Canada unlikely to face immigration backlash

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development said on Tuesday that among the western democracies, Canada is one such country which is least likely to build up an anti-immigrant backlash. The organization made these comments while presenting a report requesting western countries to allow newcomers into the country in spite of the current economic crisis.

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development said on Tuesday that among the western democracies, Canada is one such country which is least likely to build up an anti-immigrant backlash. The organization made these comments while presenting a report requesting western countries to allow newcomers into the country in spite of the current economic crisis.

The OECD said that immigrants have suffered disproportionately due to the current recession and urged member countries to create new and better programs aimed at assisting struggling immigrants settle in their new homelands.

The OECD, a Paris-based organization which is funded by Canada in collaboration with twenty nine other member countries to provide social and economic policy advice to governments, said that migration is still a politically delicate issue which can be exploited for election benefits.

John Martin, an Irishman and director for labor, employment and social affairs at the OECD, termed Canada as a country which is perfect for permanent settlement as most newcomers to the country come with the desire to live here permanently.

Martin said that the sense of backlash in countries like Canada, New Zealand, Australia and the United States is lesser in comparison to other western democracies. He added that immigrants were the pillars behind building these countries and people still think that accepting immigrants is important.

He said that Canadians do not appear to be very hostile towards immigrants and they don’t often see immigrants as someone who is stealing their jobs.

He said that the feeling of “we are them, they are us” is what heightens the reaction to an economic downturn and towering unemployment.