It’s no secret the long-held Canadian consensus on immigration has fractured — pulled apart by a rapid increase in new arrivals post-pandemic and growing affordability challenges. Now, that fracture is starting to show up at the ballot box.
The Parti Québécois won a minority mandate in Quebec on a platform that included promises of tighter immigration controls, which the party linked to protecting French culture and easing pressure on public services and housing.
And when Albertans head to the polls Monday to vote on whether to hold a future referendum on separation from Canada, they’ll also be answering five separate questions on immigration being pushed by the government of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.
Those questions include:
— Should the province should have more say over economic immigration?
— Should provincially funded services should be restricted to citizens, permanent residents and those with “Alberta-approved” immigration status?
— Should non-permanent immigrants should be charged a fee for accessing health care and education services?
— Should non-permanent residents should have to reside in Alberta for at least 12 months before qualifying for provincially funded social supports?
— Should voters should have to present proof of citizenship when voting provincially?
Jason Kenney, a former Alberta premier and federal immigration minister, said Canada needs a broader debate on immigration policy based on facts.
“We do need a serious debate on immigration because demography is destiny. There are very few things that are more important,” Kenney told The Canadian Press in an interview.
“But we have to do it in a disciplined and respectful, thoughtful way, as much as possible, based on evidence and data and experience around the world.”
Kenney warned that debates on immigration policy can easily become sidetracked by more extreme political views — by accusations of racism from the far left and by actual racism on the far right.
While Kenney said he doesn’t see the immigration questions on the Alberta ballot as race-based or xenophobic, the Alberta separatist movement itself is something else entirely.
“If you listen to the key separatist leaders like Mitch Sylvestre, who’s the leader of the primary separatist organization, he says that in his republic of Alberta, no one will have citizenship unless you’re born there,” Kenney said.
“So I do think there are some currents on the extreme right of Alberta politics that we should all be concerned about. I do not think that necessarily means we cannot have an adult, grown-up conversation about immigration policy.”
But the immigration questions on the ballot are not sitting well with some diaspora communities in the province.
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Lawyer Avnish Nanda, co-founder of the advocacy group Our Alberta Advantage, is campaigning for people to vote “no” on the immigration-related questions.
He said reactions to the questions from Alberta’s cultural communities and from individuals who have considered running for the United Conservative Party have been overwhelmingly negative.
“They view these questions as targeting them, their journey here and the roots they’ve established over the past 60 years,” he said.
“There’s fear, there’s confusion and anger at this government. They think this is not necessary. They think it’s wrapped up in the separatism effort. They think that Danielle Smith is scapegoating them to continue to maintain the support of the more extreme separatist elements that brought her to power.”
Nanda said the referendum is bringing out some ugly undercurrents in Alberta. He said his parents were recently “jeered by a couple of white guys in a car” while out for a walk — something that had never happened to them since coming to Canada in the 1970s.
Nanda said if the immigration ballot measures pass on Monday, they could undermine Canada’s multicultural identity, while restricting access to provincial services would make it harder for newcomers to integrate.
Across the country in Quebec, the new minority Parti Québécois government campaigned on a promise to tighten immigration controls. Quebec has maintained far more control over the immigration system than other provinces since 1991.
The PQ immigration platform included, among other things, promises to reduce annual permanent resident admissions from 45,000 to 35,000, to impose a moratorium on permanent immigration from outside Quebec, to prioritize permanent status for temporary residents already in the province, and to tighten the selection criteria for temporary workers.
Catherine Xhardez, a political-science professor at the University of Montreal, said the outgoing Coalition Avenir du Quebec government politicized Quebec’s immigration debate by introducing restrictions the new government now wants to strengthen.
“Before that, they have kind of a consensus between political parties, how migration is good for the economy … good for demography, but even for French language,” she said.
Xhardez said before 2018, Quebec’s main parties generally agreed on the positive role immigration played in strengthening francophone culture by prioritizing certain immigrants.
“But then (the CAQ) broke this consensus between the parties by saying it was too much, too quickly, they needed less,” she said.
Xhardez said there’s a key difference between the Quebec and Alberta immigration debates — the debate in Alberta is built around populist pushback blaming social service shortages on immigrants, while the debate in Quebec puts identity and culture at the forefront.
She added immigration has also become a bargaining chip for the Quebec government in its engagements with Ottawa.
Premier Smith wants a bargaining chip of her own. In a video released Wednesday, Smith encouraged Albertans to vote in favour of the nine immigration and constitutional questions in the referendum to “send Ottawa a message.” She said the goal of one question on the ballot is to “give us the same power as Quebec to recruit economic migrants.”
During a pro-unity campaign stop in Calgary on Thursday, Prime Minister Mark Carney urged his audience to vote “no to the nine” — repeating a phrase that has become a rallying cry among those opposed to separatism.
Kenney said he’s a “skeptic when it comes to greater provincial control” over a “sensitive” matter like immigration policy. He said provincial governments lack the federal government’s ability to detect fraud and are inclined to focus solely on local issues — not on how immigration affects the national economy.
“In the western provinces, very typically, the permanent residents that they recommend have been low-skilled temporary foreign workers who they’re flipping into permanent residency because the local MLAs get tired of being browbeaten by the Tim Hortons franchise owners,” Kenney said.
Reflecting on his time as Alberta’s premier, he said “certain premiers” told Ottawa after the COVID-19 pandemic that their biggest priority was to increase immigration — despite early evidence of the housing and youth unemployment challenges currently driving the immigration debate.
“When you don’t have social permission to discuss these issues, again, that creates the kind of conditions where popular opinion gets totally detached from elite opinion. And if you want to know what that looks like, look at the politics of Europe today,” Kenney said.
“So if you want to avoid (Alternative für Deutschland), Front National, U.K. Reform-style politics, then yes, we need a proper, open debate about these issues.”
Xhardez, who is originally from Belgium, said the Canadian political scene is very different from Europe and the U.S. — Canada has no mainstream anti-immigrant political party at the federal level. But public feelings about immigration have shifted — and no one knows for certain how that will affect Canada’s politics going forward.
“Canada is maybe not so exceptional, we don’t know. Or maybe it will become exceptional as being just less politicized, but it’s not true that there is still this consensus and strong public support,” Xhardez said.
Nanda said some of the loudest voices opposing the immigration questions in Alberta have been chambers of commerce, which represent businesses that have been struggling to recruit staff.
He said someone in politics needs to champion the idea that immigrants lift up economies, expand the tax base and help to fund social programs and services.
“If you go to rural Alberta hospitals or long-term care facilities, most nurses and support staff are immigrants because we can’t find local workers to work there. The same is true in many educational facilities.”
Bye Canada! Good luck!
Some singh needs to change!
O Alberta! Our home and native land!
Dear Canada,
Wish you well but we want a divorce and to decide our own future and have the ability to make our own decisions.
Sincerely,
Alberta
Fatigued: You forgot absurd protests and also Sikhs carrying knifes around, otherwise I fully agree!
I’ll be happy when Alberta separates and we can enforce our own immigration rules!
Okay Avnish nanda, nobody cares what you
think- you goof, I vote we send you back as well!
wow fractured immigration sure is a fancy word for invasion
Immigration needs a huge pause and can we send alllllll the awful new East Indians back while we are at it!?
Incontinentia Buckets you brainless pos .Canada has no shortage of humans ,so just incase lets stock Canada and bring in 50 million more east Indians just incase of the human shortage?? because Canadians don’t make enough babies ??hahahah
Immigration has always been important to Canada. The problems arise when the limits on numbers are no longer enforced, when the standards of acceptance are no longer enforced, when the type of immigrant no longer is a net benefit to Canada, when the intent of the majority of immigrants is not to integrate into Canadian culture but to propagate the culture of the country they left, resulting in communities that are foreigners living in Canada, when those immigrants being brought into Canada perpetuate an ideological or political hatred for our Canadian democratic society and culture, in bringing into Canada way too many “refugees” that are nothing more than economic migrants.there are a myriad of other reasons but let’s just go with these for now.
invite immigrants who will do LO.. LO with canadians.. and produce hybrids… that way Canada will no longer be called canadian haha…
canadaaa is getting fff……. by usa and immigrants
Liberals want Canadians to forget that Carney was Trudeau’s economic advisor from 2020 -2025 and a total bromance between them till today.
Immigration itself isn’t the problem. We don’t make enough babies in Canada, so we do need it. The problems quite frankly are the numbers, the change in immigrants, and the expectations they come here with.
Let’s just be honest and acknowledge that people from some countries bring more “baggage” with them. Like hating the west, or criminal behavior, or thinking differences are best resolved with machetes.
Let’s also be honest and acknowledge that immigrants with low skills are not adding to our society or GDP. They are lowering it.
Bring skills. Bring value. Bring a compatible moral compass. Bring a desire to assimilate. And I will welcome you to our country.
Justin the Yogi is long gone.
No simple arithmetic at all.
Didn’t the trudeau government say there was no illegal crossings happening in Canada when he was around, and if you said it you were called a bigot or conspiracy nut.
People called it out for still happening and we were called fascists or racist.
And after all these years the media helped cover it up.
And look at this article, finally agreeing illegal crossings were happening and us Canadians should feel something for these people, they committed a crime by coming into the country by illegal means as Canada has its laws just like any other country, if Canada is to remain sovereign it needs to protect its borders and enforce its laws.
The media needs to stop being a propaganda machine for this corrupt government, else illegal border crossings will be the least of Canada’s worries, already have a corrupt government, look at what’s happening in Europe to see the path carney is putting the country on
Maybe if Carney actually accomplished something and got projects built people might take him seriously. Right now it is just cheap talk and platitudes.
The Liberal Party of Canada has been doing everything in their power to create the post nationalist state they claimed Canada was in 2015. And since, we have seen an influx of unskilled, poorly vetted to the point of being neglegent, immigration. And saying it’s to promote multiculturalism is not accurate when the vast majority of immigrants are from one country. This country needs an enema.
Please no more immigrants with no skill sets. We don’t need more Uber Eats drivers or the elderly that won’t add any value to Canadian society and use up valuable healthcare resources we can’t spare.
The Carney regime is a total joke really. Nothing accomplished now and their mandate is almost half over.
Anonymous5:57 you stupid snowflake! the good old we are all immigrants how about fu! letting in 20 million east Indians coming to suck off tax payers money with free houses government grants making up all the jobs cloging up the healthcare system from people who lived here all there f lives for generations !! that came to Canada with NOTHING letting in all this immigrants is nothing more then an invasive species
PLEASE ….EVERYONE…! Do what Bob Barker said and Please help control the Albertan population ! Have your Albertan spayed or neutered!!!
I agree….there’s no need for language to exterminate the separatist! Just round them all up and put them on some land where you build fences around and keep them there where the rest of the world doesn’t have to listen to them. You know like it used to be….in their own province of Alberta! The problem is there was a break in the fence that no one fixed….and the hole got bigger and bigger….then over time half the herd of cult like, flat earth, conspiracy theorist, church going, convoy supporters got out and wandered over to BC. Now that farm owner is angry because the Albertans didn’t tend to their own herd and now have trampled all over BC. And still no word on how that farmer is going to round up the herd and take them back to where they belong?!! Meanwhile BC is still getting trampled.
newcomers to Canada should be forced to live elsewhere in cities other than Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton,Winnipeg or Halifax. These cities are already full and cannot take more people especially since the LPC flooded the country with new people in the last 8 years.
Hey Global!
How is it being allowed for commenters to say ” death to separatists”?
How is it still up?
@ Too many – All Canadians are descended from immigrants – including you, you racist.
All provinces should be able to have the right to answer the 5 questions shown in the article, I am sure all 5 of these would be yes.
As of the 2021 Canadian census, there are 8.3 million immigrants in Canada, which represents approximately 23% of the total population. This number is projected to increase significantly in the coming years.
France is having problems, and they have between 15 and 20 percent. We are close to 30 percent right now. Things are not going to get any better. We have more immigrants in our population than any other G7 country.
mass immigration over the last 10 years is just to much, housing, medical, and many other things have made Canada not so good, Roy DePape says it all, agree 100% with his statement.
Too little too late Canada. It stands to reason that we have many, many true Canadians in this country who have lived here for decades that originally came from these poor countries. True racism means punishing them for the actions of these newcomers who do not share our values and respect for nature. Always be thoughtful and try not to generalize people too much. The government and news media thrive on keeping us worked up and confused, be wise enough to know when you are being manipulated.
In BC, we have a full turbaned Sikh VP of the Provincial Conservatives advocating the voting privileges for foreign national Indian students having lived here only 2 to 5 years conditional I assume to being a citizen but maybe not. Please investigate
Death to separatist.
Me want whatever Bill takes.
It’s a GREAT DAY TO BE ALIVE ALBERTA! Country of ALBERTA soon to be living the life! Steaks on the BBQ breakfast, lunch and dinner! Plenty of high paying quality jobs. ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE! Envy of the world. Get R Done! You’ll hear that 24/7/365! Coveralls on, wrench in back pocket, eat a STEAK, get back at it! BIG PAYCHECKS! Rest of canada eat a big mac, go back to minimum wage job! Haha, shouldn’t laugh, come out to ALBERTA IF YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES! Make it count ALBERTA, soon to be BOOMING ALBERTA, running on ALL cylinders! Hardest working people in canada, ALBERTANS! You won’t REGRET IT, but rest of canada will! Hahaha, shouldn’t laugh but , canada hahaha! Take care and catch you in your FUTURE COUNTRY! 😊👍
ALBERTA THIS IS OUR ONLY CHANCE , WE NEED TO GET OUT BEFORE ITS TO LATE, WE TRIED TO BE REASONABLE BUT OTTAWA JUST WONT LISTEN SO LETS KICK THEM OUT
Hope your boomer father or grandfather appreciates your support pos bum.
The cost of Alberta separating is much less than staying in draconian Canada under the socialist Carney regime. Leaving is the equivalent of a harm reduction strategy.
Alberta Needs to separate before punjabi becomes the new official language
YEEEEEEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAAA!
Yeah, Liberals are racist, sexist, authoritarian, and have intentionally divided the country for greed.
Every last one of their policies will be destroyed.
11 years of incompetent governance by Trudeau and Csrney isn’t Trumps fault. Trudeau and Carney damaged Canadas economy by chasing green fantasies and neglecting basic economics.
You are nothing but oil and you seem to think that you created all of it. Sorry, it’s been there for millions of years. You just happen to live there and your ancestors came from the scumbag east so you are from the scumbag east.
Alberta stopped building, that is what happened. When was the last major hospital built? So the population hasn’t grown in that time and isn’t projected to continue on such a steep incline? Building infrastructure after the fact is disruptive to the populous and always more expensive. Start building the proper infrastructure BEFORE the population explodes and we would have adequate services. .
Blame boomers. What a joke. Fact is all the gen (whatever alphabet letter you want to add) are nothing but whining bums that want everything handed to them on a silver platter.
“First, Alberta wouldn’t have a credit rating and would be unable to borrow money for capital works projects…they would need to create their own currency as it wouldn’t be possible for them to continue using Canada’s currency.” As written by Greg.
The American dollar is the world’s key currency and could be used by Alberta if they chose to. The US Treasury would issue US currency with ALBERTA printed across the reverse side like they did with Hawaii. This would allow Alberta to share US banking credit privileges, which makes sense because all oil sold is in USD. This would make it very easy to get 100% free trade with America because it takes devaluation out which is a major problem with the Canadian money.
You can criticize the Carney regime and not be MAGA or an Alberta/ Quebec sovereignist. The Liberals are the ones who have betrayed Canadians. Asking for better for our federal government isn’t treasonous.
Me want all. Me have big brain. Me vote on Dec. 32.
Amazing how many voters forget when Canada’s downfall started, in 2015. Those who disagree turn to explicit name calling, or blame the Harper era. Its not the MAGA people, or the right wings of Canada we need to be concerned about. Its the far left, boomers, elbow swinging army. Your all psychotic.
Bill is nuts.
Guess he doesn’t like Smith now either.
LOL
Time to lock down the borders and end foreign aid!
A new dawn is breaking! COUNTRY OF ALBERTA! That sounds good doesn’t it. Think back to 2014 when ALBERTA was going full tilt, running on all cylinders! ALBERTA’S future looks like that only multiplied by ten! Every ALBERTAN is lucky to be in one of most resource rich areas. Take this moment ALBERTA and run with it!You don’t need rose colored glasses it’s your everyday reality in ALBERTA! You have so much potential, you’ll be on TOP OF MOUNTAIN while rest of canada is in the gutter! Best regards! VOTE! VOTE! TAKE CARE, ALBERTA STRONG!😊
Why are all the new immigrants from India? What do we get out of it? We’re bringing in poor, uneducated individuals who abuse Canada’s social system by relying on social assistance and food banks. Is that our future??? Elbows up, pants down.
So sad that Danielle has now even stabbed her redneck separatists in the back. Who hasnrt she backstabbed?
Who will they flock to now? trumpers…lol
Separating from canada is easy peasy, tanks will roll in from USA and set up shop to help us defend against our ENEMIES!
Pro separation Albertans and Quebecers should familiarize themselves with constitutional articles about how challenging it would be to actually leave Confederation.
First, Alberta wouldn’t have a credit rating and would be unable to borrow money for capital works projects…they would need to create their own currency as it wouldn’t be possible for them to continue using Canada’s currency…they would need to create their own military to defend their sovereignty…
First Nations would ask Canada to prevent Alberta and Quebec separating from Confederation because FN treaties were made with the Crown and FN would rightfully expect Canada to defend their interests…
As well, Alberta wouldn’t have diplomatic and trade relationships with all the other countries in the world that Canada has agreements with…
I think the actual reality of Alberta separating from Confederation is very unlikely…
Carney gives me no reason to ever vote for him. All talk and no action. He didn’t ever get the trade deal he promised during the election.
Anyone who lives in ALBERTA is an ALBERTAN! All others are useless sacks of turd
Commenter below, kinda like your mom when she’s blowing you?
Albertans are entitled snowflake kunts.
I like it when the government allow me to bring in temporary foreign workers I can exploit them in my own business and make more profit. just look how well my Tim Hortons franchise is doing I’m maximizing profit off the backs of slave labor employees I want more to be allowed in because without them I would have to pay real wages.
Separate ALBERTA! You have it all! You are in a unique position to chart your own path. ALBERTA has everything the rest of Canada is envious of. You are set to leave the rest of Canada in your dust. Nobody in Canada has the same level of work ethic as ALBERTAN’S. You will SKYROCKET after cutting off ball and chain called ottawa. You’ll have best roads, healthcare, schools, universities, EVERYTHING! Break FREE from narrow minded ottawa, you have FAR more to offer the WORLD. Investment will skyrocket, everyone will want to do business in ALBERTA! Fourth largest oil reserves, eighth largest gas reserves. Soon to be a AI and high tech POWERHOUSE! Why do you think all AI companies want to build in ALBERTA.Get r Done, that is ingrained in everyone who LIVES IN ALBERTA! GOOD LUCK!😊
Racist spread disinformation and these MAGA eat them like candies. Temp workers coming in have been down in the last couple of years and those that are here are also leaving. It’s negative number. Look at the photo…a bunch of old parts wanting to get their pension, yet we won’t have the young work force to pay them.
Is the plan to bring in 15,000,000 low-income workers from India, scrape the Canadian Dollar for the India Rupee? That will stop the 51st state talk.
The mismanagement of Canada by the Trudeau/Carney Liberals is absolutely disgraceful and they have put Canada behind the 8 ball for many generations.
@Gino Fuda. Respectfully, immigration responsibility is shared between the Provincial and Federal governments. The vast majority of Provinces at one point wanted more immigrants and the Federal government obliged in the spirit of co-operative Federalism. Sure, the Federal government could have, at the time, said “no,” but then Danielle Smith would have screamed, with other Premiers following
Crash and burn cunada!
@ 11:22 Anonymous – When are conservatives going to look forward? I guess it’s difficult with the leader that they stacked their convention to select. Even the NDP have moved on to someone new.
@Bruna A. 10:52 a.m. With respect, The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development identified interprovincial trade barriers, low business investment, and other structural issues as key factors behind Canada’s sluggish economic growth. While the Trudeau Liberals certainly bear SOME responsibility, blaming them alone ignores the role of provincial governments, very politically difficult to solve structural problems, and external economic factors. Carney is taking a more pro-investment approach, and the Liberal government has introduced legislative changes aimed at encouraging investment and economic growth. Ultimately, Canada’s slow growth reflects longstanding internal structural problems and external pressures/factors that go beyond any single government. Carney is now working to address these issues and improve Canada’s economic outlook.
No more Justin thinking he’s a majarashi.
Made a fool of himself.
@Ben 11:02. The Federal Govt is responsible for Immigration not the provinces. Trying to blame the provinces is disingenuous. The Federal Govt must properly plan for successful immigration also, which they clearly didn’t do.
Just get out and vote. If you are a racist and do not want immigration then vote yes to change the rules as the Premier want you to.
If you are not racist then vote no to changes and send the Premier a message as she is the one and the Wildrose base that supports her are the ones that created this situation.
From First Nations to today this country was made and created through immigration and will continue to be that way for ever unless humans stop moving around the planet.
The use of immigration as the cause of all problems is just political manipulation and keeping the voters from looking at the real problem which is the bureaucracy that controls the government’s and the lobbyists that fund them. Governments do work for the people any more the dictate on how they think we should live and do not listen to the people even though we vote for them. Get out and vote but demand more from all levels of politicians.
@Bruna A. 1050 am. With respect, Danielle Smith and indeed the vast majority of Provinces were at one point begging Ottawa for more immigration. Does the fault therefore lie with those who requested more immigration?
@ Bruna A. – What is the best way forward? It’s obvious that Carney’s policies are not the same as Trudeau’s were. In a very unusual situation, electing the same party in Canada brought a change in policies.
Carney is better at doing what conservatives want done than they are.
@Anonymous 10:48. Surely you realize Canada has one of the poorest performing advanced economies in the OECD. All self inflicted wounds by the Ottawa Liberal Government the last 11 years.
All the mistakes of immigration in Canada lay at the Feet of the Liberal Federal Govt. They made foolish choices and tried to state otherwise.
I fully support deporting any and all immigrants from BC!!!! ALBERTA/ CONSERVATIVE IMMIGRANTS!!!!
@ Claire Thompson – It is shameful to be proud of one’s ignorance. Believing that dividing the country and lowering Alberta’s GDP will raise your children’s standard of living is wrong. After Brexit the UK’s GDP fell so the Brits ended up with a larger piece of a smaller pie. Their standard of living fell. Brexit was a net negative for Brits. Their PM, Andy Burnham has said that Brexit did more harm than good.
The evidence is clear: the way to a better situation for your children is through cooperation. The period of global growth through increased free trade showed that. This move to protectionism is reducing everyone’s standard of living.
Staying in Canada is the more prosperous path.
Muslim values are Canadian values.
The fact remains that we require more immigration. Firstly, certain industries are short of workers-eg. Construction. Secondly, we have an aging population-a consequence from our low birth rate. We need workers to help pay for social programs. Thirdly, immigration increases economic growth. On the other side, we need to deal with housing shortages, etc.-but these are solvable issues.
@Anonymous at 10:22. There is nothing shameful about wanting better for your children. There is valid reasons for being “anti Ottawa”. Just look at the mess Trudeau and Carney have created the last 11 years.
Smith’s referendum has 5 immigration questions for the UCP racists.
Smith’s referendum has 4 constitutional questions for the anti-Ottawa UCP cranks.
Vote no to all 9 and vote remain for #10. Have a non-confidence vote for Smith because of her self-serving, disruptive, wasteful agenda that started with the partisan Alberta Next tour.
We need immigrants to continue supporting the black market employment program. Why pay taxes when you need that money to fund the human pipeline? The government of Canada freely admits that they don’t track movements of who comes and who leaves. Then announces that our population is shrinking. I’m pretty sure the Air India flights need a lot less runway when heading out of the country.
Only way to fix this is separation. The rest of canada will benefit as well
I see. Aleight. I understand. Ok. Skndndkansncjsjsns2636282″#(#
We can thank Trudeau and Carney for this mess.
This continent was built on immigration
Even our First Nations came from somewhere else
The problem is that it’s now used for political gain not societal benefit