PEI premier defends probe into immigration nominee program
by Guneet S - September 23, 2011
Canada, 23rd September: Premier of Prince Edward Island, Robert Ghiz has welcomed any probe into the immigration nominee program of this Canadian province.
PEI immigration program helped all—Premier--The PEI (Prince Edward Island) immigration nominee program has been an issue of hot debate and controversy following allegations by a former federal employee saying bribery marred the program. Speaking during an election campaign’s debate, Premier Ghiz said the PEI immigration program had been beneficial for the province.
He refuted the charges of a former employee of the PEI immigration program that senior officials of PEI were paid huge bribers for expediting the application processing under PEI immigration program. Mr. Ghiz asserted that the PEI immigration program helped every Islander irrespective of the political beliefs.
However, he lamented that the immigration program of the PEI was dragged into controversy by Conservative Leader Olive Crane. Ms. Crane blamed Mr. Ghiz for letting all islanders of this province down and claimed he was a big disgrace on the PEI immigration nominee program while assuring that her government will work towards bringing back the integrity to the program.
Ms. Crane said the PEI immigration program had benefited family members of Mr. Ghiz. The PEI Premier, however, denied all such allegations of Ms. Crane saying it’s a game of dirty politics which the leader is playing against him.
PEI immigration program approved 2000 applications—The focus of debate is that the government of the PEI expedited approval of around 2,000 applications of immigrant investors before the immigration nominee program was closed around three years back.
It is being alleged that the total number of applications approved hurriedly by the government of PEI under the PEI immigration nominee program come to be more than 6,000 between August 2008 and February 2009 if spouses as well as children of successful investor immigrants are also taken into consideration. Out of these, around 1,000 applications are still awaiting approval.
The RCMP are yet to take a decision on whether to head on with probe into the PEI immigration nominee program or not. Meanwhile, the former employee of immigration program Svetlana Tenetko has threatened to meet Canada immigration minister Jason Kenney if another government job is not provided to her.
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