Aki

Full Statement on Alberta Opposing Further Asylum Relocation to Alberta: Alberta’s government is opposed to the Federal Government’s plan to relocate tens of thousands of asylum claimants to Alberta, especially without any financial assistance to support the province in doing so. Alberta has always welcomed newcomers who possess our shared values - and we will continue to do so. However, last year alone, an all time record of over 200,000 people moved to Alberta. That’s like adding two new Red Deer size cities in just one year. Although Alberta represents only 11.8% of the Canadian population, we are currently supporting approximately 22% (over 70,000) of Ukrainian evacuees who arrived in Canada. Section 95 of the constitution is clear - immigration is an area of shared authority between the federal government and the provinces. Yet, the Trudeau Government’s unrestrained open border policies permitting well over a million newcomers each year into Canada is causing significant challenges, and it’s simply not sustainable. Excessive levels of immigration to this province is increasing the cost of living and strains public services for everyone. We are informing the Government of Canada that until further notice, Alberta is not open to having these additional asylum seekers settled in our province. We simply cannot afford it.

How cash-strapped are Canadian households? Canadians are spending 7% of their income on interest, versus 6% on food and drink, says economist David Rosenberg, following a review of national-accounts data. On WSJ wires: