Transforming the Mainstream: Immigration in Atlantic Canada, Past, Present and Future. Welcome Remarks

Transcription

1 SPEAKING NOTES Transforming the Mainstream: Immigration in Atlantic Canada, Past, Present and Future Welcome Remarks Lynn Adams Acting Director-General, Policy, Advocacy & Coordination Friday, November 18, :00 a.m. (TBC) Location TBC Halifax, Nova Scotia Check Against Delivery

2 Thank you, TBC. (Name of Emcee, title) Good morning, everyone. (translate above greetings) I m pleased to help welcome you to this symposium an event that is in part about how we welcome immigrants. The Atlantic Canada Opportunites Agency or ACOA is the federal regional development agency responsible for building and promoting Atlantic Canada s economy. Page 2 of 14

3 Our policy function gathers and disseminates knowledge to assist in this process. ACOA supported the establishment of the Atlantic Research Group on Economics of Immigration, Aging and Diversity and we are pleased to support this symposium. ACOA s primary funding instrument for these and other projects is the Atlantic Policy Research Initiative or APRI. Together with ACOA s individual policy units in each of the Atlantic provinces, APRI facilitates the integration of policy research into the mainstream of ACOA programs and services. Page 3 of 14

4 In July of this year, the Government of Canada and the four Atlantic premiers signalled a new direction for regional economic development efforts. An increased focus on immigration is an important part of the new Atlantic Growth Strategy. In fact, The first activity arising from the Strategy is the Atlantic Immigration Pilot. The pilot will admit up to 2,000 additional immigrants and accompanying families in 2017, with rising numbers in the following years depending on performance. The pilot specifically recognizes the importance of international student retention. Page 4 of 14

5 As well, the focus on immigrant recruitment isn t being undertaken in isolation but in the context of growing the economy and building strong Atlantic communities. The Strategy is a broad-based, holistic initiative encompassing innovation, clean growth, trade and infrastructure. The Strategy also emphasizes a skilled labour force. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is responsible for the immigration component, with Employment and Social Development Canada leading the skills portion. Page 5 of 14

6 This context is significant for two reasons. We want a skilled labour force for the obvious reasons it helps business to grow, and it helps grow the middle class. But there s also a subtext to immigration. As much as our region needs people, there can be quiet and notso-quiet resistance. It s a resistance that surfaces in letters to the editor and calls to radio phone-in shows. It s a resistance based on misconceptions and a lack of knowledge regarding empirical evidence a fear most often expressed by those on the economic margins, that immigrants are taking all the jobs. Page 6 of 14

7 Of course, it s not true. Study after study confirms that immigrants are net contributors to growth. The Minister responsible for ACOA, the Honourable Nadveep Bains, is the son of Indian immigrants. Minister Bains tells the story of his father, who came to Canada with just $7 in his pocket, and worked three jobs before starting his own company. That company eventually provided employment for 20 Canadians. As Minister Bains says, I ve seen it first hand. Page 7 of 14

8 Furthermore, it s not hard to see the economic benefits of immigration around Halifax these days. Especially if you look up. If you do, you ll see a downtown sky full of construction cranes. As an article in the Globe and Mail related in 2013, It Takes A Village in Lebanon to Raise the Halifax Skyline. These immigrant builders, many from the same small village in Lebanon, are literally re-building this town and in the process are creating thousands of jobs and millions in economic spin-offs. Page 8 of 14

9 Still the misconception that immigration is an economic drain lingers so what to do? Certainly, public awareness is key. But actions speak louder than words. Pairing the immigration and skilled labour force elements of the Atlantic Growth Strategy together conveys to the unemployed or the underemployed individual: yes, we need more people in this region, but you have not been forgotten. With training, labour force skill gaps can be closed, and people can come in from the economic margins. Page 9 of 14

10 Then, maybe there will be more willingness to listen to the message that as population decreases, jobs disappear. Just as job opportunites for Atlantic Canadians actually benefit rather than suffer due to bringing immigrants in, they also benefit from exporting products out. As I indicated, the Atlantic Growth Strategy contains an export component. From the Government of Canada s perspective, immigration and trade are complementary pursuits. Both are related to developing a global outlook. Page 10 of 14

11 The wider the doorway through which we welcome immigrants, the wider the range of relationships we develop that benefit us when it comes to trade. The education and training sector and ACOA client EduNova are a case in point. EduNova is a nonprofit co-operative with a mandate to coordinate international marketing efforts of Nova Scotia s education and training providers. EduNova works both sides of the global highway. That is, the consortium recruit students for Nova Scotia educational institutions, but they also market Nova Scotia educational expertise to the world. Page 11 of 14

12 Through EduNova, Nova Scotia-developed curriculum has been exported as far afield as the Caribbean and the Middle East. Just last month, EduNova received ACOA assistance to take their student recruitment efforts in a new direction. The Student Retention-to-Residency Pilot will assist 50 international students with a goal to enable them to live and work in Nova Scotia post-graduation. Page 12 of 14

13 The Atlantic Growth Strategy is a recognition that Atlantic Canada exists in a coalition of commerce with the world. Which brings us back to: Transforming the Mainstream Immigration in Atlantic Canada Past, Present and Future. There is no doubt that transforming the mainstream is no easy trick. Today s symposium will address both challenges and opportunities through sessions on the economic, social and cultural impacts of immigration. Page 13 of 14

14 From ACOA s perspective, we are interested in gleaning additional insights into how we can maximize beneficial impacts, and minimize any potentially disruptive ones. (translate above paragraph) Our thanks go to Professor Akbari and the Atlantic Research Group on Economics of Immigration, Aging and Diversity. Like a successful immigration experience, it takes a strong foundation to create a successful symposium. Thank you. Merci beaucoup. Page 14 of 14