Immigration Matters

Over time, as they follow the steps from student, to worker, to permanent resident, we will see 500 people a year becoming permanent residents, or more, if the city’s community recommendation quota is increased

We are a secret no longer. The big players have found us out.

Sudawan Butt, from Thailand, and her family, owners of Le Voyageur Inn in Mattawa, were the winners in the Small Business of the Year category (1-5 employees.) As a finalist in the same category, I was present to applaud their win and chat with them later

'When schools across the country are ranked by study permit totals, Ontario colleges hold 14 of the top 20 spots'

'If city planners are working with the wrong numbers, it obviously affects the most pressing issue of the day, which is housing'

'I have attended only one citizenship ceremony, and it was back when Jay Aspin was our Member of Parliament. I was invited, as the then executive director of the North Bay & District Multicultural Centre, to sit with the dignitaries (who? me?) and then congratulate each new Canadian after they became citizens'

'There would be howls of protests from all 11 communities if RNIP were to end next year. Politicians don’t like howls of protest'

'I don’t know the answer. I have been involved in immigration for decades and I have seen nothing that can prove we are a welcoming community. It’s time to find out.'

'If you ask people what percentage of Canadians are immigrants, some will get it pretty close. The answer, according to the 2021 census, is 23 per cent. I prefer the figure 95 per cent'

‘My Filipino clients are predominantly in the health care field, and the ones from India are more focused on business careers'