Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I will take this opportunity to thank all of our witnesses for providing their input to this important study, and for all the work they are doing with the new immigrants.
My first question is for Ms. George. It's really a pleasure to hear from someone with your level of experience and expertise.
Adaptation to a new country is a complex process. Immigrants who are dissatisfied with their settlement experience seriously contemplate leaving Canada. In your paper “To Stay or Not to Stay: Characteristics Associated with Newcomers Planning to Remain in Canada”, you examine some factors that would encourage new immigrants to stay in Canada once they have arrived, despite the difficulties they might be facing in the adaptation process.
Could you speak to the importance of the presence of a spouse or an extended family in the decision to make Canada a permanent home?