Mr. Speaker, recent media headlines suggest that Canada's annual immigration target levels will increase by a maximum of 10,000 immigrants next year. It has been suggested that by increasing our target levels we will be able to help Canada cope with the challenges of an aging population, a low birth rate and a shortage of professional skills within Canada.
Could the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration please explain how increasing our annual target levels will help to clear the current backlog in the immigration system and convince more skilled workers to choose Canada?