The Globe and Mail editorial discusses the need for reform in Canada's immigration policy, critiquing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's proposal for negative population growth but agreeing on the need to address arbitrary immigration targets. The editorial argues that the focus should be on reducing the influx of temporary migrants (workers and international students) rather than undermining the permanent resident program, to alleviate pressure on housing and healthcare. It calls for transparent government projections and stricter controls on temporary foreign worker and international student programs, as well as addressing asylum system abuses.
Globe editorial: Let’s focus on the right fix for immigration
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️The Globe and Mail editorial discusses the need for reform in Canada's immigration policy, critiquing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's proposal for negative population growth but agreeing on the need to address arbitrary immigration targets. The editorial argues that the focus should be on reducing the influx of temporary migrants (workers and international students) rather than undermining the permanent resident program, to alleviate pressure on housing and healthcare. It calls for transparent government projections and stricter controls on temporary foreign worker and international student programs, as well as addressing asylum system abuses.
Trending- 1 Recent years: Canada's population surged, driven by temporary migrants
- 2 Post-pandemic: Liberal government took aggressive approach to immigration, loosening restrictions on temporary workers and international students
- 3 June 2025: Pierre Poilievre discussed his proposed immigration formula with The Hub
- 4 April 1, 2025: Statistics Canada reported just under three million non-permanent residents in Canada
- 5 Autumn 2025: Government to release projections for future immigration levels
- Public loss of confidence in Canada's immigration system
- Increased pressure on housing and health care due to population surge
- Competition for jobs
- Potential undermining of the permanent resident program if not handled carefully
What: The Globe and Mail editorial discusses Canada's immigration policy, specifically the debate around setting annual immigration targets. It critiques Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's musings on a new formula for immigration, particularly his idea of negative population growth, but agrees with his diagnosis that current targets are arbitrary. The editorial advocates for focusing on reducing the number of temporary migrants (temporary workers and international students) to ease pressure on housing and health care, while protecting the permanent resident program.
When: Published July 15, 2025. Pierre Poilievre's interview with The Hub was in June (implied 2025). Statistics Canada data on non-permanent residents is as of April 1 of this year (implied 2025). The government is set to release projections for future immigration levels this autumn.
Where: Ottawa, Canada.
Why: Canada's population surged in recent years, driven largely by a spike in the number of temporary migrants, which contributed to housing shortages and competition for jobs. Polls show the Canadian public has lost confidence in Canada’s immigration system. The editorial argues for thoughtful action to address these pressures and re-establish public confidence.
How: The editorial proposes that future government immigration targets should come with concrete information on how targets for permanent and temporary residents are determined. It suggests restricting temporary foreign workers to areas with genuine labour shortages (e.g., agriculture), limiting international students to on-campus work, and following through on proposals to end abuses of the asylum system. Pierre Poilievre proposes a 'hard rule' where population intake does not exceed the growth in housing stock, the job market, and the availability of doctors.