"Immigration is necessary for Canada's growth. At the same time, we must be sensitive to the need to balance our demographic and economic needs with our capacity to settle and absorb immigrants."(1) Immigration has played a major part historically in the growth of Canada"s population. Between 1901 and 1911 alone, Canada received over 1.5 million immigrants, representing 28 percent of Canada"s total population at the time.(2) Recently, however, Canada"s immigration policies and practices have come under scrutiny and criticism, as increasingly larger numbers of people begin to question whether our current progressive immigration policy is beneficial in the long run for Canada and Canadians. Essentially, Canada has begun to question itself whether its current restrictions on immigration are sufficient. Although Canada"s current immigration policy does include many processes for screening out so-called "unwanted" immigrants, it should be argued that it is as of yet still not providing us with a reasonable system for ensuring that the influx of immigrants to Canada will not adversely affect the economic and social stability of the country. Although the current system does provide a good foundation for future immigration policies, and does incorporate many good ideas, it still needs to further strengthen many of its restrictions on immigration into the country. Immigration should be limited to those who possess the human capital necessary to adjust quickly and independently to the needs of Canadian society and the job market.

             Throughout its history Canada has maintained numerous immigration policies, many not surviving the life span of the government under which they were created. Yet these policies, although highly restrictive, were not in the best interest of the country, many established to protect the individual interests of the current government, or in an effort to maintain the government of the time"s essentially racist conception of Canada.