Nation Building Through Cities: A New Deal for Immigrant Settlement in Canada

Elizabeth McIsaac

Published on February 26, 2003

This article offers a critique of the federal Minister of Citizenship and Immigration”s proposed ‘dispersion’ policy, which is considering offering a temporary work visa that ties an immigrant to a particular location for up to five years before being granted permanent resident status; an individual who does not remain for this period of time in the designated locale would become subject to deportation. The proposal is found wanting on three grounds: It is coercive rather than incentive based. Immigration is positioned as a ‘silver bullet’ for regional economic development, rather than as a component of a broader strategy. And the effect of the strategy would be to further exclude and marginalize rather than include and integrate new immigrants.

ISBN – 1-55382-043-6

Summary

This article offers a critique of the federal Minister of Citizenship and Immigration"s proposed ‘dispersion’ policy, which is considering offering a temporary work visa that ties an immigrant to a particular location for up to five years before being granted permanent resident status; an individual who does not remain for this period of time in the designated locale would become subject to deportation.

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