Immigrant and refugee persons face serious settlement challenges. Integrating into their new community is made exceedingly difficult due to their limited social and professional networks, the non-recognition of foreign experience and credentials, and the competitive nature of the Canadian labour market. Increasingly, newcomers are frustrated by being on the margins of Canadian society. The resources they bring to Canada (social, cultural, professional, financial and international networks) are being wasted on survival (meeting challenges such as housing, clothing and feeding themselves) rather than on their full participation and contribution to the development of Canada. The impact of the marginalization of people is well documented and includes: worsening health outcomes, isolation and loneliness, difficulty with French and English, child poverty, and low participation in the democratic life of Canada. We are not delivering on Canada’s promise for the future of our country.
This paper presents the Canadian CED Network’s policy proposals for meeting the social and economic needs of new Canadians, and immigrants and refugees in Canada.
