After heavy criticism, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau believes his government might have done more to rein in immigration programs. He mainly blamed “bad actors” for exploiting his immigration system.
On Sunday, Trudeau posted a nearly seven-minute video on YouTube discussing the recent drop in permanent resident admissions to Canada and the temporary foreign worker program reforms. He said the permanent residency stream will be cut by around 20% over the next two years, to 365,000 in 2027.
In the video, Trudeau discusses the need to encourage immigration after pandemic lockdowns ended to stimulate the labor market, claiming that the measure helped avoid a full-fledged slump. But after that, he blamed “bad actors” for abusing his programs.
“Some saw this as an opportunity to profit by gaming the immigration system. “We saw far too many large corporations doing this,” Trudeau stated.
The prime minister says that “too many” colleges and universities used international student programs to “raise their bottom line” by charging more tuition to non-Canadian students. He also stated that scammers target “vulnerable immigrants” with fraudulent avenues to citizenship.
“Looking back, when the post-pandemic boom cooled and businesses no longer needed the additional labour help, as a federal team we could have acted quicker and turned off the taps faster,” Mr. Trudeau explained.
From there, Trudeau discusses the new immigration plan, which aims to reduce the number of permanent and temporary immigrants coming to Canada. In addition to a planned reduction in new permanent residents over the next two years, recent developments have made it more difficult for firms to get temporary worker permits.
Reduced Immigration
Trudeau says the government’s immigration restriction is to help stabilize population growth while housing stocks recover, and then it will consider progressively boosting immigration rates again.
When asked for a reaction, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s spokesperson, Sebastian Skamski, pointed The Canadian Press to Poilievre’s interview with CKNW 980’s “The Jas Johal Show” in Vancouver, where he discussed immigration.
In that interview, Poilievre stated that much of his criticism of the existing immigration system stems from what Trudeau has said since adopting the latest revisions.
“Now, he’s basically denouncing his entire immigration policy and expecting us to believe that he can fix the problems that he caused,” according to Poilievre.
“The bottom line is we have to fix our immigration, get back to the best system in the world, the one that brought my wife here as a refugee legally and lawfully, the one that brought so many people here to pursue the Canadian promise and that’s what I’m going to do as prime minister.”
Trudeau Blames Everyone Else
Poilievre previously stated that he would base immigration rates on accessible housing while also considering other criteria, such as the availability of health care and jobs.
Justin Trudeau often shifts blame when things go wrong, pointing fingers instead of owning up. He highlights external factors or opposition interference when he is criticized for economic blunders and political missteps.
He constantly downplays personal accountability, blaming the opposition, world events, and global economies for his administration’s woes.
Many Canadians notice this pattern, prompting criticism about leadership. Trudeau often redirects the conversation when questioned about policy setbacks, highlighting external forces supposedly hampering progress.
This approach has led some to question his ability to lead effectively. Citizens and analysts wonder why he isn’t taking more responsibility for his government’s decisions.
Source: The Canadian Press.
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