by Dale Sproule

In the five years since I launched Canadian Newcomer Magazine, many people have asked me why I was doing it.

I’m about as Canadian as you can get – most of my ancestors settled here before confederation and my sister is a member of the Alberta Metis Association – so “Why do I care about immigrants?”

The truth is I had a revelation in 2003. I realized that Immigration IS the future of Canada.

The data and the trends are there for everyone to see.

Immigrants now account for 100 percent of the labour force growth in Southern Ontario. Every summer, across the country, hundreds of thousands of work permits are issued to road and construction workers and farm labourers. More than 100,000 foreign students study here each year. In a 2008 press release, the Conservative Government estimated the actual yearly migration to Canada at well over 400,000.

Those statistics are not likely to drop with any change of government. They’re facts of life in this time of rapid (very fast) change.

As a Canadian, I feel that it is my responsibility – and the responsibility of all Canadians – to make sure that newcomers become a part of the fabric of this country as quickly and happily as possible. The sooner you get to know and love Canada, and the sooner you start contributing to the Canadian economy... the better the future is for me and my children – as well as you and yours.

That’s the entire purpose of this magazine – to make the future brighter for everyone by making your settlement process faster and easier – to help you understand the culture and learn about the resources and all the possibilities that this great country has to offer.

The CNMag staff is made up entirely of people who have immigrated to Canada and are at one stage or another of the settlement process. So they all understand what you’re going through. Thanks to all our contributors, partners and supporters, especially Citizenship and Immigration Canada, for helping us reach our fifth year of helping new immigrants in Ontario – and through our website at www.cnmag.ca – extend a hand to newcomers in other provinces and potential immigrants from around the world.

By working together, we can make sure that the Canada of the future remains the best country in the world.

Dale Sproule, Editor