Issues for Canadians Chapter 5 CHAPTER 5 How well do Canada’s immigration laws and policies respond to immigration issues? immigration: the process Take an informal survey of how many of your friends have of people establishing ancestors from other countries. The families of many Canadians homes, and often originated in other parts of the world and immigrated to citizenship, in a country that is not their native Canada. How does Canada benefit from new immigration? country How does the government respond to emerging issues related to immigration today? This chapter explores Canada’s immigration laws and policies. Canada’s government used These say who can come to Canada from other countries to work posters such as these in the late 1800s to recruit immigrants. It and live. wanted to recruit immigrants Immigration is an important part of Canada’s legislative to fulfill the objectives of the framework because it affects the quality of life of Canadians and of National Policy: to promote people who seek to build a home in Canada. People want to come Canadian industry, finish the to Canada for many reasons. Quality of life in Canada pulls many national railway and settle the west. The National Policy was people. Canada also offers shelter to refugees, who are pushed out formulated by John A. of their home countries by war and other circumstances. Macdonald’s Conservative Immigration poses opportunities and challenges for citizenship: government in 1873. To recruit for building a society in which all Canadians — existing and immigrants, the government new — belong. targeted the U.S., Britain and As you read, you will assess how effectively Canada’s many parts of Europe, but not countries with French-speaking immigration laws and policies meet the needs of all Canadians. populations, such as France, Think about how the government responds to emerging issues Belgium or Switzerland. that arise from immigration. FOCUS QUESTIONS • What criteria does Canada use when accepting immigrants and refugees? • How do the individual and collective rights of Canadians influence immigration laws and policies? • How do provinces influence immigration laws and policies? Examine the posters. What factors affected immigration in the past? 162 How well do Canada’s immigration laws and policies respond to immigration issues? Based on the photographs below, what challenges and opportunities does immigration create for Canada today? This sign is an opportunity for someone. Canada accepts more immigrants when it faces labour shortages, including immigrants with specific skills to fill demand for workers in particular jobs. This is Michaëlle Jean, a Francophone originally from Haiti, appointed governor general of Canada in 2005. Immigration can affect the identity of people who come to Canada and of people who already live here, including groups in Canada with collective rights. Immigration creates a mix of cultures, where people need to learn each other’s beliefs, values and worldviews. This photo shows a refugee camp in north Darfur, Sudan. Conflict in Sudan made the people in this camp flee their homes. Canada has obligations to shelter people who need to escape war and other dangers. Immigration policy needs to take into account the security, health and quality of life of people who already live in Canada. 163 Issues for Canadians Chapter 5 Create a storyboard about issues concerning immigration in Canada. Your Role Canada’s leading educational multimedia company is creating a series of documentaries related to citizenship and immigration in Canada. The producers of the series want to highlight current issues that affect immigration policy. They are asking for young producers to submit a proposal, in the form of a storyboard, for a documentary. Your proposed documentary needs to answer this question: Ahcene Zouaoui What factors should shape Canada’s immigration policies immigrated to Canada from Algeria, a country most: economic, political, health or security? with many French-speaking You will research one issue and create a storyboard that outlines people. He and his family your research and conclusions. chose to live in Montréal, where the majority of people speak French. In Your Presentation this 2002 photo, he is Your research should reflect: stocking shelves in his father’s grocery store in • An evaluation of the factors and issues that influence Montréal. Think critically: immigration policies. What opportunities and • An understanding of how government responds to issues challenges does related to immigration. immigration create for citizenship in Canada? • Facts, ideas and other evidence supporting your ideas. Whose perspectives Immigration has an impact on citizenship, identity and quality should you include in of life. Share your ideas on issues that arise from immigration your documentary? in Canada! 164 How well do Canada’s immigration laws and policies respond to immigration issues? Let’s get started! As you read and take notes, evaluate the factors related to Canada’s immigration policies. After, rate each one on a scale of 1 to 5 to identify which factor, in your opinion, should be most important. Economic Factors Political Factors Health Factors Security Factors Why was the policy developed? What individuals and groups in society are affected? What are the issues or problems involved? In what ways is quality of life affected? What views and perspectives exist about the policy? How does the government respond to the issues? Overall Rating 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 In my opinion, ____________ should influence Canada’s immigration policies and most because... 165 Issues for Canadians Chapter 5 What criteria does Canada use when accepting immigrants and refugees? WHAT’S IN THIS SECTION In this section, you will read about the criteria the government uses to accept immigrants into Canada. You will find: • Types of immigration legislation related to immigrants and When you become a citizen of refugees. Canada, you swear to be faithful to Canada’s monarch, • A comic illustrating Canada’s point system. to observe the laws of Canada, • Factors influencing immigration policies. and to fulfill your duties as a citizen. You gain the right to vote. This photo demonstrates What are you looking for? two kinds of decisions: the decision of these people to As you read the section, look for: become citizens of Canada, • The criteria Canada has used and still uses when accepting and the decision of Canada to immigrants and refugees into the country. accept them as immigrants. Think critically: What factors • Advantages and disadvantages of Canada’s point system. may have influenced these • Issues related to immigration legislation. decisions? 166 How well do Canada’s immigration laws and policies respond to immigration issues? What is the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act? • The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act dates from 2002. It is the most recent of many laws Canada has had about immigration since it became a country in 1867. • It establishes categories of who can come to Canada from other countries to make permanent homes here. • It lays out the objectives of those categories. Immigration Categories, 2006 Other (4%) Refugees (13%) People accepted as immigrants for humanitarian or compassionate reasons. People who are escaping persecution, torture, or cruel and unusual punishment. Family Class (28%) Economic Immigrants (55%) Spouses, partners, children, parents and grandparents of people living in Canada. Skilled workers and businesspeople. Some Objectives of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, 2002 For the objectives of the act regarding refugees, Objectives for immigration: see page 177. • Pursue social, cultural and economic benefits for all Canadians. • Respect the bilingual and multicultural character of Canada. • Support the development of minority official language What are the communities in Canada. underlying • Share the benefits of immigration and support a prosperous values reflected economy across all regions of Canada. in the objectives of the act? What do they • Reunite families in Canada. mean for citizenship • Promote the successful integration of immigrants into and identity in Canada? Canadian society, recognizing that integration involves mutual obligations for new immigrants and Canadian society. 167 Issues for Canadians Chapter 5 How does immigration aim to meet Canada’s workforce needs? demographic: to do with the The following statement comes from Citizenship and Immigration characteristics of populations Canada, which is the federal department responsible for putting labour force growth: the Canada’s immigration legislation into action. It comes from a growth of the “labour force,” document that describes the government’s plans for immigration or the number of people in the future. who can work What benefits of immigration does this source identify for Canada? What issues affecting immigration 2006–2007 Plans and Priorities are illustrated in Immigration has largely defined what Canada is today and has been a sustaining feature of Canada’s history. Waves of immigration have the plan? built and transformed the population while making significant contributions to the development of our economy, our society and our culture. Immigration will continue to play a key role in building the In what Canada of tomorrow and in supporting our economic growth. Like ways does many other industrialized countries, Canada is facing significant demographic changes. According to Statistics Canada, sometime the plan between 2025 and 2030, the number of births to Canadian parents attempt to meet will equal the number of deaths. If Canada’s population is to the needs of continue to grow, immigration will be the source of this growth, Canadians? unless birth and death rates change. These demographic factors are also slowing Canada’s labour force growth. Labour force growth Sometime between 2011 and 2016,is key the to number ensuring of Canadianseconomic growth. entering the labour force will equal the number of people retiring. Without immigration, Canada’s labour force will shrink. — Adapted from 2006–2007 Report on Plans and Priorities Citizenship and Immigration Canada, p.