There does seem to be a curious liberal/conservative alliance in the 3rd world immigration business. Both seem to regard the immigrant as a commodity - for the liberals the benefit is they believe it's an automatic additional vote for them in the future and for the conservatives more cheap labour means more profit for the upper echelons of their membership.

You have a point.

not according to this link if it is to be believed

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-onc...migration.html

Certainly the economic problems in europe over the last 5 years seems to have provided a modest boost to the number of desperate europeans willing to contemplate Canada, especially if they can't get into the USA or Australia.

Times have changed

in 1967 at EXPO (worlds fair in Montreal) i recall seeing a few visible minorities (the term was not in use back then) and we naturally presumed these were affluent visitors from overseas or foreign diplomats

I still do not understand why not more Europeans are attracted to Canada

It sure has been good to me and leaving the UK in 1962 is something I never regretted

I think you are on the button here. Most immigrants/expats to Canada come because of "what Canada can do for them", i.e. they will be better off here than there. It's really only a small number of Old World Brits who give any thought to "Canadian culture" or respect for the history etc.

For most, emigration to Canada is a means to an end. In modern times, with cheap communication and travel, the ties to 'the old countries' will remain as strong as though they had just come to Canada on holiday. It's not like 100 or even 50 years ago when people really did have to sever their old lives and create new ones.

pretty much flat across the board in the last 10 years according to the Canadian government CIC department

Summary at the bottom of the page on the link

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resourc...rmanent/08.asp

-Between 1928 and 1971, one million immigrants came to Canada through Pier 21 alone.

-By the 1960s, one-third of Canadians had origins that were neither British nor French, and took pride in preserving their distinct culture in the Canadian fabric.

-Today, most immigrants come from China, Philippines and India.

-The proportion of foreign-born Canadians was 19.8% in 2006.

-24% of Canada’s population speaks languages other than English and French.

Fixed that for you.

Immigration policies do not favour them.

I believe there's a rule against editing quotes.

Overall the population is diverse but, yes, there are ethnic enclaves, Guelph for example.

They don't favour anyone, do they?

Given the swing from Euro-centric immigration to Asian I'd say there is something at play.

Perhaps that there are more poor but educated young Asians than Europeans?

Poor so they want to go, young and educated so they qualify.

It's just for most there are better options elsewhere.

No, that's not it.

Australia had a 'White only' immigration policy until 1974.
We had... similar.

In the 90's, the Liberal government changed the focus of immigration, from white Europeans to minorities, based on the idea minorities vote Liberal.

The Conservatives have continued the wide open door East because they think it will work for them as well.


The UK has done something similar.