1. A million new permanent residents by the end of 2021
As displeasure with migrants / fear of immigrants spirals out of control in many nations, Canadians can take pride in a government that continues committing to more immigration. Each autumn, the IRCC revisits a 3-year plan and adjusts planned immigration levels for the coming years as necessary. The most recent plan (2019–2021) has gained attention internationally because the total number of admissions for a 3-year period is now over 1 million people: the commitments are 330,800 newcomers in 2019, 341,000 in 2020, and 350,000 in 2021. Putting this into perspective, the 350,000 new permanent residents from 2021 alone will be equal to nearly 1% of Canada’s population.
According to the IRCC, this plan “is designed to contribute to an immigration system that strengthens the Canadian middle class through economic growth, supports diversity and helps build vibrant, dynamic and inclusive communities, while maintaining border integrity to preserve the safety and security of Canadians.” We can’t resist pointing out how sharply this statement contrasts with the poisonous venom issued from the mouth of Murica’s loathsome leader. Thank goodness for the “failing” New York Times, which had the sense to remind U.S. citizens in January that Actually, the Numbers Show That We Need More Immigration, Not Less.
Whatever the truth, plenty of folks in Canada are [surprise, surprise] not onboard with immigration targets or the manner of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s handling of associated issues. While counterpoints like those put forth by Barbara Kay need to be considered, opposition arguments tend to be alarmist and center around one particular talking point: be afraid. No, Barbara, xenophobia does not necessarily make one racist, despite the two commonly occurring simultaneously; it may be that you are neither, but simply selfish?
2. Express Entry keeps gaining momentum
Canada’s Express Entry program is off to a roaring start for 2019, with this January marking the highest number of invitations issued in a first draw of the year since the initiation of the program in January 2015. Express Entry is an IRCC application process “for skilled immigrants who want to settle in Canada permanently and take part in our economy.” The Express Entry wiki provides a wealth of useful links on the topic. This year Canada is expected to see the 2018 Express Entry record of 89,800 surpassed.
3. Stoking fear against refugees
Canadian acceptance of refugees became burdened with the inevitable sensational case of a refugee who [allegedly] committed a horrendous crime. Also inevitably, this act was followed by celebration of the victim’s death by those who can use the incident to propel their fears into the national spotlight, with the hope (and probability) of drumming up support for their crusade against refugees (and usually other immigrants too).
It’s so predictable that you can almost guess the question posed to the PM at a town hall. “Can you guarantee that Marrisa Shen was not killed by a Syrian refugee who came to Canada after you were elected, and if not, what in your opinion is the acceptable number of Canadian lives lost as a result of your policies on refugees?” If we step back and examine this populist talking point, we find it as absurd as asking “Can you guarantee that everyone in Canada will not be killed by a Canadian citizen, and if not, what in your opinion is the acceptable number of lives lost as a result of Canadian citizens?”
Both are idiotic questions. If refugees were slaughtering Canadians at a higher rate than Canadian citizens, perhaps that would be the time to have a debate. Until then, it’s simply a useless non sequitur, which as Justin says “is not helpful in a diverse, pluralistic, inclusive society.” Unfortunately, there’s nothing approaching a shortage of Canadians who despise the idea of a diverse, pluralistic, inclusive society, such as the ignoramus who recently complained to Justin about “Islam and Christianity” not being able to coexist, and how “They’ve openly stated they want to kill us.” In our opinion here at Expat in Montreal, scared Canadians like this fella are why Canada must worry about the spread of white nationalism far more than threats from immigrants. Trust we who have first-hand experience: you do not want a Donald Trump dictating your life to you.
Trump’s 2016 Murica smacks of this sign from 1942.
Canadians: you have the power to not let Canada become the USA.
4. Canada allows woman to bid good riddance to ICE
A case reported on in early January suggests the IRCC may “give preferential treatment to people who would otherwise do an irregular (border) entry, but were clearly trying to comply with the regulations and do it through legal pathways.” This is the story of Elidee Sanchez, who was understandably “in an almost constant state of anxiety” during her 17 years in the United States as an undocumented migrant. Although the IRCC isn’t advertising this pathway for immigrants like Elidee, it takes a special kind of wet blanket to argue against the IRCC’s rationale: “As long as they show the applicant is not criminally inadmissible, is in good health, can financially support him or herself and has all the required paperwork, and he or she agrees to leave the country when the visa expires, the applicant can be granted access to Canada.”
5. Canada welcomes Rahaf Mohammed
Rahaf is an 18-year-old Saudi woman who fled an allegedly abusive family during a trip to Kuwait. She had barricaded herself in an airport hotel after traveling from there to Bangkok, where she then used Twitter to draw global attention to her plight. After being granted asylum by Canada as a “resettled refugee”, she arrived in Toronto (Canada’s most populous city) from Seoul on January 12. Rahaf will be helped in adjusting to Canadian life by the Toronto-based non-profit COSTI Immigrant Services. The first order of business? Buying winter clothes… one can only imagine the shock of a Toronto January for someone from a desert climate. (Fun fact: Nearly half Toronto’s population consists of foreign-born persons, making it among the most diverse cities in the world.)
This case has become controversial for a number of reasons.
- Canada is in a minor cold war of sorts with Saudi Arabia due mostly to the kingdom’s medieval treatment of women (it was ranked 141 out of 149 countries on gender equality in the 2018 annual report by the World Economic Forum). Ambassadorial relations broke down in August 2018 due to tweets by the office of Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland about arrested activists. The Saudis responded by announcing [1] the expulsion of Canada’s ambassador, [2] the sale of Canadian investments, [3] the cessation of flights to Canada, [4] a refusal to purchase Canadian wheat and barley, and [5] the suspension of student exchange programs and the recall of Canada’s 8,000–14,000 Saudis attending institutions of higher education (subsequently, over 1,000 medical students were granted leave to stay and continue their training).
- The incident is aggravating very chilly relations between the two nations, which surely is weighing on the minds of some 17,000 Canadians who currently live in Saudi Arabia.
- While Rahaf is escaping the deplorable treatment she faces in Saudi Arabia, her life in Canada thus far has been one of hiding from potential threats.
- She received very swift and special treatment compared to millions of other refugees. Some are saying she is being used as a pawn in a diplomatic dispute.
- “Many on the far-right love ex-Muslims, and many ex-Muslims on the far-right often present themselves as so-called native informants presenting to the mainstream the real ‘truth’ about Muslims“, says Amarnath Amarasingam, senior research fellow at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. It is of course unclear at this time how Rahaf’s political and religious beliefs will unfold over the coming years.
- “What happens the next time a teenage girl or adult woman from Saudi Arabia flees her family and declares herself to no longer be a Muslim, does that mean automatic sanctuary?” asks David Chatterson, Canada’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 2009–2011.
- The National Society for Human Rights, which is beholden to the Saudi government, accused several foreign countries of inciting “Saudi female delinquents to rebel against the values of their families and push them out of the country and seek to receive them under the pretext of granting them asylum.”
We at Expat in Montreal agree with Chrystia Freeland’s statement of “…where we can save a single person, where we can save a single woman, that is a good thing to do.” Even if Rahaf is a pawn, she is alive and seeking a better life in Canada, which she will likely find. We are also glad of her escape from religious oppression, which should never be mistaken as a solely right-wing or left-wing concern.
6. “But, the northern border!”
Lou Correa, born Jose Luis Correa, is a “Blue Dog” Democratic Representative for California’s 46th congressional district who’s assigned to the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security. Correa is trying to raise concerns that Mr Trump’s focus on the southern border is causing complete disinterest in possible threats from the northern border, which he describes as “totally wide open”. Although he has a valid point about Mr Trump’s Wall Derangement Syndrome, Correa’s own fear-mongering relies on the old bugaboo of IS-inspired terrorist threats “from homegrown violent extremists in Canada”. This ironically makes Correa sound almost as hysterical as Trump, especially when one compares the nearly non-existent threat of “Canadian homegrowns” versus the very real and already present threat of good ole Murican citizens who own AR-15s. To his credit, Correa tried to instigate substantial investigation into white supremacist terrorism after both Charlottesville and the Tree of Life synagogue slaughter… only to be completely ignored by everyone in Trump’s GOP.
Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale provided an apt response to the current climate of fear about the border:
It is the longest, most successful international boundary—un-militarized international boundary—in the history of the world, and we’re determined to keep it that way.
Along the lines of Goodale’s reasoning, Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen (the real one) in late January listed facets of the current federal government’s “multi-faceted” approach to the border, and then contrasted it with the Conservative Party’s “plan”:
You know what their plan is? To militarize the border and place a CBSA official or RCMP official every 100 metres. We don’t have the resources for that kind of half-baked, impractical plan.
Final Word
The year has started off optimistically for prospective immigrants who chose to or are considering putting in an application with the IRCC. Canada is one of the few glimmers of hope these days for Earthlings who are not satisfied with their land of birth. Canadians—if they would like to continue living in a land distinct from Trumpland—would do well to beat down anti-immigrant sentiment when they read it or hear it. It doesn’t take much for fear to blossom in some Canadians, and Trump’s venom has already poisoned Canada bigly. Time and again we hear anti-immigration advocates here tell us how every new immigration policy or milestone they disagree with may be “setting a dangerous precedent”. Rational citizens can be reminded of the facts and (more importantly) the larger context to put these facts into perspective; for irrational folk, new strategies will need to be developed.