The Random Ranter

You don't have to dig deep to find an immigration element to many of the major issues in this country.

From affordable housing to accessible health care to social programs, unemployment, education and more.

It's a hot topic creating backlash, not only here, but right around the world.

And I'm not just talking about Trump's America.

It's England, Germany, France, even New Zealand of all places.

So it should come as no surprise that we're wrestling with some of the same anti-immigration sentiments here too.

I mean, we're hyper-focused on the separation question in the upcoming Alberta referendum, but of the 10 questions on that ballot, five of them have to do with immigration.

Now, on a certain level, I understand the backlash.

It's nothing new.

Immigrants throughout history have been targeted as convenient scapegoats for the troubles of the day.

So why should what's happening now be any different?

I mean, I know we like to think of ourselves as evolved, but sometimes you really have to question to what degree.

Now, as far as I'm concerned, there's no understating or denying it.

Immigration has made Canada what it is today.

It's how this country was built and how this country thrives.

Immigration has always fueled our economy, and there's no reason it shouldn't continue to work the same way in the future.

I mean, it wasn't long ago that provinces and businesses, including Alberta, including Daniel Smith, were clamoring for more immigration, more temporary foreign workers, and more foreign students.

Industry needed them to drive their trucks, work their drive-thrus, and slaughter their meat.

Chronically underfunded colleges and universities needed their tuitions to survive.

And with immigration accounting for 25% of registered nurses and 42% of nurses' aides, would we even have a functioning healthcare system without immigrants?