Ted White on Questions On The Order Paper

With respect to the government's immigration targets and with reference to the document entitled “Not Just Numbers, A Canadian Framework for Future Immigration”, could the government indicate: ( a ) why an annual immigration target of 1% of Canada's population was chosen and what research material supports the selection of that percentage instead of a higher or lower percentage; ( b ) what research the government has drawn upon in determining the proportion of immigration which should be entrepreneurial class, family reunification class or other class; ( c ) what research the government has conducted or referred to in assessing the impact on Canada's medical system and social programs from the existing and proposed levels of family reunification class immigration; ( d ) what research the government has conducted to determine whether the economic contribution to Canada from immigration has been rising or falling over the past 30 years, and whether such a rise or fall in economic contribution is a result of the changes in target levels for specific class of immigrants; and ( e ) why the government no longer considers it an important requirement that prospective immigrants be proficient in one of Canada's official languages, and what studies it has drawn upon to conclude that relaxation of the language requirement will not cause serious social stresses and problems for new entrants?