Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future. - Yoda
Predictions are hard. That doesn't seem to stop most from trying their hand at it, particularly at this time of the year.
That being said, an attempted scrying in immigration could be a bit easier given the fact that we've just had an election and this government still retains fresh faced enthusiasm, adorable child-like naivete and genuinely believes that it's policies and perhaps promises alone can change the world for the better, a belief that is yet unsullied by scandal and cynicism, unjaded from cruel realities.
Trudeau is the anti-Harper and this will determine his destiny. Like matter and anti-matter, or ...
As a result, the Trudeau Liberal Government will thus be compelled - driven to:
- Continue to enunciate big words that are synonyms for progress - and execute (photographed) grand gestures - because the Liberal brand is important and communicating it is even more important - but criticism while in Opposition, and promises while now in power, are a lot easier than implementation.
No plan survives contact with the enemy. - Helmuth von Moltke the Elder
In terms of immigration policy:
- More parents and grand-parents. Never mind the cost. Parents, especially grandparents, with their wise, old eyes make us feel warm and fuzzy inside, a feeling that most resembles drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows sitting in a comfortable La-Z-boy covered in your mother's favourite quilt next to a crackling fire in a stone fireplace before a Jack Frosted window with large snowflakes falling outside:
Using a specific ratio
of Asian people to Black people to Women to White men
We want to make sure we represent your needs and interests
Or at least a version of your skin color
...Did we put a baby in here?
What about an ethnic old man whose wrinkled smile represents
the happiness and wisdom of the poor?
Yep.
- More refugees (see above, plus it's the right thing to do). Even if they fell short on their promise;
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. - Theodore Roosevelt
- Nothing doing on taking away citizenship by birth for babies born in Canada by non-citizens or even visitors (Did we put a baby in here? - besides who could argue against babies?)
- Less penalties for misbehaviour. Enforcement might be less of a priority. A Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian. No citizenship revocations. Except for misrepresentation and fraud which has been possible for decades. But not for terrorists, even ones that have been convicted in Canada;
- Maybe a change to the oath of citizenship? Trudeau Sr.'s Padawan Jean Chretien certainly contemplated it;
- The Live in Caregiver program and clear pathway to permanent residency will be back for this immigrant class. Because it's the right thing to do. Also because they take care of babies and grandparents. And, I'm sure a more liberal live in caregiver program (yes, the pun is intended) isn't just because of this; and
- The Federal Investor Program will be back. Even though they remit less income tax than the aforementioned live in caregivers. Even though cash for visas makes zero sense for Canadians.
Hopefully, this year will also see:
- a return to an increased age for accompanying dependent children;
- immigration policy that makes sense (meaning results in permanent residency or for extending work permits for those that have applied for permanent residency) for international students that spend tens of thousands of dollars here on tuition, years of their lives here, fluency in an official language and work experience;
- room for some low-skilled temporary foreign workers at the inn; and
- improvement in processing applicants under the spouse or common-law partner class in Canada;
Happy New Year!
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