The appointment of the new Immigration Minister could be one the reasons why there is a delay in releasing the list of 38 occupations or the immigration priorities. The amended immigration regulation gives too much power to the Immigration Minister that the fate of those who are applying for permanent residence in Canada will greatly be affected by his decision.
Here's a short biography of the new Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism.
Jason Kenney was appointed Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism on October 30, 2008.
Jason Kenney was first elected to the House of Commons in 1997 and has been re-elected three times, most recently with 76 percent of the vote.
He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister in 2006, and Secretary of State (Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity) in 2007.
Mr. Kenney was born in Ontario and raised in Saskatchewan, where he graduated from Notre Dame College. He did undergraduate studies in philosophy at the St. Ignatius Institute of the University of San Francisco.
Mr. Kenney is a former Chair of the House of Commons Subcommittee on International Human Rights. He served in a variety of positions in Opposition, including Finance Critic and Deputy House Leader.
Prior to seeking election, Mr. Kenney served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. [Source: cic.gc.ca]
For more information about Jason Kenny, visit www.jasonkenny.ca and the wikipedia entry about him.