While the Provincial government of Quebec is intending to ease the immigration rules under the family class category, the federal government is determined not to alter the definition of the aforementioned category. The existing definition of the ‘family’ states that Canadians can sponsor family members including parents, grandparents, spouses, and dependent children. It does not allow them to sponsor members like cousins, nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles.

The federal government’s decision not to expand the family sponsorships has already caused protestation from Haitian community in Canada. The federal government is reluctant to do so, because it thinks it would be unfair on the part of other groups or communities who have experienced massive destruction in the past.

However, Canadian government’s unwillingness to expand the family sponsorship definition will mean that it’s concerns about the Haitians in the Caribbean nation as well as their family members in Canada, may be questioned. The government has already introduced new rules in order to make the immigration easier for Haitians. As part of the action, Immigration Canada is going to give priority to family class immigrants. Canadian Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister said that applications from family members who have been directly affected by the earthquake in Haiti are most likely to get the government response. Thus, in order to get the clearance from the Immigration Canada, applicants must require proving that they have been affected directly by the disaster, besides meeting the other standards under the family sponsorship.

The Province of Quebec is more likely to use the ‘power of selection’ clause of the immigration agreement that exists between the federal and provincial governments in order to expand the definition of the family class category, thereby allowing more Haitians to enter the province. Reportedly, ninety percent of the total Haitian community in Canada is hosted by Quebec!