Prime Minister Mark Carney says the federal government is speaking with provinces about giving them more power over “economic immigration,” after slim majorities of voters in Alberta appeared to endorse taking more control over newcomers in Monday’s referendum.
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majorities → say → referendum
Heading into the Liberal government’s weekly caucus meeting, Carney told reporters that conversations on the subject have been held with all provinces except Quebec, which already has broader authority over immigration than the rest of Canada thanks to an accord inked in 1991.
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which → head → 1991
“We’ll see,” Carney said in French, when asked if his government is open to giving Alberta the same immigration powers as Quebec.
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government → see → Quebec
“We’ve had conversations with all of the provinces,” except Quebec, about “sharing powers concerning economic immigration,” the prime minister added.
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minister → have → immigration
He went on to defend Ottawa’s approach to immigration since he took office last year, citing drops in the number of new foreign students, asylum seekers and temporary foreign workers.
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he → go → students
The prime minister said his government will for now focus on pragmatic solutions rather than constitutional reforms.
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government → say → reforms
The prime minister said his government will for now focus on pragmatic solutions rather than constitutional reforms.
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government → say → reforms
“We need to assess where we are, keep that control, be at sustainable levels, and while we’re doing that, discuss how the economic class particularly of immigrants can be most effectively distributed across the economy, the country,” he said.
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he → need → economy
Monday’s referendum in Alberta resulted in a strong majority voting against starting a process for another binding vote on separation.
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majority → result → separation
But alongside that question was a series of queries that Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has championed.
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Smith → champion → that
These included several questions seeking a mandate to push for greater provincial control over immigration.
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These → include → immigration
As of Wednesday morning, unofficial results showed a slim majority of voters favouring Alberta taking control for “decreasing immigration to more sustainable levels, prioritizing economic migration and giving Albertans first priority on new employment opportunities.”
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Alberta → show → opportunities
Just over 51 per cent of voters also supported a new provincial law to exclude people without “Alberta-approved immigration status,” citizenship or permanent residency from social programs.
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cent → support → programs
In a televised address Tuesday night, Smith said she believes she now has a mandate to move forward with the immigration proposals.
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she → televise → proposals
“It appears that Albertans have directed the provincial government to take greater control over immigration so we can moderate the extraordinary population growth our province has experienced and prioritize jobs and opportunities for Albertans and Canadians,” she said.
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she → appear → Albertans
Alberta government figures show the overall provincial population — which includes annual immigrants and newcomers from within Canada — increased by 900,000 to about 5.1 million people from 2016 to 2026.
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which → show → 2026
Smith added that her mandate appears to include pursuing changes sought in another referendum question that asked whether those with “non-permanent immigration status” should pay fees before receiving health care or education services in the province.
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those → add → province
Roughly 54 per cent of voters had endorsed that idea, based on results as of Wednesday morning.
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cent → endorse → morning
The federal Conservatives have backed Smith’s push for more control over immigration, with party leader Pierre Poilievre stating in Calgary on Tuesday that Carney was wrong to urge Albertans to vote against the immigration questions in Monday’s referendum.
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Carney → back → referendum
On Parliament Hill, Conservative MP Dane Lloyd said his party has always “sought to devolve areas of provincial responsibility back to the provinces,” and that he is watching how the Carney government responds to what Alberta is putting forward on immigration.
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Alberta → say → immigration
Corey Hogan, a Liberal MP from Calgary, said immigration has always required collaboration between Ottawa and the provinces, and that the questions in Monday’s referendum came “years late” because it is “chasing a challenge that has already been a bit resolved” by the Carney government.
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that → say → government
He also questioned the strength of Smith’s mandate on immigration from Monday’s results, given how ballots are still being counted and the majorities in favour are small.
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majorities → question → favour
“Politicians are going to be politicians.
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Politicians → go → ?
I am, however, grateful that Danielle Smith said we are going to put behind us this separation question,” Hogan said.
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Hogan → say → question
“We’re going to move on.”
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We → go → ?
The Aporia
