Canada introduces new Immigration Minister: Marc Miller

Vimal Sivakumar - 28 July, 2023

The Canadian government has appointed a new Minister to lead Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Learn more about Marc Miller and his responsibilities here.

Prior to his appointment as Immigration Minister, Miller was appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as Minister of Indigenous Services in 2019. 

Note: Miller and Trudeau are known to be friends since their younger years, having both attended the College Jean-de-Brebeuf in Montreal at the same time

Beginning his journey in politics back in 2015, Miller joined the Liberal Party, where he has since represented the electoral district of Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs in the Canadian House of Commons.

Prior to a career in politics and government, Miller enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces at just 16 years old before pursuing his education at McGill University. A native of Montreal, Miller studied Civil and Commercial Law at McGill, going on to eventually work for Canadian law firm Stikeman Elliot. 

Miller's career in law with Stikeman Elliot has involved practicing law in Montreal, New York and Sweden (Stockholm), a global journey that has served him well in his political career. In fact, Miller, previously the Minister of Indigenous-Crown Relations, has been noted for his commitment to learning other languages and cultures. 

Miller, bilingual in French and English, even famously delivered his first address to the Canadian House of Commons entirely in Mohawk. This marked the first time the language had been spoken in Parliament since Confederation.

What is the role of Canada's Immigration Minister? 

Tasked with overseeing IRCC, some of the responsibilities under the control of Marc Miller include:

• Ensuring that the policy priorities outlined in the mandate letter provided to them by Canada's Prime Minister are implemented by IRCC
• Entering into agreements with Canada's provinces and territories to allow them to welcome and settle immigrants
• Entering into agreements with other countries that support Canada's immigration policy objectives
• Submitting an annual report to Canada's Parliament on immigration and submitting an immigration levels plan
• Overseeing the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB). The IRB is an independent administrative tribunal with a mandate to make well-reasoned decisions on immigration and refugee matters
• Overseeing Canada's citizenship and passport programs
• Making decisions on exceptional immigration circumstances

Note: The authority of IRCC and the immigration minister is defined in the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Act. The minister is also responsible for the Citizenship Act and shares joint responsibility over the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) with the Minister of Public Safety. 

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