Confidential research commissioned by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Privy Council has revealed strong resistance to offering citizenship to undocumented immigrants in Canada, with even legal immigrants opposing the idea. Blacklock's Reporter says the study, conducted by federal pollsters, found that many Canadians — especially those who followed legal immigration channels — are firmly against granting legal status to individuals who entered or stayed in the country without proper documentation.The April 24 Privy Council report, released Thursday, highlighted widespread familiarity with the term "undocumented," which many participants associated with individuals who had overstayed their visas after entering Canada on valid permits. The Department of Immigration estimates that up to half a million undocumented individuals may currently reside in the country.The government-commissioned focus groups explored public opinion on whether undocumented workers should be provided with a pathway to permanent residency and citizenship. "A wide range of opinions" was recorded, with some participants expressing flexibility for those whose visas had briefly lapsed. However, a large number firmly opposed the idea."A number of participants, particularly those who had immigrated legally, felt it would be unfair to offer citizenship to undocumented workers when others had spent many years navigating the official immigration process," said the report Continuous Qualitative Data Collection Of Canadians’ Views.The findings echoed a similar 2018 Department of Immigration study that also reported resistance to giving preferential treatment to illegal immigrants. One participant in that earlier study noted: "We pass all the requirements to come here, and they just walk in... I do not understand how people can just walk across the border."The report did not explain why the specific questions on citizenship were chosen, but it was part of a broader $814,741 contract with Toronto-based pollster The Strategic Counsel to gauge public opinion on various issues.
