The pandemic in particular highlighted the value to the government and the immigration program of inviting those who wish to come to Canada to participate in the labour market, whether it be in central services or in areas of the economy where labour is needed.
This, I would add, was something we were striving to do prior to the pandemic, but the pandemic placed a focus on the need for our economic immigration programs to be as flexible and nimble as possible to address what could be labour market shortages sectorally, nationally or regionally. We wanted to meet other economic goals, whether they were defined by the government through speeches from the throne, through the budget or were in fact contained within the objectives of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act itself.