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Conservatives accuse government of 'cooking the books' over immigration data presentation
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-23 20:35:58.0
Tags: [National, Immigration, Governance]Federal Conservative immigration critic Michelle Rempel Garner accused Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada of misrepresenting permanent resident data in official online messaging by splitting 2026 data into three separate bars instead of a single total. The contested graph omits one-time initiatives—specifically the In-Canada Workers Initiative covering 33,000 workers and a protected persons program for up to 115,000 individuals—which IRCC states are not counted toward permanent resident targets. According to IRCC data, the total number of new permanent residents reached 40,155 in August 2026, compared to 26,080 in December 2025, with a federal target of 380,000 permanent residents set for 2026 representing a four percent drop.
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Searches of cellphones, laptops by U.S. customs up more than 32% so far this year
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-23 08:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Public Safety, Immigration]Data obtained by CBC News shows that U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers searched 52,080 electronic devices during the first three quarters of the 2026 fiscal year, representing a 32 percent increase over the 39,251 devices searched during the same period in 2025. Of the 2026 searches, 47,517 were basic searches conducted without reasonable suspicion, while 4,564 were advanced searches requiring reasonable suspicion of unlawful activity or national security concerns. The agency's revised January guidelines expanded device definitions to include SIM cards, GPS systems, unmanned aircraft systems, and vehicle infotainment systems, following a record 55,424 total searches in fiscal 2025.
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UPEI sees 20% drop in international student enrolment from last year
Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-20 23:48:48.0
Tags: [National, Prince Edward Island, Education, Immigration]International student enrolment at the University of Prince Edward Island has dropped by approximately 20 per cent compared to the previous year, with total international student numbers falling to roughly 1,300 from about 2,000 prior to federal policy changes. According to the Association of Atlantic Universities, the Atlantic region has experienced a 48 per cent overall decrease in international enrolments since Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada introduced study permit caps in 2024, surpassing the federal target of a 35 per cent reduction. Concurrently, regional universities recorded a 3.4 per cent increase in first-year enrolments as of October 2026, driven primarily by domestic students from Atlantic Canada and the rest of Canada.
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Alberta to stay in Canada; PM Mark Carney, First Nations and leaders hail unofficial results
Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-10-20 18:32:10.0
Tags: [Alberta, National, Governance, Indigenous, Immigration]In an unofficial provincial referendum held in Alberta, 75.5 per cent of voters rejected separation by choosing to remain in Canada, while 24.5 per cent voted in favour of option two. Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith discussed intergovernmental cooperation on shared priorities, including immigration, following the results. Indigenous leaders, including Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi of Treaty 8 First Nation and Chief Samuel Crowfoot of Siksika Nation, emphasized the importance of upholding treaties and protecting rights while noting ongoing political divisions.
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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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Alberta referendum vote to remain is ‘great result for Canada,’ Carney says
Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-10-20 14:22:51.0
Tags: [Alberta, National, Governance, Immigration, Affordability]Approximately 76 percent of voters in Alberta decisively rejected holding a formal referendum on separatism, opting to remain part of Canada in a vote administered by Elections Alberta. Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith discussed the referendum results, emphasizing a commitment to cooperative federalism regarding immigration and provincial priorities, alongside addressing the recent fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre also responded, stating that the focus must shift to affordability, safety, strong borders, and immigration.
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Liberals and Conservatives urge 'decisive' Alberta referendum vote to remain in Canada
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-18 21:12:34.0
Tags: [National, Alberta, Governance, Immigration]Federal Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre are both urging Albertans to decisively vote to remain a province in Canada in an upcoming 10-question provincial referendum. The referendum, scheduled for October 19, 2026, includes nine preliminary questions on immigration and constitutional reform championed by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith alongside a tenth question regarding a binding separation referendum. According to Abacus Data polling conducted from October 7 to 13 among 1,021 Alberta voters with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 68 per cent of respondents intend to vote to keep Alberta in Canada while 24 per cent support starting the legal separation process, though 61 per cent expect future votes on the issue.
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Carney and Smith link up to pitch pro-Canada vote ahead of Alberta referendum
Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-10-16 19:13:30.0
Tags: [National, Alberta, Governance, Immigration]Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith appeared together at a Calgary brewery to campaign for a pro-Canada vote ahead of an Alberta referendum consisting of 10 ballot questions. The referendum includes questions on whether the province should remain in Canada or hold a binding separation vote, alongside proposed changes regarding provincial control over immigration and constitutional powers. While Carney and Smith united in urging voters to reject separation, Carney also urged voters to reject the remaining nine ballot questions concerning immigration and provincial autonomy.
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Ottawa adding express entry for permanent resident applicants in 'high-wage' jobs
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-16 19:11:23.0
Tags: [National, Immigration, Labour, Economy]Effective November 3, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Lena Diab announced that the federal government is adding new Express Entry points for permanent residency applicants in "high-wage" jobs. The policy applies to applicants with Canadian work experience or job offers in high-wage fields such as engineering, where high-wage is defined as paying at least 1.3 times the median wage, with point allocations correlating to the wage level. Additionally, the government is implementing a temporary policy to remove Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) requirements and the mandate for employers to prove they cannot find qualified Canadians for these qualifying positions. Permanent residency candidates already in the Express Entry pool will have their scores modified within two weeks, during which time invitations to apply will be paused.
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‘Vote like Canada depends on it’: Carney tells Alberta referendum rally
Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-10-16 02:56:01.0
Tags: [National, Alberta, Governance, Immigration]Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke at a Forever Canadian rally in Calgary, urging Albertans to vote against separation in the upcoming provincial referendum on October 19, 2026. Carney also called on voters to reject nine additional referendum questions proposed by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith concerning immigration restrictions, access to social services, and constitutional changes to alter federal powers and abolish the Senate. The Prime Minister's Office allocated $250,000 for its 'O Canada' federal campaign, while the Alberta government committed $4 million to promote its referendum positions.
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Warm welcome for Carney in Calgary as Alberta hurtles toward referendum vote
Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-10-15 20:16:48.0
Tags: [Alberta, National, Governance, Immigration, Energy]Prime Minister Mark Carney campaigned in Calgary and Edmonton ahead of Alberta's upcoming 10-question referendum, urging voters to reject Premier Danielle Smith's proposals regarding immigration, constitutional reform, and provincial powers while remaining in Confederation. Premier Danielle Smith's referendum ballot includes questions concerning provincial jurisdiction over immigration, restrictions and potential fees for accessing social services, constitutional changes, and the abolition of the Senate. Federal and provincial political figures, including Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and groups like Forever Canadian, mobilized across the province as advance polls recorded 174,000 ballots cast on the first day.
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Carney says Albertans should vote ‘No to the Nine’ in referendum
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-15 19:00:44.0
Tags: [National, Alberta, Governance, Immigration]Prime Minister Mark Carney traveled to Calgary to urge voters to reject the nine provincial referendum questions focusing on immigration and constitutional reform, participating in the 'No to the Nine' federalist campaign alongside groups like Public Interest Alberta. The upcoming October 19 referendum includes questions proposed by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who advocates for a 'yes' vote on the ballot items to secure a mandate on provincial autonomy. Meanwhile, various political figures—including Liberal MP Corey Hogan and former Alberta premiers—have publicly criticized the referendum questions as manipulative, while pushing for voters to choose Option 1 to remain in Canada.
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Advance voting opens as experts debate meaning of Alberta referendum results
Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-10-12 18:08:35.0
Tags: [Alberta, National, Governance, Immigration, Healthcare, Education, Energy]Advance voting has opened for the 2026 Alberta Referendum, featuring 10 distinct questions covering immigration, constitutional matters, healthcare and education fees for non-permanent residents, Senate abolition, and a final question on holding a binding referendum to separate from Canada. Elections Alberta reported receiving 650,000 special ballot requests and hired over 44,000 election workers to manage turnout. Meanwhile, the Government of Canada designated the Pacific Link pipeline a project of national interest, and Prime Minister Mark Carney emphasized federal unity in opposition to provincial separation.
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Biometrics Collection Services Coming to Labrador Early in 2027
Source: Newfoundland & Labrador - Government Releases
Date: 2026-10-07 13:45:43.0
Tags: [Newfoundland and Labrador, National, Immigration, Infrastructure]The Government of Canada and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador announced the expansion of federal biometrics collection services to Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador, set to launch in early 2027. Delivered through designated Service Canada locations, the new site eliminates the previous requirement for regional residents, workers, students, and families to travel exclusively to St. John's to fulfill immigration biometrics requirements. The initiative addresses geographic barriers in Newfoundland and Labrador following advocacy by provincial ministers Lin Paddock and Lela Evans, alongside Federal Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Lena Metlege Diab and Labrador Member of Parliament Philip Earle.
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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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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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Canadians born abroad caught up in yearslong citizenship certificate processing delays
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-05 08:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Immigration, Governance]Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is facing a backlog of 136,000 citizenship certificate applications, resulting in processing times reaching 33 months. The surge in applications is largely driven by Bill C-3, legislative changes allowing anyone with a Canadian ancestor to apply for citizenship by descent. Between December 15 and July 31, 6,810 individuals obtained certificates under Bill C-3, alongside 20,515 under pre-existing provisions. The resulting delays are preventing Canadians born abroad, such as the children of Pascal Sud and Robert Woodrich, from returning or traveling to Canada.
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Conservative critic says government must hit lower immigration target in next levels plan
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-09-30 21:38:59.0
Tags: [National, Immigration, Housing, Labour, Economy]Conservative immigration critic Michelle Rempel Garner stated that Canada must further reduce its immigration targets, criticizing Prime Minister Mark Carney for floating the possibility of future population increases during a New York Times interview. The federal government's previous budget implemented hard caps, including a 43 per cent reduction in temporary residents for the year, and set a permanent resident target of 380,000 per year from 2026 to 2028. Statistics Canada reported that Canada's population growth slowed to half a percentage point between July 2025 and July 2026, driven by an estimated decrease of roughly 154,000 temporary residents over the same period.
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Canada did not see historic population decline last year, StatsCan says after second look
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-09-28 19:58:24.0
Tags: [National, Immigration, Economy, Governance]Statistics Canada revised its 2025 population estimates, showing a national population increase of 280,810 people rather than the previously reported historic net decline. The updated administrative data reflects a significant slowdown in population growth driven by federal cutbacks to both permanent and temporary immigration under the administration of Prime Minister Mark Carney. Under current targets set in the federal budget, Canada aims to admit 385,000 temporary residents in 2026—representing a 43 percent reduction from 2025 levels—and cap new permanent residents at 380,000 annually between 2026 and 2028.
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Trump says Canada is 'destroying itself' with immigration. Ministers say that's bogus
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-09-23 18:45:27.0
Tags: [National, Immigration, Trade, Governance]U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Canadian immigration policies on social media, alleging that millions of unvetted individuals are entering Canada and causing severe domestic challenges. Federal ministers, including Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Justice Minister Sean Fraser, rejected these claims as inaccurate, noting that all prospective residents undergo rigorous multi-step security screening by Canadian border and intelligence agencies. Federal figures indicate that permanent resident admissions returned to pre-pandemic levels at approximately 328,000 last year, while temporary residents dropped to a net loss of 382,000 following government policy adjustments and lower immigration targets introduced since 2024. Statistics Canada reported an annual population growth rate of 0.5 per cent, bringing year-over-year increase to 189,425 people, mirroring U.S. population growth figures.
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