Olga Stachova, Chief Executive Officer of MOSAIC, has responded to a poll released August 21 from the Angus Reid Institute indicating that 49% of Canadians favour a decrease in immigration levels, marking the first time that resistance to immigration levels is being expressed by almost half the population. Stachova sounded an early alarm about the significance of this surprising poll result, stating that support for diversity can no longer be taken for granted, but that Canada still has the capacity to “inspire the world” if we can encourage a dialogue to promote greater cultural understanding.
It’s a time of reckoning for Canada’s commitment to diversity and inclusion as a new poll shows that many among us want to see the number of immigrants coming into our country lowered.
According to the Angus Reid Institute, 49 per cent of surveyed Canadians want to see the federal government’s 2018 target of 310,000 immigrants reduced. This statistic is both startling and revealing because this is the first time since Justin Trudeau became prime minister that such a large number of Canadians are saying there should be fewer immigrants to Canada.
The Liberal government under Prime Minister Trudeau has raised the target for new permanent residents from approximately 250,000 under the Conservative government of former Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The target for 2017 was 300,000, rising to 310,000 for this year and increasing incrementally in the coming years to 340,000 in 2020.
Extrapolate this poll finding and you will find a troubling consensus building across the political spectrum; past Conservative voters are most critical of immigration levels, past Liberal supporters are four times more likely to prefer a reduction to an increase, as are past NDP voters.
What is even more of a concern is that Canadians seem to be shying away from providing hope and a safe haven for the world’s most vulnerable. While the global refugee crisis exacerbates and the need for humanitarian aid increases, nearly half of us want to see Canada’s helping hand pull back. Conversely and encouragingly, the other half of Canadians say we should accept more refugees and humanitarian class immigrants.
While the politics of hate and division continue to be fuelled by the current leadership of our southern neighbour and by the far-right movements in Europe, it is imperative for our political leaders to continue being strong custodians of Canada’s pluralistic identity.
This new poll shows a fraying of our commitment to diversity and inclusion. It is also a clarion call that we cannot take diversity and inclusion for granted. If we want to continue to stand out as a beacon of pluralistic values, we need to find out why an increasing number of Canadians want to shut the door on newcomers.
At the same time, we need to empower the other half of Canadians whose thoughts, word and actions personify that diversity is Canada’s main strength. If we help Canadians consider perspectives other than their own and encourage civil debate, it will broaden the basis for critical thought and promote cultural understanding. It will also bring attention to Canadian competencies that have helped remove racial-tensions, barriers to entry into the job market and the development of policies on integration, immigration and acceptance of refugees.
Our pluralistic values didn’t happen by accident, and won’t continue without concerted and increased efforts to showcase civility over divisiveness, compassion over intolerance and love over hatred. That will illustrate that Canadians cherish the fact that the strength of any majority is how it treats its established minorities and newcomers. And it will ultimately show that diversity in Canada has the capacity to inspire the world.
By Olga Stachova,
Chief Executive Officer
