Why is anti-immigration sentiment on the rise in Canada? — Transcript

We are here today because Canada is broken. Our kindness and generosity have given way to naivety and weakness. We do not want to be taken advantage of, tricked, lied to, and sold out by those we trusted to lead.

us in recent decades My Home Country Canada has had the image of a successful and accepting Nation welcoming millions of upwardly mobile immigrants you know immigration in Canada is not just something that we do it's it's who we

Us. In recent decades, my home country Canada has had the image of a successful and accepting nation, welcoming millions of upwardly mobile immigrants. You know, immigration in Canada is not just something that we do; it's who we are. It's who we've always been. But in the face of rising poverty, a housing crisis, and an influx of more than 1 million people last year alone, anti-immigrant sentiment is now growing, with 60% of Canadians now saying it's too high. The country does not need another million Uber drivers and Tim Horton's workers. Why are we bringing in so many people if we know for a fact that we don't have housing for them? And immigrants themselves, hoping for a new life, are feeling betrayed. The Canadian dream is something which is marketed really well. A lot of people in India especially fall for it real easy. I want to understand how public opinion has shifted so sharply and what this means for the country's future. We're going to have to figure this out. Fighting it is not really an option, I don't think. I moved to Toronto nearly 10 years ago and rent in a downtown neighborhood where many hold liberal views, but it didn't take long for me to see how much opinions have changed. What do you think is to blame for overall the cost of living in Toronto? Mass immigration without having, like, services in place. People coming sold on this amazing life that we have, but a lot of people that are coming here are seeing, like, can't afford rent. Let's get more people in because we have a demographic problem, but let's not put—we should have also done the hard work of, like, where are we allocating them? Do you think that the city has grown infrastructure-wise in tandem with all the people that have come to live here? No, I mean, that's sort of a known fact, right, that there's just not enough housing and the immigration there is like crazy. That discontent is backed up by data. In Toronto, rental costs are up 40% over the last two years. The cost of living has soared, and in one of the wealthiest nations on Earth, one in four Canadians now live in poverty. By night, you can see the consequences of the city's rapid expansion. Scores of delivery drivers, most of them immigrants, wait for orders. David, who came here from Ukraine, is one of them. Half an hour, like $3.40 for like 5 km when to a drive, then you have to just come back like 5 km to the same place. So that's all you're making is $3.40? Yeah, half an hour. Yeah, for half an hour. Yeah. My plan was to become a truck driver, you know, so I wanted to—all I wanted is just make money for truck school. Unfortunately, one and a half years I didn't make money yet because, like, you know, it costs probably 10,000, you need for truck school. This is my dream, you know, to be a truck driver. I drive through all Canada, US. He told me he ends up becoming, you know, even every single month you make 2 and a half thousand, 3,000 max, and he's even the rest, you know, he always even nothing to say. The sheer influx of people into the city alongside a lack of new housing means people are forced to improvise their living arrangements. Ana Ettinger is a realtor who's gained an online following chronicling some of the more extreme examples. $900 a month to share a—not even a king where you can comfortably put a pillow barrier, a queen-sized bed with someone. She took me to see a new condo that had just been built. Typical of new developments. Like, for people who haven't been to Toronto, who don't know what's happening, like, how would you describe the market in the city right now? You were seeing bidding wars on rentals and people offering hundreds of dollars over asking, offering on places that they've never seen. This is a wow, one bed, 2636, 453 ft. Wow. I don't know whether it'd be an A or depressed. This is an area where you would think that you would be seeing more affordable housing because the demographic is lower income earners and there is quite a bit of poverty around, and yet that's what's being offered. And I wonder, like, what are the systems in place that are giving us these kinds of results? It's too expensive to build right now, so if they build it, they need to charge these numbers. We have millions of people moving into Canada who are often settling into Toronto and Vancouver. Why are we bringing in so many people if we know for a fact that we don't have housing for them and they may end up homeless? Like, we're letting people put themselves in a difficult position knowingly. Across town, I met Paan, one of a million international students in the country. Many come from India, drawn to educational opportunities and the promise of a permanent working visa, but those that arrive often find themselves unprepared for Canada's living costs. How is it for you to come here as a student and maybe there was a sense of promise in Canada and to see for a lot of people that's not what's happening? The Canadian dream is something which is marketed really well, and a lot of people in India especially fall for it real easy. They're not financially ready to, you know, move to a country which is much more expensive, and B, they are not—they don't have the required skill set sometimes, but they come here because back home, you know, they are told you earn in dollars, you're a rich man. They don't understand that you also spend in dollars here, and it feels like Canada's really setting them up to fail when they give them visas. They say, come on over, come work here. See, I—I wouldn't—I personally wouldn't say that Canada is setting up to fail. I think Canada is failing to, you know, provide them opportunities. Canada tried but it failed because it let a lot of people come in in a short period of time, but the infrastructure was not able, is not able to keep up with it. That failure has had repercussions across the city. Toronto has the largest unhoused population in the whole country, with around 35,000 homeless on any given night. Nearly half of those are from refugee or migrant backgrounds. Diana McN is a crisis worker for this community. With her colleague Brian, who was previously unhoused, she took me to an encampment, one of an increasing number across the city, people who aren't housed. Always want to know the origin story. Well, how did you become homeless? How did this happen to you? I never had that question asked me of another unhoused person. I understand people who are housed want there to be a reason for that to happen because otherwise it could happen to them too. No wonder in a cost of living crisis with rents jumping and incomes not going up, are you seeing more or do you worry more and more people who have jobs are not able to find a place to live? I mean, that's absolutely the case. I've seen lawyers. I saw a real estate agent living basically in a storage shed who had a Rolex watch but was living in a storage shed since the '90s. We haven't had a national housing program that has made any meaningful inroads into creating the kind of public housing that people need, and what every government has said instead is that we're going to outsource this to the private sector. And where's that gotten us? We are scapegoating them and saying the reason why you can't buy a home or you can't find a rental apartment that isn't under $2,500 a month, $3,000 a month, is because of foreigners coming into our country, and that is absolutely egregious. The reasons for Toronto's housing crisis may be varied, but the scapegoating has only strengthened in recent years. Online, there's a growing backlash on sites like Reddit where users share news stories criticizing mass immigration and what they see as political failures. I've come to the outskirts of Toronto to meet Ethan, the co-founder of a movement called Take Back Canada. He organized a protest to call for more restrictive immigration policy that will bring in...

too high country does not need another million Uber drivers and Tim Horton's workers why are we bringing in so many people if we know for a fact that we don't have housing for them and immigrants themselves hoping for a new

life are feeling betrayed the Canadian dream is something which is marketed really well a lot of people in India especially fall for it real easy I want to understand how public opinion has shifted so sharply and what this means

for the country's future we're going to have to figure this out like fighting it is not really an option I don't think I moved to Toronto nearly 10 years ago and rent in a downtown neighborhood where many hold liberal views but it

didn't take long for me to see how much opinions have changed what do you think is to blame for overall the cost of living in Toronto Mass immigration without having like uh like services in place people coming sold on this amazing

life that we have but a lot of people are that are coming here are seeing like can't afford rent let's get more people in because we have a demographic problem but let's not put we should have also done the hard work of like where are we

allocating them do you think that the city has grown infrastructure wise in tandem with all the people that that have come to live here no I mean that's sort of a known fact right that there just not enough housing and

uh the immigration there is like crazy that discontent is backed up by data in Toronto rental costs are up 40% over the last 2 years the cost of living has soared and in one of the wealthiest Nations on Earth One in four Canadians

now live in poverty by night you can see the consequences of the city's rapid expansion scores of delivery drivers most of them immigrants wait for orders David who came here from Ukraine is one of them half an hour like 340 for

like 5 km when to a drive then you have to just come back like 5 km to the same place so that's that's all you're making is $3.40 yeah half an hour yeah for half an hour yeah my plan was to become a truck

driver you know so I wanted to all I wanted is just make money for truck school unfortunately one and a half year I didn't make money yet because like you know it cost probably 10,000 un need for truack school this is my dream you know

to be a truck driver I drive through all Canada us he told me he ends up becoming you know even every single month you make 2 and half th000 3,000 Max and he's even the rest you know he always even

nothing to say the sheer influx of people into the city alongside a lack of new hous means people are forced to improvise their living arrangements Ana Ettinger is a realtor who's gained an online following chronicling some the more

extreme examples $900 a month to share a a not even a king where you can comfortably put a pillow barrier a queen sized bed with someone she took me to see a new condo that had just been built

typical of new developments like for people who haven't been to Toronto who don't know what's happening like how would you describe the market in the city right now you were seeing bidding wars on rentals and people offering hundreds of dollars over asking offering

on places that they've never seen this is a wow one bed 26 36 453 ft wow I don't know whether it' be an A or depressed this is an area where you would think that you would be seeing

more affordable housing because the demographic is is lower income earners and there is quite a bit of poverty around and yet that's what's being offered and I wonder like what are the the systems in place that are giving us

these kind of results it's it's too expensive to build right now so if they build it they need to charge these numbers we have millions of people moving into Canada who are often settling into Toronto and Vancouver why

are we bringing in so many people if we know for a fact that we don't have housing for them and they may end up homeless like we're letting people put themselves in a difficult position knowingly across town I met paan one of

a million International students in the country many come from India drawn to educational opportunities in the promise of a permanent working Visa but those that arrive often find themselves unprepared for Canada's living costs how is it for you to come here as a student

and maybe there was a sense of Promise in Canada and to see for a lot of people that's not what's happening the Canadian dream is something which is marketed really well and a lot of people in India especially fall for it real easy they're

not financially ready to you know move to a country which is much more expensive and B they are not they don't have the uh required skill set sometimes but they come here because back home you know they are told you earn in dollars

you're a rich man they don't understand that you also spend in dollars here and it feels like Canada's really setting them up to fail when they they give them visas they say come on over come work here see I I

wouldn't I personally wouldn't say that Canada is setting up to fail I think Canada is failing to you know provide them opportunities Canada tried but it failed because it let a lot of people come in in a short period of time but

the infrastructure was not able is not able to keep up with it that failure has has had repercussions across the city Toronto has the largest unhost population in the whole country with around 35,000 homeless On Any Given night nearly half

of those are from Refugee or migrant backgrounds Diana MCN is a crisis worker for this community with her colleague Brian who was previously un hosted she took me to an encampment one of an increasing number across the city people

who aren't house always want to know the origin story well how did you become homeless how did this happened to you I never had that question asked me of another unhoused person I understand people who house want their need there

to be a reason for that to happen because otherwise it could happen to them too now wonder in a cost of living crisis with rents jumping and income's not going up are you seeing more or do you worry more and more people who have

jobs are are not able to find a place to live I mean that's absolutely the case I've seen lawyers um I saw a real estate agent um living basically in a storage shed uh who had a Rolex watch but was living in

a storage shed since the '90s we haven't had a national housing program that has made any meaningful uh inroads into creating the kind of public housing that people need and what every government has said instead is that we're going to

Outsource this to the private sector and where's that gotten this we are scapegoating them and saying the reason why you can't buy a home or you can't find a rental apartment that isn't under $2500 a month $3,000 a month is because

of foreigners coming into our country and that is absolutely egregious the reasons for Toronto's housing crisis may be varied but the scapegoating has only strengthened in recent years online there's a growing backlash on sites like Reddit where users share news stories criticizing

Mass immigration and what they see as political failures I've come to the outskirts of Toronto to meet Ethan the co-founder of a movement called take back Canada he organized a protest to call for more restrictive immigration policy that will bring in what he calls

peaceful immigrants who accept Canadian values we do not want to be taken advantage of tricked lied to and sold out by those we trusted to lead us we're stealing the future that Canadians were promised that our parents and our

grandparents and generations before worked for so that we could have something and we were a very generous Nation for a long time you know we've allowed a lot of immigrants in who you know just on the promise that they want

to contribute to society in a positive way and I think that's a very good and Noble thing it's something to be proud of but what we're doing right now is just destroying the game for everyone do you fear that kind of protests against

immigration could in turn increase xenophobia or have a kind of a backlash against people who are immigrating here there's is going to be an element of people who are unable to separate race and ethnicity from having a system that brings people in that are

not going to contribute to society I mean you're going to see xenophobia if this isn't put a stop to we need to find what the level of political action will be that will get our government our leaders to take it seriously and to fear

wronging us while Ethan claims the group isn't xenophobic the Reddit group associated with the event was recently banned from the site despite the mounting push back the government remains committed to promoting the benefits of immigration is an integral part of the Canadian

identity it's simple to me Canada needs more people you know immigration in Canada is not just something that we do it's it's who we are it's it's who we've always been at the annual newcomer day newly arrived immigrants access services

and learn about Canadian culture Daniel burnhard runs the institute for Canadian citizenship which promotes the benefits of immigration he's organized an event celebrating those who have just become citizens my big learning from this experience is that this country is

made up by the incredible diversity and talent that we bring in and one of our biggest responsibilities as new citizens is to continue to contribute in our very own unique ways that was my personal experience it does feel in Canada that

immigration is is entwined with this cultural sense that that immigrants make the country a better place they grow the country literally and economically but I wonder is that starting to change I think that it stands to reason that when

people feel squeezed in their lives uh too many people chasing the number of Apartments superficially seems like a logical explanation I think actually when you look a little bit deeper it's an incorrect explanation the decay of public services and the lack of

infrastructure through the ' 80s and 90s is coming back to bite everybody in the developed world and we're no exception I think we ought to we ought to recognize that it's not about the population growth I think we need a mind shift that

immigrants actually have a lot to contribute here it's not like we're doing you a favor and there's enough space for you and so fine we'll let you in I mean that's the word we use we let people in instead of recognizing we need

this do we want to be prosperous or not and if we do we need to figure out what the next wave of this is and we got to hit it really seriously I don't think we have a choice because I think the people

are going to come anyways and we're so happy for all of the opportunities that Canada has given on I personally come from Ukraine and actually graduating from uh tmu uh University uh as a social I got to school I got to finish my degree I got

to finally open my very first small business it's easy talking to people to get caught up in what feels like a crisis in this city and in this country but then to see people become sit since today to watch them fulfill a dream

they've had for years it's just such a stark contrast and it's so powerful because it shows there's people who still have hope for Canada 3 2 1 thank you so thank you [Music]