Tory Leader Pierre Poilievre has said he would introduce a “mathematical formula” to cap population growth if he becomes prime minister.
He made the pledge at a short press conference in Ottawa this morning, in which he also promised to once again put forward a non-confidence motion in the House of Commons.
Poilievre said the Trudeau government had “opened the floodgates” to migrants in recent years and wrecked Canada’s system for welcoming international students.
The prime minister “brought in so many people,” Poilievre said, that migration to Canada has become “out of control, and it’s hurting our housing market.”
Pierre Poilievre says Canada's immigration system is "turning into a massive humanitarian crisis.”
— KelownaNow (@KelownaNow) September 11, 2024
“Kids are being sold into sex slavery and sent home to India in body bags."
He's calling for a "mathematical formula" to cap population growth.#cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/u2gyUQD3Ts
“Kids are being sold into sex slavery and sent home to India in body bags,” he said. “This is turning into a massive humanitarian crisis.”
“We will cap population growth so that the housing stock always grows faster than the population,” he added, promising to reveal specific numbers before a federal election is held.
Late last month, Poilievre, who has focused relatively little on migration during his leadership of the opposition, said there’s “no question” Canada needs “smaller population growth.”
He accused Justin Trudeau of having “destroyed our immigration system” after decades of “consensus” on the issue.
Canada’s population grew at its fastest rate since 1957 last year, according to Statistics Canada.
The agency said that 1.27 million more people were in Canada at the beginning of 2024 compared with 2023, a 3.2 per cent increase.
As of April this year, Canada’s population is estimated to be 41 million people. When Trudeau was elected in 2015, there were just under 36 million people in Canada.
Trudeau last month announced plans to introduce new restrictions on the number of low-wage foreign workers companies can bring into Canada.
The prime minister has previously attacked his own government’s migration policies, saying earlier this year that a “massive spike” in foreign arrivals had “far” exceeded what Canada can absorb and had driven down wages.
In July, meanwhile, British Columbia Premier David Eby said the province had seen “unprecedented population inflows."
“We’re talking about well in excess of 10,000 people a month,” he said. “Our most recent total for last year was 180,000 new British Columbians.
“And that’s great, and that’s exciting, and it’s necessary. And it’s completely overwhelming. To add a new city of 180,000 people every year to our province is not sustainable. Our schools are full. We are unable to keep up with housing starts.”
