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On Dec. 18, we observed International Migrants Day, which was established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 2000. With immigration so firmly ingrained in “Brand Canada,” it offers an opportunity to re-visit the public conversation about its impact and maybe even dispel a few myths.

While our public is generally supportive of immigration, the recently unveiled three-year immigration plan has prompted some of its critics to renew their pushback — with claims that our immigration policy is out of control and is based on the “myths of helping our economy, strengthening the labour force and alleviating Canada’s aging problem.” And recent Angus Reid Institute polls have also laid bare opinions that “we are too generous to refugees and asylum seekers,” and some support for a Trump-style travel ban.

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Picking up on these concerns, some commentators claim that our immigration policy is out of control and is unequal to the task of solving Canada’s economic and demographic issues. The problem with these assertions is that immigration could never reasonably be seen as a silver bullet to resolve Canada’s economic and demographic needs. If we truly wish to have a fruitful conversation about immigration, we need to consider it for what it is: one of many tools that play a part in addressing these complex issues. To pretend otherwise does a disservice to Canada and unfairly undermines an immigration system that helps make us the dynamic and resourceful country we are today and will need to be in the future.