Conservative leadership candidate Erin O’Toole says that as prime minister, he would prioritize refugee resettlement to Yazidi people and Afghan interpreters who served alongside Canadian Armed Forced during the Afghanistan war.

O’Toole announced his immigration platform Tuesday afternoon in a press release, and says that in addition to Yazidis – who are being persecuted by ISIS – remaining interpreters who served bravely during the Afghanistan war “are still left behind” and should be a priority for resettlement.

O’Toole’s campaign told iPolitics there are approximately 100 interpreters, plus their families, that he would help welcome to this country “on compassionate grounds in recognition of their brave service to Canada.”

He would also end long-term “reliance upon and abuse of the Temporary Foreign Worker program, attract skilled immigrants to Canada, and ensure that our country continues to show compassion to those at risk around the world.”

“The TFW program isn’t working today and Justin Trudeau’s changes won’t fix it. We are in a global fight for talent and should be training Canadians for high-skilled jobs and attracting the best in the world to make Canada their home – not bringing in foreign workers for a year or two at a time,” said O’Toole in the release.

He would restrict the program to jobs that “truly are temporary and cannot be done by Canadians.” Agriculture and tourism are examples of industries that rely on temporary workers and would be allowed to continue. High tech and service industries, however, would not. O’Toole promises to ensure those industries can find the skilled workers they need – both trained young Canadians and skilled immigrants.

He would also modernize the Provincial Nominee programs to meet long-term regional objectives and ensure areas get the workers and population growth they need. Immigration will be fast tracked, results-driven and points assisted for those coming and staying in areas like Atlantic Canada.

Under his leadership, O’Toole says the Canadian immigration system will be based on three principles: steady levels, welcoming skill-based workers, and ensuring the immigration system continues to prevent those who pose a threat from entering.