In a rare admission that all is not well in the socialist paradise of the north, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated this week that the country has seen a 'massive spike in temporary immigrants' which is 'far beyond what Canada can absorb.' The nation's percentage of temporary migrants (illegals using asylum loopholes to dodge proper immigration standards) has jumped from 2% of the total population in 2017 to over 7.5% of the total population in 2024.
In 2023 Canada marked its most rapid population growth in 66 years, with migrants making up over 97% of all new residents. Only 2% came from a natural increase.
Though Trudeau continues his attempt to virtue signal by praising the general concept of mass immigration and lies about the supposed benefits that illegal immigrants bring to the economy, reality cannot be denied. It is proven time and time again that illegals represent a net drain on any economy they come into contact with - If they truly add value, then why don't they add value to the economies in their home countries?
The legal population of Canada is realizing this fact and is becoming increasingly hostile to Trudeau's open borders policies. Trudeau's national approval rating fell to all time lows of 30% in December 2023 and has hovered near that marker ever since. This may be why he has suddenly chosen (reluctantly) to acknowledge the immigration problem.
The use of the term "temporary immigrants" is obviously political spin. The goal of the majority of migrants is to stay in Canada permanently, otherwise, the problem would be greatly reduced. Immigration Minister Marc Miller said on March 21 Ottawa would set targets for temporary residents allowed into Canada to ensure “sustainable” growth in the number of temporary residents entering the nation. Over the next three years, Miller said the goal is to reduce the amount of temporary residents to five percent of Canada’s population.
Canada is not only dealing with the runoff from the flood of illegal migrants hitting the US in the past few years under Joe Biden, it has also seen a direct influx of migrants from Islamic countries overseas. Toronto's Muslim population, for example, recently hit 7.7% of the city's total citizenry. But going beyond the issue of incompatible cultures is the ever present economic crisis. Canada's population is 38 million people, around the same size as the population of California. It does not take more than a few million migrants siphoning welfare benefits and subsidies from the system to cause chaos.
Canada's poverty rate has been climbing the past year and is expected to jump again this spring along with inflation. Keep in mind that large population influxes can create more demand for goods which also drives up prices. The nation's CPI has fallen (for now), but the central bank is likely to keep interest rates high in tandem with the Federal Reserve, which is not planning to cut in the near term as any reduction in rates invites a resurgence in inflation right before the 2024 elections.
Home rental costs are also crushing legal Canadian residents. The average price for a two-bedroom apartment or house is now $2193 per month. Limited housing availability in Canada combined with the sharp rise in migrants is leading to disaster.
Both Joe Biden and Justin Trudeau face considerable backlash for their far-left immigration policies. Illegal immigration and open borders have become two of the top issues cited by citizens of either country in national polls. Biden faces a reelection campaign in 2024 and Trudeau faces reelection campaigns in 2025. At this time, neither leader has the approval numbers to realistically keep office (without some form of chicanery), and this has largely been due to their continuing refusal to stop mass immigration.