Vital Role of Immigrants

Honourable senators, I rise today to speak to Senator Loffreda’s inquiry into immigration and, more specifically, immigration in Atlantic Canada. I have a simple proposition to make: Atlantic Canada needs its own specific approach to immigration.

It’s not because we’re cut off from the rest of Canada, but because our economic and demographic realities are different. Our immigration policies have to reflect that.

From coast to coast to coast, we all know that a one-size-fits-all approach to our shared future doesn’t work. Our regional differences strengthen our federation, and public policy must take them into account

In Atlantic Canada, we have an aging population, smaller job markets, a rural population and employers who truly struggle to find the labour and skills they need.

At the same time, the Maritime provinces offer valuable opportunities in energy, health and the biosciences, in natural resources, aerospace and defence, but also in oceans and technology, or our traditional fields of activity in territorial industries like agriculture, forestry and fishing.

Realizing that potential requires workers.

We also know that it is estimated that Atlantic Canada will need 441,000 people over the next 10 years to fill jobs left vacant by retirements and an ageing population and to fuel economic growth.

It is in that context that the Atlantic Economic Panel was initiated by Minister Sean Fraser in November 2025. Its goal was to identify the barriers holding our region back and develop bold, practical recommendations to improve productivity, attract investment and create long-term prosperity.

Importantly, while the federal government initiated the panel, it was led by seven Atlantic-Canadian business leaders and operated independently of the government in developing its analysis and recommendations. Its message is clear: We need to think bigger, work together and act as one economic region.

An absolutely critical part — some might even say, the most important — is attracting talent. The chapter called “Win the Competition for Talent” speaks directly to immigration. It sets out an ambitious vision for Atlantic Canada.

I would like to highlight three priorities put forward by the panel. First, we need a one-Atlantic workforce strategy and a made-in-Atlantic-Canada immigration agreement.

The panel recommends bringing all four provinces together on immigration, education, skills training, housing and workforce planning, and giving the region a greater role in attracting, selecting, welcoming and retaining the people we need.

This makes sense. Our labour markets are interconnected, our challenges are shared, and our opportunities are often too large for any one province to pursue alone.

We have already seen the value of a regional approach through the original Atlantic immigration pilot. Launched in 2017, the pilot brought together employers, the four provinces, the federal government and settlement organizations. It helped employers address labour shortages and supported newcomers in establishing their lives in Atlantic Canada.

The pilot became the permanent Atlantic Immigration Program in 2022, but I believe we should renew the ambition of the original pilot, building on what worked, addressing what could be improved and giving Atlantic Canada a stronger voice in shaping its immigration future.

The panel specifically recommends using the Atlantic Immigration Program as the main tool for recruiting international talent. We should act on that recommendation.

Second, we need clear objectives and we need to assess whether we’re achieving them. The expert panel has set ambitious goals for 2035: to maintain annual population growth of 1.8% through immigration, increased labour force participation and attracting Canadians from across the country.

First, we must retain at least 80% of newcomers to Atlantic Canada after five years. Today, we’re retaining just over 50%.

Second, we must achieve one of the highest labour force participation rates in Canada.

These objectives recognize that immigration isn’t just about the number of people who are arriving in Canada. It is about building a workforce and developing a population that is capable of supporting our communities and ensuring our economic future.

Third, we must connect attracting people with helping them succeed.

The panel’s recommendations extend well beyond immigration selection. It calls for international student enrollment to return to sustainable levels — approximately 20,000 university students and 5,000 college students for the region — aligned with the capacity and priorities of the institutions themselves.

It calls for better recognition and transferability of credentials, certifications and relevant work experience so that newcomers can contribute at the level of their skills. It calls for more future-ready skills through lifelong learning, apprenticeships and post-secondary education.

It recognizes that our workforce must be equipped for a changing economy, including by helping workers use digital tools and artificial intelligence with confidence. The goal is for Atlantic Canada to exceed the national average in AI adoption.

These recommendations are all interconnected. We cannot attract talent without offering opportunities. We cannot retain people without housing and essential services. We cannot build the workforce of the future without investing in education, training and the recognition of skills.

As a former mayor who saw unprecedented immigration to our community during my mandates, I know that welcoming newcomers is only the beginning. People stay when they can find meaningful work, secure a home, support their families and feel connected to their communities. This requires federal, provincial and municipal governments to work together, alongside employers, educational institutions and settlement organizations.

I have seen first-hand the extraordinary contributions newcomers have made to our community. I have seen how our hospitals and care facilities have been strengthened by their compassion and dedication, how local businesses have grown because of their skills and expertise, and how our community has become more vibrant, innovative and welcoming because of the new perspectives, cultures and ideas they bring.

Beyond the statistics and economic arguments, however, it is the people and their stories that stay with me.

It is the Nigerian mother who told me how she and her husband brought their three daughters to Moncton to escape the terrifying fear of being stabbed in their beds. Today, she is an accountant at a local firm that desperately needed qualified CPAs while her husband drives a city bus, filling another essential role that has been difficult to staff.

It is the two nurses from the Philippines who came here seeking safety from persecution. Both worked hard to have their professional credentials recognized, and today, they work long shifts caring for patients in our hospitals. They are giving back to the community that welcomed them while experiencing the pride and security of owning their first home.

It is the Korean and Brazilian RCMP officers who have completed their training and are now serving and protecting our community, helping to ensure those who keep us safe better reflect the diversity of the people they serve.

It is the Colombian and Venezuelan families whose warmth and generosity spill over into community-wide barbecues in Centennial Park, bringing neighbours together through food, music, laughter and friendship.

It is the Syrian teenager who arrived in Moncton speaking no French, attended École L’Odyssée, went on to earn an undergraduate degree at the Université de Moncton, and is now studying medicine. Just imagine the determination behind that journey, and the lives this young person will one day touch.

Yes, it is also the countless newcomers from around the world whose contributions may be less visible but are no less essential. They are the people who have helped keep our fish-processing plants operating, pruned our apple trees and helped homegrown businesses, like Mrs. Dunster’s Donuts, expand into new markets.

These aren’t just stories about immigration. They are stories of courage, resilience, hard work, a sense of belonging and the future of our community. These newcomers chose to make Moncton their home. In doing so, they’ve helped to make it a better place to live for all of us. Welcoming newcomers doesn’t diminish our community. On the contrary, newcomers enrich our community.

Honourable senators, the Atlantic Economic Panel has presented us with a clear set of objectives: a coordinated regional labour strategy, an immigration agreement developed in Atlantic Canada, sustainable pathways for international students, better skills recognition and a much greater focus on immigrant retention. We’ve already demonstrated, through the Atlantic immigration pilot, that an approach tailored to regional realities can work. Now is the time to build on this experience with renewed ambition, clear objectives and the partnerships needed to achieve them.

To build a city is to build a nation. When newcomers succeed in Moncton, in rural New Brunswick and in communities across Atlantic Canada, we strengthen our entire country.

Thank you. Wela’lioq.