Worswick: If Ottawa botches the economy now, Canada might break apart [immigration aspects]

Of note:

…Immigration has followed a roller coaster over the past seven years, expanding dramatically and then being cut back to historical levels. Renewing our focus on high-skilled immigration rather than filling lower-wage jobs will help raise our average skill level and standard of living, positioning Canada to manage external shocks such as the proposed U.S. tariffs. Also, we need to rethink our international student policy. We should prioritize students in academic programs likely to have higher income jobs after graduation since many of these students will want to remain as economic immigrants. Given that immigration is a shared federal and provincial jurisdiction, we will need co-operation from both levels of government to achieve an economic immigration program that benefits Canada to the greatest extent possible.

Canadian housing affordability has declined in recent years as we seem unable to build housing fast enough to match our population growth. If this continues, more young Canadians will become disillusioned with Canada and may be attracted to alternatives such as Quebec sovereignty or Western separatism. We must make it a national priority to ensure that housing expands with population growth so that we can gain the important economic benefits from skilled immigration while also ensuring that all Canadians can afford housing.

We should see our national unity issues as opportunities to rally support for addressing these significant policy challenges. If provincial governments recognize that a united Canada is not guaranteed, they will be more flexible in terms of finding policy solutions to our economic challenges rather than risk a further deterioration in our national unity. Also, if the federal government can work constructively with the provinces on these questions, this could go a long way to convince Canadians that we have a future together.

Source: If Ottawa botches the economy now, Canada might break apart