Federal Immigration Minister Lena Diab has stated that she is not aware of any directive purportedly sent to the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa by the Trump administration, instructing its envoy to urge Canada to decrease its immigration levels. When asked if Canada takes guidance from the U.S. on setting immigration levels, Diab explained that she extensively consulted with economists, department officials, and stakeholders nationwide to determine Canada’s future immigration levels. She emphasized that the provinces and territories were her primary partners in the decision-making process, as immigration in Canada is a collaborative effort among federal, provincial, and territorial authorities.
According to a report by the New York Times on Thursday, a diplomatic cable from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to diplomats in Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand directed U.S. ambassadors to advocate for reductions in immigration levels in those countries and report any perceived excessive support for immigrants by their governments. The cable also allegedly tasked U.S. ambassadors with addressing concerns about violent crimes linked to individuals with a migration background.
Responding to the Times report detailing Rubio’s cable, Diab expressed her lack of familiarity with the matter unless there had been recent developments. The Minister made these statements during a press conference in Ottawa where she unveiled initiatives to facilitate the settlement of Francophone immigrants outside Quebec. She announced an investment of approximately $3.6 million in four new projects supported by the Francophone Immigration Support Program, aimed at promoting Canada and attracting skilled Francophone immigrants to address shortages in sectors such as healthcare, education, and early childhood development.