When it comes to immigration, elites don’t seem to trust Canadians to hold the right opinions.

They’re paranoid. They think we’re all secretly racist, waiting for an opportunity to pick up a pitchfork and chase immigrants we see out of town.

And the CBC has given these elites more reason to look down their noses at everyday people.

“Canadians aren’t as accepting as we think,” read a recent headline on CBC.ca.

The article, written by pollster Angus Reid, took aim at the social myth Canada is a multicultural utopia and that Canadians are open to any and all immigration.

Reid’s poll found almost seven in ten Canadians believe newcomers should “do more to fit in” when they come to Canada. Only 32% thought we should encourage newcomers to keep their own customs and language.

In the U.S. the split is closer to 50/50.

So, are Canadians suddenly less tolerant than our American neighbours?

Despite the predictable handwringing by many on the left, this poll simply confirms what we all know.

Canadians are a welcoming and generous people, but there are limits to our openness.

When it comes to immigration, Canadians expect newcomers to join the Canadian family and that they’ll learn the local language, contribute to our economy and respect our laws and traditions. We hope they’ll branch out into the broader community and truly become Canadian.

These are not unreasonable views. In fact, this is what most newcomers expect when they pick up and move to a new country.

Our expectation that newcomers will integrate into Canadian society is part of the reason our immigration system has worked better than other Western countries.

Canada’s experience stands in stark contrast to the failed model of official multiculturalism in Europe.

For decades, Europe’s leaders asked nothing of newcomers. Under the spell of official multiculturalism, they believed that newcomers shouldn’t be asked to adopt Western values or adhere to local norms and customs.

Instead, they took a hands-off approach to integration, allowing immigrant communities to maintain their own language, even their own laws. Thanks to decades of laissez fair immigration, Europe is now a divided society.

It is weak, fractured and unable to control its borders or track the 5,000 known jihadists and ISIS terrorists at large in the EU.

Official multiculturalism — the idea newcomers needn’t change a thing about themselves when arriving in a new country — has been an abject failure.

Canadian pluralism — which focuses on unity and integration — has proven to be the better model. Seven in ten Canadians agree.

We want newcomers to integrate. We know that integration works a lot better than isolation. And yet, the elite still prefer to perpetuate myths rather than listen to common sense.

Earlier this week, I was in Ottawa to participate in a debate on the future of immigration in Canada, hosted by The Panel — an independent speakers’ forum. I was supposed to debate a Liberal MP but unfortunately, he withdrew at the last minute.

Perhaps the Liberals, who didn’t offer a replacement MP, do not consider it a priority to participate in a discussion about immigration.

It’s a shame. The Trudeau government is increasingly out of touch with Canadians on issues of immigration and integration.

For instance, a recent Forum poll found 79% of Canadians surveyed believe we take in enough immigrants now, or too many, compared to only 13% who say we take in too few.

They might have learned something from attending.