Eighty per cent of Canadians oppose a reduction in immigration levels
Canadians feel more positive about immigration than the residents of many other immigrant-receiving countries, according to a recent Gallup survey.
The survey of approximately 1,000 residents of immigrant-receiving countries found that 22 per cent of Canadians surveyed would like to see an actual increase in immigration levels, while only four per cent of Britons and six per cent of Americans feel the same. Though 58 per cent of Canadians would like to maintain current levels of immigration, only 33 per cent of the Britons surveyed and 35 per cent of Americans surveyed agreed.
"Canada doesn’t place as much emphasis on a single dominant ethno-cultural identity,” said Jack Jedwab, executive director of the Association for Canadian Studies. “As a result, there is less societal pressure for cultural integration. In other immigrant-receiving countries there is often concern for preserving the identity of a particular ethnic majority resulting in a less positive attitude towards immigration,"
Britons lead the way in anti-immigration sentiment with 60 per cent of those polled wishing to reduce immigration levels in their country. Americans were close on their tail with 58 per cent of residents feeling the same, while only 19 per cent of Canadians would like to reduce the level of immigration in Canada.
When asked if immigrants are generally good for a country’s economy, only Australians were more likely than Canadians to answer positively. Seventy-one per cent of Australians made the correlation between immigrants and a healthy economy with 63 per cent of Canadians doing the same. Forty-five per cent of Americans surveyed made the positive connection but only 22 per cent of Britons were able to connect the dots.
The survey of approximately 1,000 residents of immigrant-receiving countries found that 22 per cent of Canadians surveyed would like to see an actual increase in immigration levels, while only four per cent of Britons and six per cent of Americans feel the same. Though 58 per cent of Canadians would like to maintain current levels of immigration, only 33 per cent of the Britons surveyed and 35 per cent of Americans surveyed agreed.
"Canada doesn’t place as much emphasis on a single dominant ethno-cultural identity,” said Jack Jedwab, executive director of the Association for Canadian Studies. “As a result, there is less societal pressure for cultural integration. In other immigrant-receiving countries there is often concern for preserving the identity of a particular ethnic majority resulting in a less positive attitude towards immigration,"
Britons lead the way in anti-immigration sentiment with 60 per cent of those polled wishing to reduce immigration levels in their country. Americans were close on their tail with 58 per cent of residents feeling the same, while only 19 per cent of Canadians would like to reduce the level of immigration in Canada.
When asked if immigrants are generally good for a country’s economy, only Australians were more likely than Canadians to answer positively. Seventy-one per cent of Australians made the correlation between immigrants and a healthy economy with 63 per cent of Canadians doing the same. Forty-five per cent of Americans surveyed made the positive connection but only 22 per cent of Britons were able to connect the dots.
