DigitalGhost

Not a thread incite any kind of controversy, just interested in people's opinions really.

The current government want 1Mn immigrants over the next 3 years, far higher than any other developed country on Earth.

I've been watching a few documentaries and reports on YouTube such as the one below and while they paint a good picture of a liberal and multicultural paradise, is that ideal really attainable?


Also are there enough jobs and housing to go around for all of these people? I recall the last time that I was living there people struggled to find a family doctor's surgery in Toronto who could take them on and unless there's been a huge upsurge in doctor numbers over the last few years, I can't imagine how these newcomer numbers would improve things.

Again, just looking for people's opinions and a sensible debate here and apologies if there's a similar thread ongoing already. Let's do our best to keep this one out of TIO, OK?

Former Lancastrian

Good luck getting people to share their thoughts without being accused of being racist, insensitive or whatever else they will be called if it doesn't fit in with official Government policy which may or may not be a good policy.
I have no problem with Immigration but depending who you let into the country be it immigrants becoming PR's through a variety of streams, workers who could become PR's again via different streams, spousal or family sponsorship or refugee claimants to say there will not be the odd problem is somewhat false.

There again what do I know I only enforce Immigration rules and see what happens both good and bad and I know my opinion won't be highly sought after.

DigitalGhost

Sadly you're probably right and that's what I was afraid of.

I'd say your opinion is what matters the most. The difficulty is that most reports I've seen on this only seem to cover the good points and paint a picture of Canada being the most welcoming country on Earth, particularly to refugees (which it probably is).

Those reports don't seem to discuss any potential negative aspects, especially on the housing and job markets. I'd be particularly interested to know the increasingly relaxed controls have impacted upon the labour market (i.e. have they created new jobs like the Trudeau government suggest or have they made steady and long-term jobs much more difficult to find?).

BristolUK

Obviously we don't want people from "shithole countries"

As for the doctor shortage, every new immigrant could bring theirs with them and then those docs could take additional patients currently without one.

Problem solved.

Partially discharged

Not sure what you're worrying about..don't you know that 'budgets balance themselves' and in the same vein, if 1 million immigrants come to Canada in 3 years, it will all balance itself out naturally and that the 1 million # has been carefully thought out and isn't just a number plucked out of thin air.

DigitalGhost

You sure about that?

macadian

Some may think that such a substantial number should only be considered once we have improved our health service,housing and social problems in all respects, to cater for the existing population. And even then, only those that can be self supporting and can make a contribution to Canada whatever there origins and country . At the moment that would not appear to be the case. Canada,s governments, both Provincial and Federal must start thinking with their heads rather than their hearts, and decisions made to better Canada, free of political dogma, putting the lot of Canadians and the betterment of Canada first and foremost. Ok, a pipe dream, but never the less, essential.If any of the above labels me a racist, then so be it.

DaveLovesDee

Nearly 1 million immigrants. 970,000 is the specified number.

I know you're definitely wrong about the bit I've highlighted as well......

The number of immigrants (not net) to the UK between July 2016 and June 2017 was around 572,000.

Toronto could welcome almost 170,000 immigrants over the next 3 years — are we ready?

Don't know. It'll be a little over 10% more in 2020 than it was last year. Part of the argument against UK immigration was the lack of space. Canada has a little more than the UK does

Maybe the solution is for Provincial governments to increase the availability of training places for those wanting to become medical professionals.

You and your spouse are two of the future immigrants to Canada. You'll probably need a doctor a some point too.

Shard

Well, there's no shortage of space ! On jobs, sometimes I think one of Canada's main "industries" is immigration itself, shipping people in, building homes and shopping plazas (which of course many of the new immigrants get involved in) kitting out new homes, etc, etc..

DigitalGhost

Sorry, when I heard the number I was in Marrakech at the time and, as tends to happen when you're on holiday and don't understand the local language, we tended to stick to the English and Japanese news networks they had on the TV. Those reported a 1mn target figure and I'd seen that cited in a few other places since then.

The UK figure you've included there is largely irrelevant because that was an actual number of arrivals and the way these counts work in the UK is a bit ridiculous. Additionally, that wasn't a target figure. The UK's target for that period would probably have been around 10-20% of that. As I understand, that 970k target number is for foreign newly arriving Canadian permanent residents.

The last time I was in Canada I had an OHIP card but never actually tried to register with a family doctor, literally because I'd heard so many horror stories from people at work, my partner didn't qualify for OHIP and therefore we couldn't really be arsed.

DigitalGhost

I guess that depends on how you look at it. It's the 2nd largest country on Earth but most of it is inhospitable and the majority of the population lives in small urban centres that are spread out across the country.

Toronto has a larger population than most British cities but then even between Toronto and Niagara Falls I just saw miles and miles of nothing.

Shard

Plenty more where that came from !

Partially discharged

I don't think Ontario's wine and fruit industry would like it referred as that.

I haven't been on the QEW between Stoney Creek and Niagara Falls in probably 15 years or so but it seemed to be mainly intensively used farmland and sprawlburbia the last time I was along that way.

DigitalGhost

MarkG

Liberals need to import more voters if they're going to stay in power.

Aside from that, though, it seems crazy to bring vast numbers of new people to a country that's a frozen wasteland for half the year when so many jobs are on the verge of being automated away. In a sane world, governments all over the world would be reducing immigration, not increasing it.