• Carney says Albertans chose unity and to move forward with 'purpose' and 'high ambition'

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-10-20 16:41:56.0
  Tags: [National, Alberta, Governance, Immigration, Justice]

  Prime Minister Mark Carney responded to Alberta's October 2026 provincial referendum, where 75.5 per cent of voters chose to remain in Canada while 24.5 per cent voted to hold a separation referendum. Discussing the ballot's other questions with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, Carney stated that federal-provincial reforms regarding immigration controls and the appointment of provincial judges can be achieved through cooperation rather than complex constitutional amendments. Carney noted that federal reductions in asylum seekers, temporary foreign workers, and foreign students demonstrate alignment on sustainable immigration levels. Meanwhile, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc emphasized Ottawa's priority to work collaboratively with Alberta following the decisive unity vote.

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• Immigration minister appears unaware of court ruling that guarantees Charter rights for refugees

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-10-07 08:00:00.0
  Tags: [National, Immigration, Justice, Governance]

  Federal Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab faced scrutiny from refugee rights advocates and opposition critics after appearing unfamiliar with the landmark 1985 Supreme Court decision Singh v. Minister of Employment and Immigration during a Radio-Canada documentary podcast interview. The Singh decision established that asylum seekers are constitutionally guaranteed Charter rights to fundamental justice, specifically the right to an oral hearing, and led directly to the creation of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. The controversy centers around Bill C-12, the Carney government's immigration reform legislation passed in March, which restricts who receives Refugee Board hearings by shifting asylum claims made more than a year after initial entry to a written pre-removal risk assessment instead of an oral hearing. Legal challenges are underway alleging that Bill C-12 violates domestic and international law by undermining the protections mandated by the Singh precedent, while the Prime Minister's Office maintains confidence in Minister Diab's execution of federal immigration targets.

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• Immigration, high-speed rail and Bill 21: Where new PQ government could test Ottawa

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-10-07 08:00:00.0
  Tags: [National, Quebec, Immigration, Infrastructure, Transportation, Justice, Finance, Governance]

  Following the Parti Québécois' provincial election victory, Premier-designate Paul St-Pierre Plamondon faces key policy friction points with Prime Minister Mark Carney's federal government. The PQ intends to seek full provincial control over immigration to reduce permanent immigrants to 35,000 and halve temporary immigration quotas, oppose the federal high-speed rail project connecting Toronto to Quebec City via Montreal, and seek $4.4 billion in additional federal transfers. Additionally, the new government plans to challenge federal authority by taking steps to abolish the monarchy in Quebec and cut funding to the lieutenant-governor's office, while awaiting a crucial Supreme Court of Canada ruling on Bill 21.

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• Canadian citizenship certificate applications now facing nearly 3-year delays

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-09-10 08:00:00.0
  Tags: [National, Immigration, Governance, Justice]

  Following the implementation of Bill C-3—legislation enacted to address unconstitutional limits on Canadian citizenship by descent—Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has experienced an 11 per cent rise in pending applications, bringing the backlog of citizenship certificates to over 136,000. Wait times for new applicants have surged to an estimated 33 months, compared to five months prior to the law taking effect in December 2025. Half of the individuals recognized as citizens under Bill C-3 are born in the United States, straining government archival resources and drawing criticism from immigration lawyers and opposition critics regarding IRCC staffing levels and potential Charter challenges.

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