Carney may import EU migrant crisis: Rempel Garner
· Toronto Sun
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Conservative Shadow Minister for Immigration Michelle Rempel Garner hopes Prime Minister Mark Carney doesn’t want to make Europe’s migration crisis our problem too.
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Amid Carney’s talks to deepen ties with the European Union, he mentioned the phrase “enhanced labour mobility” between Canada and the bloc. Rempel Garner says Carney needs to spell out exactly what that means.
“Yesterday the Wall Street Journal and several Canadian outlets reported that the Liberal government was having discussions about deepening ties with the European Union: a move that could include, in the Prime Minister’s own words, ‘enhanced labour mobility’ between Canada and the 27-member bloc,” Rempel Garner wrote in a statement. “In a media scrum this morning, Mr. Carney confirmed that there was something on the table, but refused to provide further details.
“It is imperative that he immediately clarifies what exactly these plans entail. This is doubly true regarding migration, which has become a central issue across the European Union in recent years.”
Europe’s migrant crisis
Europe has been wrestling with mass migration and unmanaged immigration for more than a decade. The EU’s open-borders policy has allowed people from some of the most unstable places in the world to freely enter Europe. Since then, social cohesion in Europe has frayed. Major urban centres have so-called “no-go” areas of concentrated immigrant populations where crime and violence are so high that state authority has completely broken down. Europe has seen a dramatic rise in terrorism and violent crime, particularly against women and girls .
Just recently, in late July and early August, Ceuta , a region in Spanish North Africa, saw an estimated 50,000 to 70,000 migrants — predominantly young men from North Africa — cross into the region by land and sea, according to the BBC. The region itself has a population of 86,000.
What’s happening in Europe isn’t an accident; it’s policy, and Rempel Garner wants to know if this is Carney’s vision for Canada, too.
“Over the past decade, the EU has enabled millions upon millions of people to illegally enter the Schengen Area,” Rempel Garner wrote. “Social cohesion is fraying in many member states as divisions have deepened and welfare systems have come under immense strain. Most recently, the world watched as tens of thousands of illegal migrants stormed the Spanish city of Ceuta in an effort to gain access to Europe.
“Even more concerning, the EU’s own Pact on Migration requires member states either to accept a quota of illegal border crossers or pay enormous fines. Given the existing immigration chaos in Canada after a decade of Liberal policies, the Prime Minister must be absolutely clear that he will not make matters worse by importing Europe’s immigration crisis. He must also unequivocally reject anything that even resembles Canadian participation in the EU Pact on Migration.”
Canada’s immigration mess
It’s not like Canada doesn’t have immigration issues of its own . Canada went from taking in roughly 579,000 people in 2015 to taking in 1.36 million by 2024. International students grew from 219,000 in 2015 to 515,000 in 2024, with 680,000 visas issued in 2023. Temporary foreign workers increased from 73,000 in 2015 to 191,000 in 2024 and asylum claims went from 16,000 in 2015 to 172,000 in 2024.
While current immigration plans call for fewer numbers, they still call for permanent residence numbers to range between 350,000 and 420,000 until 2028, and only 245,000 of those permanent residents are considered part of the economic immigrant stream. The others are categorized as refugees, humanitarian grounds and family reunification.
Staying in school (or in Canada)
A recent audit found Canada’s international student program is rife with abuse, but every year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada could only investigate 2,000 cases of the 153,000 students who are potentially non-compliant with study permit conditions and gaming the system to stay.
Rempel Garner says Carney isn’t doing nearly enough to address these issues.
“The Liberals have already brought too many people into Canada too fast for housing, healthcare and jobs to keep up. Millions remain in the country on expired and expiring visas, and the government has no plans to make them leave.”
— With files from Brian Lilley