Photo by Whitehorse Star
Economic Development Minister Ranj Pillai
Pillai met with fellow immigration ministers
Economic Development Minister Ranj Pillai joined his counterparts from across Canada at the Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration in Saint John, N.B. last Thursday.
Economic Development Minister Ranj Pillai joined his counterparts from across Canada at the Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration in Saint John, N.B. last Thursday.
Immigration in the Yukon is administered by Pillai’s department.
The ministers discussed pan-Canadian labour shortages and the future of immigration to Canada.
The meeting focused on how to make immigration to Canada more efficient and effective in meeting the diverse economic needs of territories and provinces.
Those needs include increasing the allocations of provincial and territorial nominee programs, such as the Yukon Nominee Program, and strengthening certainty to help territories and provinces plan for longer-term immigration strategies.
Ministers also discussed:
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the role of immigration in economic recovery across Canada;
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the response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine;
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the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan; and
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measures to attract immigrants to meet labour market and demographic needs throughout the country.
The Yukon government said in a statement Friday it will continue working with federal, provincial and territorial partners to improve immigration services and address the labour shortage here and across Canada.
“This was a timely meeting, as jurisdictions from coast to coast to coast face labour shortages that are impeding economic recovery,” Pillaid said.
“I was very pleased with the level of collaboration amongst my colleagues.
“We share a commitement to enhancing immigration programming in a way that will streamline the process for those who want to come to Canada, while still meeting the needs of our respective regions.”
Immigrants have “long played an important role in strengthening and diversifying the Yukon’s economy while contributing to the vibrancy of our territory’s cultural fabric,” Pillai added.
“I look forward to improving our immigration programs to better support employers throughout the territory.”
The Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration is a decision-making body with the goal of supporting a flexible, timely and effective immigration system for Canada.
Last year, the government published a What We Heard report following a public engagement on the future of immigration in the territory.
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Comments (21)
Up 11 Down 1
AdmiralA$$ on Aug 6, 2022 at 10:51 am
Told you guys, money laundering and human trafficking that is about all Libranos know how to do. When my grandfather moved here in 52 he had to prove he had a degree before they even looked at his application. They gave him no home he lived in a hotel on arrival and he had to apply on the jobs as a mechanical engineer, he was not given any positions he did not apply on. He was not given a home he did not purchase. Create nothing but weak links when we can not expect people to work for these things themselves. Last I checked the towns infrastructure is crumbling as it is. The mayor is never at work unless it's a photo op. This town is run by complete incompetence.
Up 7 Down 0
Juniper Jackson on Aug 6, 2022 at 2:01 am
Lawl: Your comment is pretty presumptuous. And, you obviously have never read other posts I have made. I was born in 1940. I came to Canada working for WP & YR, married here in 1965. I raised 5 children here with the best husband a woman could only dream of having. I have never, ever applied for or received welfare. I did apply for Ei once, but I got a job before it kicked in. It was a 6 week waiting period then. The Health Care does not cover some of my drugs, they aren't on the 'formulary". When I retired at 70 I had enough. I didn't have enough to take a world cruise, but enough for rent, food, etc. Since that time, rent has tripled. Along with everything else. The only seniors i know with any money are the ones, in the last 2 or 3 years that sold their Porter Creek homes. An awful lot of seniors are finding it tight going right now. I went back to work at 74, had a couple of strokes and had to cut back to half time.
How dare you, when you do not know squat, make an insulting, presumptuous, personal comment? BTW, all of my children support themselves, are valuable contributors to society.
In the future, stick to the topics at hand, and leave the personal comments off.
Up 6 Down 0
John on Aug 5, 2022 at 9:58 pm
@ Lawl
I am curious - Your comment to Juniper is way out of line. You need to show some respect to a senior, to anyone for that matter.
Up 2 Down 14
Lawl on Aug 4, 2022 at 8:14 pm
@ June
Funny that you’re exactly what you despise, an immigrant who can’t sustain themselves. You’ve been here, what, 40 or 50 years and you can’t support yourself?
Up 14 Down 0
Charlie's Aunt on Aug 4, 2022 at 6:12 pm
Good post Juniper, I was also an immigrant, 50+ years ago now, but I had to have certified medical & dental checks before approval, guaranteed offer of employment or really substantial assets. All of those requirements were to ensure there would be no cost to Canada on arrival. Years later I sponsored a family member who also had to have health check, guaranteed income plus I had to agree to assume responsibility for them for 10 years if necessary.
Pillai and his pals need to clearly differentiate between an immigrant and a refugee since the latter is a completely different situation. As for any increased immigration to YT I hope they are adding a statement that bringing a loaded handgun with them is welcome - sarcasm intended. Not implying all perps are immigrants but some of the recent names raise eyebrows.
Up 10 Down 2
MITCH on Aug 4, 2022 at 4:11 pm
@ JUNIPER - And most of us are in agreement with you ma'am. Now that I know you are not first nations and are an immigrant lol. The people I was suggesting emmigrate are the ones complaining that our world leading immigration program isn't enough for their liking. You know, the type that dislike a comment like they think they are in a culture war with. No my friends, this is a real war, when you get cancelled, someone else gets your family doctor and someone buys your atuff at an estate auction, if you did that well.
Up 13 Down 1
Anie on Aug 4, 2022 at 3:52 pm
Juniper - lots to think about in your post, thank you for elaborating on your previous post. I do appreciate that your posts are thought provoking and, at the same time, respectful.
Up 19 Down 2
North_of_60 on Aug 4, 2022 at 2:14 pm
We don't need more unskilled illegal migrants shipped to the Yukon, we have more than enough already. There is no work for them and many just get absorbed into the growing criminal class.
Up 16 Down 7
Juniper Jackson on Aug 3, 2022 at 10:15 pm
Hi Anie: I do not object to immigration. I am an immigrant. BUT, with a caveat on that, that people coming in are immigrants. The liberals are wordsmithing here. Refugees, migrants, illegals, working visa's, TFWS, nominee's..there are more ways to get into Canada than Carter had liver pills. None of them have a vested interest in the country or its welfare.
IMMIGRANTS, have to meet a criteria. One, they really want to come here, work, raise their family, etc. They will invest in their lives, and thus their country. Migrants, go from farm to farm, orchard to orchards, and work the seasons through out the US and Canada. Immigrants are required to provide health status, education, language and they have to pay.. yup..no plane to pick them up and dump them in a 5 * hotel and start handing them money..an, and immigrant has to provide a financial guarantee: https://arrivein.com/finance/immigration-101-how-much-does-it-cost-to-immigrate-to-canada/#:~:text=Generally%20speaking%2C%20as%20an%20individual,breakdown%20of%20expected%20immigration%20costs. up to 25,000 dollars or more.
Unlike the people that Trudeau is bringing in. Immigrants is NOT who the Liberal government is bringing in. As for the jobs 'Canadians don't want to do". Yeah, Trudeau has offered a huge insult to people of any status that come here. Why does anyone think any person, of any status, of any race..wants to clean toilets? The ickiest, lowest paying job on the spectrum in North America. They come here and do it because they are forced to. Once they get citizenship, they bugger off to welfare just like anyone else..and there in lies another problem. Trudeau has made welfare so easy, removed any fraud investigation positions, and is now using labor shortage to bring in more and more untrained, uneducated people, and street people.
Hussen has sworn to bring in 300,000 economically deprived people. In other words. Street people. Can we afford that? Can we house that? Sick people can now come to Canada for AIDS, hip, knee, shoulder replacements, and other illnesses. Our medical system was already over burdened when Trudeau passed that. I know a black family here, that came as refugee's. They had to come to Whitehorse and plan to leave when their two years is up. They hate it here. Its cold, they come from a warm climate, they would like to work, but its crap jobs and they also don't want to work crap jobs. And, they are not treated as well as their Asian and white counterparts. Their kids only have 2 other black children as friends. They wanted to go to Germany. But, it was come here or nothing. I really, really want to see our welfare system revamped. Because that is where Canadians workers are sitting.
Up 12 Down 20
Anie on Aug 3, 2022 at 3:46 pm
Juniper, from everything I’ve read lately, Canada is desperately in need of unskilled labour. Canadians apparently do not want those jobs .
Up 21 Down 3
Groucho d'North on Aug 3, 2022 at 10:41 am
I suspect the purpose of the meeting was to allocate the next batch of 'new Canadians' to various communities across the land. So how many did Mr. Pillai agree to and what supports - budget or otherwise - is included with the deal? They have shifted gears and made worker recruitment the media issue when in reality it's still absorbing the many thousands of immigrants the federal Liberals committed to receiving. So how about some details on the supply of federal resources to help these people to integrate into our communities with a safe place to live and work they are capable to perform, you know, the REAL story?
Up 11 Down 2
The unconscious civilization on Aug 2, 2022 at 5:47 pm
Wow - People are people are people, no? on Aug 2, 2022 at 4:07 pm:
So it’s not that there is implicit racism but that there was violent and socioeconomic coercion against people for standing up against government enforced racism?
That makes sense. The government killed people during the Winnipeg general strike of 1919 for workers rights. Don’t forget the 4 dead in Ohio -
“Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are gunning us down
Should have been done long ago
What if you knew her and
Found her dead on the ground?
How can you run when you know?”
The tactics have changed but this current regime is just as violent in the it’s effect. Actually, even more so. Because the violence can be committed with the manipulation of policy and law.
The history of violence by state actors is prolific and all of you are Pay Per View participants… Get them, get them, no, get them.
Up 13 Down 3
People are people are people, no? on Aug 2, 2022 at 4:07 pm
To Josey Wales on Aug 1, 2022 at 10:17 pm:
Louis Riel was a political leader who led two resistance movements against the government of Canada in support of Metis rights and identity. Louis Riel was white. The government tried him for treason and he was subsequently hung from the neck until dead.
Apparently not all whites are implicitly or explicitly racist. However, the government is. So, is the rope for the government (figuratively of course)? And if so, is this because they are advancing FN rights? Or, is it because the government itself is gaslighting, purveyors of perniciousness?
Up 19 Down 4
Mitch on Aug 2, 2022 at 2:16 pm
Canadian immigration is a federal ponzi scheme that will leave immigrants as barren as citizens. You cannot even provide our needs at some of the highest taxes in the world. Emmigrate.
Up 26 Down 9
Josey Wales on Aug 1, 2022 at 10:17 pm
Gee seems we just call human trafficking different things, but that is precisely what it is.
Fixated via saturation of the 3rd world, the liberal blowholes are.
Why anyone would support a team so beyond the pale, so absolutely hell bent on have this vast land...3rd world?
Kinda feel like a turtle island citizen now, nothing but imports infiltrated the governments, those same imports telling us ...how it is?
Y’all wish to support these idiots, cool.
I choose to absolutely loathe virtually everything about them.
...divide and conquer, going well.
Human trafficking for global virtue, cheap labor, and more important...
Liberal voters soon to be. Our sovereignty for their political gain...
Where is that rope used on Riel, still have it?
Up 40 Down 3
John on Aug 1, 2022 at 9:51 pm
Please tell me why these meetings cannot be held virtually? Why is it necessary to send ministers, et al to meetings when they can be held almost for nothing. Think of the money spent for all these players to go there to smoosh, lodging, meals, etc.. Airfare alone takes a huge bite.
Let's at least give the appearance of trying to save some money. There are far too many of these jaunts. If it was good enough to do it during Covid, well then it is still good enough. Hey, you people are the ones whining about climate change - show some leadership. I know that is a toughie to ask of Liberals - as they have none.
Up 30 Down 10
Matthew on Aug 1, 2022 at 7:45 pm
Low paying, unskilled labour will NOT help Canada... should also be a cap for newcomers to send overseas.. most money made goes home, this doesn't help our economy what so ever.. their cheap labour barely does, robots are coming for 90% of immigrants jobs..
Up 30 Down 9
Juniper Jackson on Aug 1, 2022 at 7:22 pm
I have no objections to people coming into Canada as long as.. 1. They speak English. If they speak French, go to Quebec. 2. They can read and write. 3. They have some sort of employable skill. 4. They can and are prepared to pay their way through work. But..unfortunately, that is NOT what the Trudeau government is doing. They seem to be importing other countries street people. They are not employable because they can not communicate. In Ontario, schools are having to put Arabic into their systems because so many migrant and refugee children, and adults are illiterate in their own language. Newcomers are not vetted for criminal histories, or, if they are criminals, they are permitted to come here for a '2nd chance.'
Voting? not supposed to be able to vote. But in the 2019 election, the Elections Commissioner sent out (he said it was an accident) election cards to people that are not eligible. ."Your election is about to be stolen from you by illegal voters and we all know who gave them this ability and who they will vote for." Paul Grabriel.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/elections-canada-analysis-non-citizen-voting-2019-federal-election-1.5756434 103,000 people were identified as voting illegally. 74,000 were removed from the voters list. There could have been as many as 500,000 voter cards sent out. So, the question would be, are these imports automatically registered with CRA, and then sent to Elections Canada? How many people are you wanting to import Silver? That have no housing, no doctors, jamming up Emergency? and their kids? The Liberals want to maintain power at any cost, and will do anything to achieve that end.
Up 27 Down 5
Wilf Carter on Aug 1, 2022 at 4:43 pm
Unfortunately this government has put Yukon behind the 8 ball by not looking at where they will need to live, shortage of nurses, doctors, teachers in some places, proper transportation system to move people around, no serviced land to build housing on, shortages of skilled trades to build housing and who's going top pay for it because lack of labor market development by our local government, high taxes by Federal Government like carbon tax driving up the cost of living so people can't afford to live here, on and on. We are not prepared to take in any more immigrants at this time. Look at ones who have moved in 2 to 5 families living in one house which is against Canada standards of living set out by CMHC.
No discussion or plan on helping Yukoners to train to fill local jobs and stay in Yukon. The Minister is getting weak advice from Economic Development on this subject before moving ahead.
Up 48 Down 9
Me Facts on Aug 1, 2022 at 3:45 pm
"I look forward to improving our immigration programs to better support employers throughout the territory.”
FTFY" We need more cheap labour to keep wages down and prop up the real estate ponzi scam and bolster our voting base"
Up 64 Down 5
Groucho d'North on Aug 1, 2022 at 3:39 pm
Excuse me, was there any discussion on where all these new workers will live?