The Fraser Institute is holding a conference on Canadian immigration policy June 4-5 in Montreal, QC. Subtitled “Reassessing the economic, demographic and social impact on Canada”, the conference rationale includes the following:
“In recent decades there have been serious shortcoming in the design of immigration programs as well as the need for major review of the assumptions on which current policies are based. These include:… The low average incomes of the recent immigrants combined with the universality of access to social benefits have resulted in a significant fiscal burden on Canadian taxpayers especially because of the large number of immigrants who have entered Canada under the family reunification and refugee programs, and thus did not have to meet the standards required of independent (i.e. skilled immigrants)”.
The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration will host a keynote and evening reception. Also in the program, sessions on: The current state of Canadian immigration policy; Labour market productivity implications of immigration; Immigration and an aging population; Integration of immigrants-issues of national identity, multiculturalism and security; The challenges of reforming immigration policy (with Sir Andrew Green of Migration Watch UK).
A luncheon address includes the official opposition critic for immigration, Catherine Morisette, Action Démocratique du Québec and second opposition critic for immigration, Martin Lemay, Parti Québécois.
No specific sessions devoted to immigrant children or families.
