Hub Podcasts How Canada built, and then broke, the world's best immigration system
Nov 1, 2025
Tony Keller, Globe and Mail columnist and McGill–Max Bell lecturer, dives into the evolution of Canada's immigration system. He examines the historic support for immigration and the successful formula that once made it thrive. Keller highlights the shift post-2010, where temporary routes surged and public opinion soured. He argues that the backlash is rooted in policy choices rather than against immigrants themselves. Finally, he discusses how Canada can regain public trust and restore a balanced immigration framework.
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Consensus Made Immigration Uncontroversial
- Canada long enjoyed cross-party consensus favoring managed, legal immigration that minimized backlash.
- High public trust made immigration a low-salience issue until recent policy shifts disrupted that balance.
The Protected Door Model
- Canada's successful model combined welcoming rhetoric with strict, selective rules to ensure benefits exceeded costs.
- The 'hard-headed' controls underpinned the country's progressive, pro-immigrant approach.
Mass Surge Broke The Old Balance
- Recent years saw an unprecedented surge in arrivals that far outpaced past targets and historical norms.
- The scale shifted Canada from a selective system toward mass temporary-entry flows with major policy consequences.