Sorting out the immigration debate

In thinking about the upcoming web feature I'm writing about immigration, temporary foreign workers and other newcomer issues, I suddenly became overwhelmed. So much has been going on in this area of public policy - too much of it below the radar - that I need to sort out my thoughts around this a bit.

And I figured the blog could be a good place to start a bit of a discussion on this!

It seems that these immigration changes started back when the federal budget was passed in 2008. This amendment allows the immigration minister to fast-track or freeze applications. This discretionary power means the minister can choose which labour skills to focus on, which groups to let in..

Various immigration advocacy groups protested these reforms, arguing that it may slow down the family reunification process, and it removes accountability and consultative measures. 

Changes have occurred. As Uzma Shakir pointed out in the Toronto Star, these changes are having far reaching consequences - not only for who we welcome, but for the country we're building.

One noticeable shift has been in the kind of labour that has been the focus of Canada's approach to immigration. Rather than accepting long-term, skilled workers, the system now focuses on filling temporary positions with foreign workers. Last year, the number of temporary foreign workers actually exceeded the number of immigrants entering into Canada.

And as Carol Goar points out, activists worry that this might create a pool of illegal immigrants, who have finished their work here but do not return home.

This doesn't even address the poor working conditions many of the temporary foreign workers encounter during their stay in Canada.

Where does this leave us? There's a lot more to think about, both within and beyond these issues. What are your thoughts? I'll develop mine for future blog posts and that web feature I'm working on.