Are Newer Immigrants to Canada Healthier?

Kalen Smith | August 10, 2011 | 0 Comments

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A recent study suggests that long-time residents of Canada may not be as healthy as new immigrants. This study was conducted by the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Services. It compiled data from 1996-2007 on immigrants who came to Canada from different parts of the world. The research focused primarily on residents in Ontario. More than a quarter of a million people come to Canada every year. Immigrants have been coming to Canada for decades.

The findings suggested that people who have been living in the area for a long period of time were at higher risk of contracting cardiovascular diseases. Maria Chiu said these findings are nothing new. She argues that doctors have known for years that the health of their immigrant patients has deteriorated after they moved to Canada. What health experts did not know was how changes in patients’ health was affected by their ethnicity. This was a question that was specifically addressed in the study.

The Institute for Clinical Evaluative Services wants answers to the new question it faces. One mystery is why these factors are so heavily influenced by ethnicity. Chinese immigrants who had been living in Canada for many years were much more likely to contract cardiovascular diseases than Chinese immigrants who just arrived to the country. The effect was also noticed in other ethnic groups, although not as strongly in South Asians.

The study compared residents who had been living in Ontario for 15 years with those who had been moved to Canada within the past 15 years. The study involved over 160,000 participants. Of those subjects, about 150,000 were white. The remaining 9,000 subjects were evenly distributed between Chinese, South Asian and black subjects.

The study also concluded that individuals with other risk factors such as diabetes or obesity were more likely to experience a high likelihood of developing heart disease.

Researchers argued that new clinical practices continue to reduce the mortality rates of citizens who develop coronary diseases or diabetes. However, they are perplexed by the higher incidences of the diseases.

Although the study is concerning to many people, researchers hope to have some answers in the future. They believe that better understanding the correlation between the length of time someone lives in Canada and their likelihood of developing health problems will help them implement better health policies in the future. Vincent Bowman is the research director of the Heart and Stroke Foundation in Ontario. He is optimistic that answers will be found. He says: “Having a better understanding of how length of time living in Canada impacts cardiovascular risk factors will help us to develop tailored prevention strategies to ensure the long-term heart health of all Canadians.”

The study by the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Services sheds some more light on a mystery that has baffled Canadian physicians and epidemiologists for years. Now, they are also asking themselves why certain ethnic groups experience a more dramatic change in their health over time. Hopefully, additional studies will explain this phenomenon in more detail.

Making immigration work well

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A global poll by Ipsos shows Canadians are way ahead of their international counterparts when asked about their views on immigration, with almost twice the respondents agreeing it has had a good impact on their country. But even at that, only 40 per cent said immigration was good. And 56 per cent said they believe immigration is too much of a burden on social services. Canadians should get to know their neighbours a little better.

Chances are immigrants are living not far from most of us. At 20 per cent, the immigrant population is at a 75-year high in the country.

It is a fallacy, a misperception perhaps drawn from sensational crime headlines in cities and cultural tension in other western nations, that immigrants are a burden. Good research has underscored repeatedly the success story of immigration for Canada. University of Toronto immigration expert Jeffrey Reitz notes that, statistically, newcomers use fewer social services than other Canadians.

With a declining birth rate over the decades, Canada's population would have slipped without immigration and the economy would have suffered. Since the mid-1990s, immigration has become the primary driver of population growth. Since 1998, Manitoba's homegrown provincial nominee program has staunched a worrisome net out-migration. More than 10,000 immigrants funnel into the province each year now.

While much of Canada sees immigrants leaving for Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal, Manitoba's program retains 80 per cent and more of its nominees, who are selected for their ability to adjust to local labour-market demands, connections to the community and employability. A 2008 survey of 100 of the program's immigrants revealed that 85 per cent find work almost as soon as they hit the ground, rising to 88 per cent after three to five years.

Manitoba immigrants "make it" here, integrating in the community, improving their family incomes. While the average income of about $50,000 was $10,000 lower than the Manitoba average, fewer immigrants lived on less than $30,000. In fact, the picture of the survey conducted for the Manitoba government showed that the lower average income did not hold the nominee immigrants back from getting ahead and putting down roots in the community: Some 76 per cent owned their own homes and 73 per cent said they had no difficulties meeting monthly expenses.

Immigrants tend to earn less than native-born Canadians with similar education levels, but that difference disappears with successive generations. This reflects the age-old immigrant story in this country. Manitoba's particular success -- immigrants here are employed at higher rates than in Canada generally -- is derived from a keen understanding of what the economy needs and the tailoring of settlement programs to ensure that language and skill training supports the determination of newcomers.

The fact that those selected to land in Manitoba are not heading to Canada's mega-metropolises shows this province has made the wise decision to pursue higher immigration levels, which has been very good to Manitoba. Investing in people pays off.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition August 10, 2011 A10

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Transatlantic poll shows Canadians have much to learn about immigration

By DOUGLAS TODD 8 AUG 2011 COMMENTS(9) THE SEARCH

 

Filed under: Canada, Muslims, immigrants, Europeans, Anders Breivik

Canada is one of the few developed countries where immigration is not one of the hot elements on the political stove.

Even though Canada has among the highest proportion of immigrants of any country, a recent cross-Atlantic opinion poll of eight countries found Canadians are most satisfied with how they're integrating immigrants.

However, the sweeping poll of most of the biggest countries in Europe and North America may stimulate a more sophisticated discussion of immigration among Canadians, who admit they tend not to closely follow the issue.

Many Canadians feel self-satisfied about their tolerant approach to immigrants compared to Europeans and Americans, who have experienced the rise of hard-right groups opposing the arrival of Muslims, Hispanics and others.

Last month's sickening slaughter of 77 Norwegians, most of them teenagers, by anti-immigration crusader Anders Breivik only serves to heighten the feeling that Canadians are relatively at peace with their country having the world's highest immigration rate per capita.

But the poll by Transatlantic Trends suggests Canadians may have surprising things to learn from Europeans and Americans, who tend to be bolder about discussing the pros and cons of immigration.

For starters, the respected polling organization reveals that Canadians don't really follow immigration news, not as much as people in the Netherlands, United States, Germany or Italy.

Indeed, even though Canadians are the least inclined to disapprove of how their politicians are handling immigration, only 44 per cent of Canadians say they follow immigration issues closely, compared to 62 per cent of Americans and 69 per cent of the Europeans surveyed.

This lack of awareness could be a result of immigration virtually never rising as an election issue in Canada, since the major parties all support robust immigration levels and are worried about losing immigrants' votes.

One of the many issues Canadians are ignorant about is the country's immigration levels.

For instance, the average Canadian believes 39 per cent of the population is made up of immigrants.

The real Canadian figure is 20 per cent. That compares to 14 per cent in the U.S., 13 per cent in France, 11 per cent in Britain and the Netherlands and eight per cent in France.

Politically speaking, in addition, Canadians may be surprised to learn that worry about immigration is by no means confined to right-wing Europeans.

Even though right-wing Dutch are the most likely to oppose immigration policies, in Germany and France the strongest opposition comes from leftwing voters, according to Transatlantic Trends, which surveyed 1,000 people in each of the eight countries.

The Transatlantic poll also challenges the widespread misconception in Canada that Europeans are mostly worried about newcomers who are Muslim.

In fact, the Dutch, Italians and the French are no more likely to be skeptical about integrating Muslims than any other foreigner.

The poll reveals it is Canadians, Americans and Spaniards who are most inclined to think that Muslim immigrants are doing worse than other fresh arrivals at mixing into society.

The international poll also counters the comfortable belief held by many Canadians that Europeans don't want to bring in more immigrants because they are less generous of heart.

But the survey reveals that Germans, Dutch, Spaniards, Italians and French are actually more ready than Canadians to say that "all immigrants, both legal and illegal, should have access to state-sponsored health care."

It's not as if Canadians aren't trying to count the costs of immigration, either. A majority of people in every country surveyed, including Canada, believe that immigrants benefit more from health and welfare services than they contribute in taxes.

With the global economy appearing to head into another downturn, there may be reason for Canadians to heed the Transatlantic poll's warning that attitudes toward newcomers tend to harden whenever individuals find their personal finances suffering.

 

Brazil: Canada’s new preferred partner

Image by World Economic Forum via FlickrCanadians’ knowledge of Brazil may be as scant as the country’s famed micro-thong swimwear. But somehow the South American economic giant has edged out traditional favourites such as Mexico and Argentina as Canada’s new preferred partner in the hemisphere. What accounts for Brazil’s ascendancy?

Does the country’s sensual exuberance and globe-strutting confidence act as a release valve for all that northern restraint? Is Brazil Canada’s alter ego?

“There is a good vibe about Brazil, but what exactly appeals to Canadians – we cannot put our finger on,” says Carlo Dade, executive director of the Canadian Foundation for the Americas (FOCAL).

FOCAL just released a study that found more than 61 per cent of Canadians have a favourable opinion of Brazil, compared to 39 per cent for Mexico, 41 per cent for Panama and 57 per cent for Argentina. Only the U.S. is seen in a more positive light, according to the 2011 poll, conducted with the Association for Canadian Studies. The survey shows Brazil scores even higher among Canadian men than women. Brazil’s overall favourable rating increased 20 per cent in the last four years, while Mexico’s favourable rating fell.

Of course, it helps to have one of the most popular politicians in the world, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the charismatic, bearded former president, as your global ambassador. It also helps that Rio de Janeiro is 8,249 km from Ottawa. Canada actually has fewer immigration, trade and tourism links with the country than with many others in the hemisphere. And this ignorance works in Brazil’s favour. The country’s brand is unsullied by images of migrants trying to flee to el norte, or cartel kingpins dumping headless corpses.

Few Cariocas, as residents of Rio are known, claim asylum in Canada on the grounds of persecution due to sexual orientation. There are no jihadis from Salvador or Sao Paulo. And while Rio’s favelas (slums) undoubtedly produce plenty of scary thugs (Brazil’s homicide rate is higher than Mexico’s), the crime problem doesn’t have the same resonance in Canada as Mexico’s drug wars. Nor does the media publish as many negative stories about Brazil, the study found.

That helps to keeps the image clean. When Canadians stop to consider Brazil, it’s all pristine white sand beaches, Carnival, soccer legend Ronaldinho, supermodels like Gisele Bundchen, and music: Joao Gilberto; Caetano Veloso; Milton Nascimento; Xuxa; and indie rock sensation Cansei de Ser Sexy (CSS).

Of course, for those who dig deeper, there is more to admire than just beaches and gorgeous, buff men and women.

In the past decade, the country has made strides in reducing poverty, racial discrimination and inequality, with 30 million people joining the middle class in the past five to six years. Brazil is a manufacturing giant, a BRIC country that will host the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics. “This is the new Brazil. They’re socially innovative and creative, and they’re feeling confident these days,” notes Ted Hewitt, a University of Western Ontario professor, and leading Canadian authority on Brazil. “Canadians don’t realize it, but Brazil is everywhere: they own Labatt’s, make our planes, produce the nickel for our coins and the cement for our driveways.”

Even Brazil’s gritty side seems, somehow, hopeful: favela tours as a model of sustainable tourism; police pacification units “taking back” slums and re-establishing order.

Of course, the country still faces many challenges. It has one of the highest homicide rates in the Americas, and high inflation. It needs to invest more in education, and root out corruption in public institutions. President Dilma Rousseff must manage the country’s explosive growth in a sustainable and equitable way. But this, like everything else about Brazil, is a good problem to have.

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Provincial borders still barriers to doctors

Health-care professionals are still having difficulty moving across borders within Canada despite provincial governments' efforts to reduce barriers to labour mobility.

Provincial governments agreed in December 2008 to a deal that was supposed to make it easier for professionals to transfer their licences between provinces.

But some doctors say the colleges who are responsible for approving licences aren't respecting the provincial agreement. "This is something that was agreed amongst the politicians but it was not agreed amongst the physicians," said Dr. Rubens Barbosa, a Brazilian-trained anaesthesiologist working in Edmundston, N.B., who recently had an application to transfer his licence to Ontario rejected.

The responsibility for who does and doesn't become licensed is left up to bodies that are run by physicians in each province.

The problem is that these colleges "are reluctant to accept a law that was proposed by the politicians and they're doing whatever they can to prevent this from happening," said Barbosa.

Provincial governments were hoping the changes would help fill in holes in the skilled workforce. Many provinces — including Ontario, Saskatchewan and Manitoba — are currently facing a shortage of doctors as many residents are unable to find a family physician.

About four million Canadians, or about 12 per cent of the population, don't have a family doctor, a 2009 poll conducted for the College of Family Physicians of Canada suggested.

A spokeswoman for the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons, the organization that rejected Barbosa's application, denied the charge that it doesn't respect the mobility law.

"The CPSO respects labour mobility," Kathryn Clarke wrote in an email.

But the body that represents colleges across the country said they are aware that those working to transfer special licences across provincial boundaries are still facing challenges.

Differing standards

The issue is that restrictions on special licences, which can include requiring the holders to be supervised by more experienced physicians and only allowing them to operate if the province has a shortage of the physicians' specialty, are not equivalent across provinces.

"We are working on how we could facilitate for them a mobility from one jurisdiction to another taking into account the fact that they don't have a full licensure," said Dr. Yves Robert, the president of the Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada.

Robert said he expected a new agreement that would bring in a common set of standards for specially licensed physicians between provinces would be approved within a year.

The majority of physicians who practise with special licences in Canada are internationally trained, said Dr. William Lowe, a past president of the MRAC.

They usually use these as a stepping stone to becoming fully accredited and eventually helping to address the country's doctor shortages.

Barbosa said he has consulted with the Canadian Medical Protective Association, an organization that provides doctors with legal advice, and it is currently looking into the issue on his behalf.

Luce Lavoie, the director of communications for CMPA, did not confirm or deny that was the case. She also declined to comment on the overall issue of labour mobility for doctors because the organization has yet to issue a policy position on it.

Few approvals despite law

Numbers maintained by the colleges suggest the changes to the Agreement on Internal Trade, which was updated in April 2009 with the new labour mobility provisions, have done little to change the number of physicians moving from one province to another.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia has granted licences to about 250 applicants since April 2009, six of those under the labour mobility provisions.

"The numbers have not changed dramatically at all," said Bruce Thorne, manager of policy and communications for the college, referring to the approvals they've given since the new provisions were introduced.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta has approved five applicants under the new labour mobility provisions out of a total of about a thousand approved in 2009 and 2010, said spokeswoman Kelly Eby.

They have another 22 who are currently in the application process.

The Ontario college rejected 26 applicants who had applied under the labour mobility provisions between January 2010 and April 2011, said Clarke. Most of these people had restricted licences.

Many other licensing bodies don't maintain numbers showing how many applicants who applied under the labour mobility provisions have been approved or rejected.

Barbosa had applied under the inter-provincial mobility rules the provinces had promised would bring an end to the restrictions for physicians.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario rejected his application in December 2010.

Colleges are only required to accept an application under the labour mobility provisions if they have a similar category in their licensing process.

The Ontario college did not grant Barbosa a licence because they said there was no equivalent category in Ontario, a copy of the decision reached by the province's Health Professionals Appeals and Review Board reads.

But Barbosa disputed that claim, saying he already had a full licence he has been operating under for five years.

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Ouch! U.S. booted from Triple-A debt club

Source: CNN money
By Annalyn Censky @CNNMoney August 6, 2011: 2:52 PM ET

These 15 countries (and the Isle of Man) have the world's highest credit rating, AAA from both Moody's and Standard & Poor's. The U.S. lost that high standing Friday, when S&P downgraded it to a AA+ rating.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The Triple-A debt club just got even more exclusive: Late Friday, the United States was booted out of a prestigious group of countries that boast a spotless credit rating.

Now only 15 countries (and the very small Isle of Man) hold the triple-A rating from both Standard & Poor's and Moody's.

Canada, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland are among those with the undisputed stamp of approval -- so is Isle of Man, a British crown dependency off the United Kingdom's west coast, and Singapore (both of which are too small to see on our CNNMoney map above.)

The triple-A rating enables nations to borrow funds at a low cost, because their governments are considered stable and their bonds safe.

S&P downgrades U.S. credit rating

The United States for example, has seen its dollar become the world's No. 1 reserve currency because its bonds are held in such high regard by investors. They're backed by the "full faith and credit of the U.S. government" -- which until now, has never seriously been called into question.

On Friday, S&P downgraded the United States to AA+, an investment grade level just one notch below triple-A. It marked the first time the world's largest economy has been downgraded, since Moody's first gave the country a credit rating in 1917.

S&P cited estimates that U.S. government debt would balloon to 79% of the size of the entire U.S. economy by 2015, and 85% by 2021 -- a level S&P says is consistent with AA+ rated countries.

In comparison, estimates from the International Monetary Fund show triple-A rated Canada's debt is likely to only rise to 34% of its economy by 2015, and Germany's is forecast to rise to 52%. (The IMF does not publish forecasts out to 2021).

Your money in a AA-rated U.S.

The debt of Belgium, another AA+ rated country on S&P's list, is expected to grow to 85% of GDP by 2015, according to the IMF.

Abu Dhabi, with a AA rating, is just a step below AA+. Also in that group are Bermuda, Chile, Qatar, Slovenia and Spain.

Meanwhile, China -- the world's second largest economy -- is rated two notches below the United States, at AA-.

Greece -- the lowest rated country in the world -- is forecast to see its debt well exceed the size of its economy, at 149% the size of its GDP in 2015. 

First Published: August 6, 2011: 11:47 AM ET

Canada keeps AAA credit rating

Image via Wikipedia

BY ERIC LAM, POSTMEDIA NEWS JULY 28, 2011

As the debt spectacle continues in Washington, Moody’s Investor Service renewed Canada’s AAA credit rating on Thursday.

While all eyes are on the United States as it tries to hammer out a deal to raise its borrowing limit by Aug. 2, avoid a debt default and a possible debt downgrade, Canada sailed through its annual credit checkup with flying colours.

Moody’s said the country’s high resiliency, government financial strength and low susceptibility to risk were key to the top marks.

Here’s a breakdown of the reasons why Moody’s says Canada deserves the highest possible credit rating:

Economic strength: Very high.

Canada missed the worst of the financial crisis because of the financial strength of its banks and only a mild downturn in the housing market.

The country had a stronger rebound from the recession, with a 3.2-per-cent rise in gross domestic product, compared with 2.9 per cent south of the border. Moody’s said monetary policy and Ottawa’s stimulus program helped the recovery.

There are important differences between the Canadian and U.S. economies that affected Moody’s evaluation of Canada’s strength, including the fact that trade in goods and services makes up more than half of Canada’s GDP, compared with less than one- third in the U.S. This points to a greater degree of openness in the economy, it said.

Canada also has lower federal debt and a stronger banking system and housing market, as well as a higher domestic saving rate, resulting in less reliance on external financial markets.

Institutional strength: Very high.

Fiscal discipline at the Bank of Canada, inflation control, government effectiveness and rule of law all rank highly.

Economic and fiscal policies have remained stable for the past 15 years under Liberal and Conservative governments. Some tax differences exist, but the overall goal of fiscal balance and declining debt has been a constant.

While the proportion of total government debt credited to provincial, territorial and local governments is the highest among major countries, and Moody’s judges the risk of the federal government having to step in to assist these governments with their debt payments as high, it said local ratings indicate little risk that such assistance would actually be needed.

Government financial strength: Very high.

This evaluation is based on a well-established pattern of budget surpluses at the federal level, except during exceptional circumstances such as the financial crisis, leading to declining government debt and debt ratios since the 1990s.

Susceptibility to event risk: Low.

The most important risks are related to the housing market and to separatism in Quebec, although the probability of either affecting Canada’s rating is quite low.

© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

Read more:http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Canada+keeps+credit+rating/5175904/story.html#ixzz1UIAx3oiE

Moody’s maintains Canada Aaa credit rating

Moody’s Investor Services is renewing Canada’s triple-A debt rating, the highest possible.

In its annual report on Canada's sovereign ratings, the firm said the Aaa rating was warranted due to the country’s high degree of economic resiliency, efforts by Ottawa and the provinces to deal with their debt ratios over the coming years and other factors.

The economy’s very high degree of resiliency is demonstrated by a high per capita income, the large scale of the economy, and its diversity, says the Moody’s report. Natural resource industries, a competitive manufacturing sector, and a well-developed and well-regulated financial market also support the country’s resiliency.

While Canada’s public finances deteriorated as a result of the global financial crisis, the federal government and the provinces are now on a track of fiscal consolidation that will improve general government debt ratios over the next few years, according to Moody’s.

Although general government debt, including the debt of the provinces and municipalities, is similar to that of other large Aaa-rated countries, the federal government’s debt position by itself is relatively low. As the provinces are highly rated, Moody’s considers the contingent liability from this source to be low, despite the relatively large size of provincial debt.

Canada’s current account balance returned to surplus in 1999 and remained there until 2008, bringing down the reliance on foreign capital inflows. This has risen somewhat in the past two years but is still not considered a risk to financial stability. Canada’s susceptibility to event risk is low and is related to the housing market and to Quebec’s sovereignty issue.

S&P affirms Canada rating, lauds fiscal discipline

Reuters) - Ratings agency Standard and Poor's affirmed Canada's AAA rating on Friday and lauded the country's strong finances compared with its Group of Seven peers.

The review stood in sharp contrast to growing pressure on the ratings of many Western countries, highlighted by this week's downgrade to Greece's sovereign debt by Moody's Investors Service. [ID:nLDE63L28G]

Standard & Poor's affirmed Canada's AAA long-term and A-1+ short-term sovereign credit ratings with a stable outlook.

"Canada has what we view as strong public finances, a relatively diversified economy, stable public policy, and a sound financial sector," the agency said in a statement.

"The stable outlook reflects our opinion that Canada has the political capacity and will to respond quickly to changing conditions, and the strongest fiscal position of the five 'AAA' rated G7 sovereigns."

The other G7 nations with AAA ratings are the United States, France, Germany and Britain.

S&P cut the outlook on Britain's AAA rating to "negative" on May 21, 2009, a move that typically carries a one in three chance of a downgrade. [ID:nLL292085]

Some analysts have speculated the top-tier credit rating of the United States could be cut one day, an idea rejected by U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. [ID:nN16225360] [ID:nN18366282].

Canada's Conservative government, in presenting its annual budget last month, pledged to turn off the stimulus tap and curtail spending sharply after the economy recovers. [ID:nCFB000108]

"We expect the prevailing consensus on the need for robust public finances, across Canadian regions and political parties, to avoid a return to recurring, structural deficits, in the medium term," S&P said.

The agency also said Canada's financial system is well-developed and sound. The nation's banks did not require government bailouts during the economic crisis and have been ranked as the world's soundest by the World Economic Forum. (Reporting by Jeffrey Hodgson; editing by Rob Wilson)

CIC: COME TO CANADA WIZARD WORKING ITS MAGIC

Prospective immigrants and visitors to Canada now have a new interactive web tool at their fingertips to help them determine if they are eligible to come to Canada. Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced today the launch of the Come to Canada Wizard.

“We understand that our application processes can be complex, but this new tool is a major service improvement,” said Minister Kenney. “The Wizard will make it easier for potential immigrants and visitors to navigate the application process.”

“The Wizard should also reduce applicants’ reliance on immigration consultants and hopefully will make the Department more efficient by decreasing calls to our Call Centre,” Minister Kenney added.

The Wizard simplifies the application process by matching applicants with the federal immigration option that best suits their specific circumstances. The Wizard does this by asking applicants a series of questions and, based on the answers, it provides the best options for them.

The Wizard leads applicants to a results page that breaks down the application steps and provides instructions and forms.

To view the Wizard, go to www.cic.gc.ca/cometocanada.

39% of Canadians see immigration as positive, poll finds

POSTMEDIA NEWS AUGUST 5, 2011

Nearly half the respondents to a groundbreaking global poll believe immigration has had a negative impact on their countries, according to results released Thursday by Ipsos.

And while Canadians have a relatively upbeat attitude on immigration, only a minority of Canadians polled - 39 per cent - viewed its impact as positive.

Forty-five per cent of the 17,601 respondents to the 23-country survey believe "immigration has generally had a negative impact on their country." Only 21 per cent believe immigration has had a positive effect. The rest - 29 per cent - are on the fence.

Thirty-five per cent of Canadians viewed immigration's effects as negative, while 26 per cent were either neutral or did not know.

Countries with the strongest negative opinions were Belgium (72 per cent) followed by South Africa (70 per cent), Russia (69 per cent), Great Britain (64 per cent) and Turkey (57 per cent).

Education made a big difference in respondents' attitudes. Educated Canadians topped the list of people most likely to view immigration positively. Sixty per cent of Canadians with higher levels of education believed its impact on their country was positive, "followed by their highly-educated counterparts in Australia (51 per cent), Saudi Arabia (47 per cent), Brazil (43 per cent), India (43 per cent), Sweden (39 per cent) and the United States (32 per cent)."

The results come at a time when many people seem to believe immigration rates are rising. Some 80 per cent of those surveyed believe that immigration has increased in their respective countries in the past five years.

Ipsos senior vice-president John Wright said he wasn't surprised by the results, given the social end economic tur-moil that has embroiled many of the countries surveyed.

Italy, for example, has dealt with a flood of migrants fleeing strife in Tunisia. Millions of migrants have headed to South Africa from neighbouring African states.

Wright said the survey was a "quick snapshot to find out where the world is" and Ipsos is providing details to academic institutions for study.

Most countries surveyed had more than 1,000 respondents. In those countries, the margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

Read more:http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Canadians+immigration+positive+poll+finds/5208948/story.html#ixzz1UCaIKztM

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