Canada has always been a country that welcomed immigrants from all over the globe.
We are a country that is diverse and rich in culture. When our immigration policy was first designed to meet the needs of Canadians, this was one of our strengths.
Unfortunately, recent governments have failed in managing our current immigration needs. They have used Canadian tax revenues to subsidize new immigrants. They have welcomed increased numbers of immigrants far beyond an amount that we can properly house, feed, and provide healthcare and the necessities of life.
Canadian Immigration must answer to the needs of our country where there is a scarcity of manpower with specialized skills. It needs to attract people that will contribute to our economy and embrace our Canadian culture. It must not lead to mass immigration that would create social tensions or forcibly change the cultural character and social fabric of Canada.
The majority of Canadians expect immigrants to learn about our history and culture, master at least one of our official languages, and adopt the widely shared Canadian values such as equality of men and woman, tolerance for diversity, and respect for Canadian law.
Immigrants are expected to integrate into our society, not to seclude themselves in closed communities or refuse to adapt their way of life from their country of origin.
The United Reform Party Canada believes the process of hiring specialized workers from abroad needs to be streamlined. The emphasis on economic immigration and family reunification must be supported but in a responsible manner that benefits all of Canada and its citizens. It is important for Canadians to be able to reunite with their families. This is already a large part of our immigration policy and should continue to be so.
We must remain a sovereign independent Nation and to ensure this is the case only Canada must decide who may enter this country and how they may do so. Having a foreign entity like the United Nations decide for us is not in the best interest of any Canadian.
The United Reform Party Canada believes we should rely on private sponsorship, including faith-based organizations, charities, and the private sector and not on state-sponsored immigration.
The United Reform Party Canada also believes that it is essential to ensure that our security is maintained. Resources allocated to CSIS, the RCMP, and Canadian Immigration and Citizenship, Canadian Border Services and the Canadian Military must be increased to meet our needs and protect our borders.