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FT editor Roula Khalaf selects her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.
The writer is the author of ‘Why Germans Do It Better’ and is working on a new book on global best practices.
Immigration is one of the dominant issues of our time. He has played an important role in the European elections and in the campaigns in Britain. Around the world, it has generated anger, the promise of easy solutions and the rise of populism.
Instead, what is needed is a serious debate on demography, employment, multiculturalism and integration. One of the few countries that has faced the problem with political maturity is Canada. Indeed, the ability to welcome and absorb people from other places has been Canada’s calling card for more than half a century.
It was the father of the current Prime Minister, Pierre Trudeau, who literally changed the face of his country. In 1971, initially in response to what was perceived as growing Francophone nationalism in Quebec, Canada became the first country to adopt a formal policy. multiculturalism policy.
This coincided with the decision to increase the population through immigration. Canada had long allowed the entry of participants from the “white Commonwealth” and northern Europe. When “others” arrived, they were treated poorly.
In the 1970s all that changed dramatically. Canada welcomed Ugandan Asians, Iranians fleeing the 1979 revolution, Vietnamese and others. In 1989 there was a large exodus of Chinese from Hong Kong. In 2015-16, Canada opened its arms to 40,000 refugees fleeing the civil war in Syria.
Canada has long been a model of best practices. It is the first country to promote private sponsorship of refugees, with citizen groups advising newcomers as they look for jobs, schools, language training, accommodation, and even taking them to the local bank branch to open an account. The public participates in discussions about falling birth rates, the types of jobs needed and how locals can help. “Canadians are generous because we all come from somewhere,” Olivia Chow, mayor of Toronto, told me. Right-wing politicians playing the race card have so far done wrong at the polls.
Now, however, another side to the story is emerging. The Greater Toronto Area and other large cities suffer from housing shortages, poor access to health care, and creaking public transportation. Homelessness is widespread. The federal government has released additional funding for shelters; Churches are offering space.
Each year, the Canadian government sets a “tier” for immigration after holding a series of public consultations. The agreed level for 2025 and 2026 is 500,000, the highest so far. But while permanent residency requires a series of tests, authorities have been much more generous in granting temporary work permits and student visas.
In response to a marked shift in public opinion, the government announced a cap on both groups in March. In September 2023, an annual survey by the Environics Institute, which tracks social issues, found that 44 percent of people agreed that “there is too much immigration to Canada,” up 17 points from 2022, the highest year-on-year figure. change of year since he first asked the question in 1977. The current prime minister, the youngest Trudeau, JustinHe has spoken of putting immigration “under control.”
“Immigration and integration are an increasingly important part of our national identity,” says Keith Neuman, senior associate at the Environics Institute. “Canadians continue to value the benefits of immigration and welcome people from around the world, but they are losing confidence in how the system is managed.”
Canada needs to quickly address its housing problems and other stresses on public services. This will be difficult, but not as difficult as elsewhere, given that it has the second fastest growing economy in the G7. It needs to ensure that its immigration system remains as efficient as before. Above all, you need to keep the public on board. Because if this model fails, what possibilities are there elsewhere?