When the person who’s filling the bathtub forgets he’s got the tap running, then sensing a happening disaster rushes back to turn it off, he has of course taken appropriate action.But meanwhile, too bad about the mess he’s made.In that same sense, and in that sense only, I suppose one should applaud Prime Minister Trudeau’s announcement this morning, that immigration leading to permanent residency will be curtailed.Meanwhile, too bad the mess he’s made.As reported by the Western Standard’s Jen Hodgson this morning, “The federal government has backpedalled on its ambitious immigration plans, reducing immigration targets for the next three years by more than 20%.”In other words, from the current projection of 500,000 allowed, to 395,000. In 2026, the number will drop to 380,000, and 365,000 in 2027, where it will “stabilize.”Let’s say we believe him. (Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre doesn’t.) These lower numbers are still enormous. They are, in fact, still significantly higher than immigration levels ten years ago. Before the election of the Trudeau Liberals in 2015, numbers seldom exceeded 250,000 a year.Even then, it seemed hard to manage: stories about delays in handling applications were as common then as are stories today about how massive, uncontrolled immigration was stressing the housing market.But let us not waste too many words talking about Liberal incompetence; there's no news value there any more. To err is Trudeau, and all that.Thing is, as a politician seeking re-election how would you like to be standing there with the prime minister, and you’re the Minister of the Crown assigned to brag about... how there is now no longer a need to build 670,000 homes?You’re thinking, as a minister I’m usually asked to talk about how great things are, which in this case would be how many homes we will be building and how wonderful is the prime minister who makes it possible.In this case however, Immigration minister Marc Miller gets told to say how many homes the Liberals are not building — and make it sound like a good thing.Thus, “That means we will not have to build an additional 670,000 housing units by that time.” (2027.) [Applause.]It seems an odd way to drive a strong message and milk applause out of a crowd.It is especially odd when a whole generation of young Canadians, never mind immigrants who haven’t got here yet, are still looking for a way to get out of their parents’ basements.Maybe we should build 670,000 new units to help them?Or is building houses only good when it’s to serve somebody other than ordinary Canadians who work hard and play by the rules?And by the way, if we are still taking more than a million immigrants over the next three years, where do the Trudeau Liberals expect them to live? Just asking.Meanwhile, is there maybe another immigration tap they can turn off?
When the person who’s filling the bathtub forgets he’s got the tap running, then sensing a happening disaster rushes back to turn it off, he has of course taken appropriate action.But meanwhile, too bad about the mess he’s made.In that same sense, and in that sense only, I suppose one should applaud Prime Minister Trudeau’s announcement this morning, that immigration leading to permanent residency will be curtailed.Meanwhile, too bad the mess he’s made.As reported by the Western Standard’s Jen Hodgson this morning, “The federal government has backpedalled on its ambitious immigration plans, reducing immigration targets for the next three years by more than 20%.”In other words, from the current projection of 500,000 allowed, to 395,000. In 2026, the number will drop to 380,000, and 365,000 in 2027, where it will “stabilize.”Let’s say we believe him. (Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre doesn’t.) These lower numbers are still enormous. They are, in fact, still significantly higher than immigration levels ten years ago. Before the election of the Trudeau Liberals in 2015, numbers seldom exceeded 250,000 a year.Even then, it seemed hard to manage: stories about delays in handling applications were as common then as are stories today about how massive, uncontrolled immigration was stressing the housing market.But let us not waste too many words talking about Liberal incompetence; there's no news value there any more. To err is Trudeau, and all that.Thing is, as a politician seeking re-election how would you like to be standing there with the prime minister, and you’re the Minister of the Crown assigned to brag about... how there is now no longer a need to build 670,000 homes?You’re thinking, as a minister I’m usually asked to talk about how great things are, which in this case would be how many homes we will be building and how wonderful is the prime minister who makes it possible.In this case however, Immigration minister Marc Miller gets told to say how many homes the Liberals are not building — and make it sound like a good thing.Thus, “That means we will not have to build an additional 670,000 housing units by that time.” (2027.) [Applause.]It seems an odd way to drive a strong message and milk applause out of a crowd.It is especially odd when a whole generation of young Canadians, never mind immigrants who haven’t got here yet, are still looking for a way to get out of their parents’ basements.Maybe we should build 670,000 new units to help them?Or is building houses only good when it’s to serve somebody other than ordinary Canadians who work hard and play by the rules?And by the way, if we are still taking more than a million immigrants over the next three years, where do the Trudeau Liberals expect them to live? Just asking.Meanwhile, is there maybe another immigration tap they can turn off?
