PM DEFENDS IMMIGRATION CHANGES

Harper defends immigration reforms, announces new trade offices in India

20 hours ago

TORONTO — Controversial reforms to Canada's immigration laws may be risky and "misrepresented," but the Conservatives are determined to see the legislation through and fast-track sorely needed skilled workers into the country, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Friday.

The changes - denounced as mean-spirited and anti-immigrant by opposition parties - will help reduce the backlog of immigrants waiting to settle in Canada, Harper said.

"We know there are political risks in tackling this," he said at an Indo-Canadian gala in downtown Toronto.

"We know these will be misrepresented. But our government is determined to take action and get people flowing through the system and into the Canadian workforce where we need them right now."

The changes would place highly coveted immigrants - like doctors or other skilled labourers - on the fast track through the system. But while their papers would get processed quickly, other immigrants would be forced to wait behind them in the queue.

The government would also be allowed to set annual limits on the number of applications Canada processes.

But critics worry the reforms could lead to discrimination and leave too much power in the hands of Immigration Minister Diane Finley.

Canada needs immigrants and its immigration process is not working effectively, Harper explained as graphs illustrating the country's immigration backlog were projected on an enormous screen overhead.

"Frankly, this is becoming a crisis, and if we do not fix this soon, the long-term performance of our economy will be affected," he said.

The reforms will also help reunite families, provide the human capital Canada so desperately needs, and enrich the country with the cultural influence of newcomers, Harper added.

But the Liberals, who have traditionally counted on the electoral support of working-class immigrants, have heaped scorn on the immigration changes. While they avoided triggering an election over the issue earlier this month in a Commons vote, they've warned there will be other opportunities to defeat the reforms this spring.

Deputy Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff, who attended the gala along with foreign affairs critic Bob Rae, said he's not convinced the changes will cut the queue of potential immigrants as Harper suggested.

The rules would only apply to those applying after Feb. 28 or March 1 this year, not to the 900,000 would-be immigrants still waiting in the queue who may just "give up and go away," he said.

"The regulations are directed at the new people coming in, and then he will target and select and we worry that they may cherry-pick," Ignatieff said.

"But there's no question change has to occur in the immigration system. We just are not sure that this is the way to go."

Harper also announced that Canada would open two new trade offices in India to help bolster economic ties with the booming country.

The offices will be located in Hyderabad, in the south, and in the eastern city of Kolkata. But Canada's existing trade offices in the country's north, in Mumbai and Delhi, will also get more staff to further enhance trade and investment between the two countries, he said.