Ottawa’s Conservatives are warning that the Liberal government is pushing immigration targets without checking whether Canada’s strained healthcare system can handle the added demand.Conservative health critic Dan Mazier blasted Immigration Minister Lena Diab and Health Minister Marjorie Michel after both appeared before the Health Committee. Mazier said Diab openly admitted she doesn’t know how many Canadians currently go without a family doctor — a figure Conservatives point out sits at roughly 6.5 million — even as the Liberals set record-high immigration levels.Mazier said Diab brushed off questions about how many more patients the system can take, laughing and suggesting it wasn’t a “fair question for immigration,” despite doctors telling MPs that immigration policy directly affects access to care. .He added that neither minister could point to any analysis of national healthcare capacity before immigration targets were set.He cited the C.D. Howe Institute, which says population growth is racing ahead of the number of available family doctors, leading to shrinking access for Canadians. Mazier also noted that when asked how many of the 674 immigrant physicians approved through Express Entry last year are now licensed and treating patients, Diab had no answer.Mazier said ignoring healthcare capacity when setting immigration levels lets down both Canadians and newcomers who expect timely care, adding that Conservatives believe compassion must also consider capacity.
