. Key CBA Family Law Section priorities include establishing national standards for Legal Aid, child wellness supports, clarifying benefit eligibility for refugee children in state care, and ensuring parents navigating shared parenting can access tax benefits without unnecessary confusion or administrative burdens.² By prioritizing these measures, the government can enhance access to justice, improve supports for vulnerable children, and deliver tangible results for Canadian families.

Labour Mobility, Decent Work and Inclusive Economic Growth

We’re pleased to see your government’s commitment to improving labour mobility, supporting decent work, and fostering inclusive economic growth. The CBA Labour and Employment Section welcomes the opportunity to contribute their expertise as the government advances these priorities. Ensuring that legislative and regulatory frameworks remain balanced, predictable, and responsive will be essential to supporting both workers and employers in a changing economy.

We look forward to collaborating with you and your department to support the implementation of these priorities and to ensure that the legal and policy frameworks affecting families, workers, and newcomers are fair, effective, and responsive to the needs of all Canadians.

Yours truly,

(original letter signed by Véronique Morissette for Kamaljit Kaur Lehal, Eric Sadvari and Andrew Monkhouse)