A new survey has revealed that the majority of Canadians want the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to decrease the number of new immigrants to the country.
The new survey, produced by Léger, revealed that 63 percent of Canadians agree that the Liberal government should “prioritize reducing the number of immigrants entering Canada,” compared to only 37 percent who believe the opposite, La Presse reports.
Trudeau’s Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen, who originally came to Canada as a refugee from Somalia, expressed concern over the results of the survey claiming that concerns over infrastructure and housing could be solved with investment rather than reducing new arrivals.
On Friday, Mr Hussen announced a new migration policy that will attempt to entice new arrivals to smaller cities and towns to fill labour shortages due to low birth rates and young people moving elsewhere.
“The equation is quite simple. Attracting and retaining newcomers with the needed skills equals a recipe for success for Canada’s rural and northern communities,” Hussen said.
Rural Economic Development Minister Bernadette Jordan added that the programme would make rural Canada more “vibrant” saying, “I’m pleased we are able to introduce this new pilot to continue experimenting with how immigration can help ensure the continued vibrancy of rural areas across the country.”
According to the Léger survey, the highest number of Canadians for reducing migration, 64 percent, were from Quebec where the populist Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) passed new immigration laws over the weekend that include residency permits being linked to passing a French language and values test.
The CAQ won a historic provincial election victory last year after promising smaller government and protecting the Quebec border against illegal migrant crossings.
François Legault, leader of the CAQ, argued for tougher migration policies last year saying, “We do not want to keep too many people who do not accept our language, our values and to participate in the workforce.”
Prime Minister Trudeau’s Liberals have seen a dramatic fall in the polls since the 2015 national election and face a revitalised Conservative Party who currently leads by just over six percent in the polling averages.
Follow Chris Tomlinson on Twitter at @TomlinsonCJ or email at ctomlinson(at)breitbart.com
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