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It once presented itself as one of the most hospitable countries in the world refugees and immigrants, Canada launches global online warning ad campaign asylum seekers that making a claim is difficult.
The C$250,000 ($178,662) ads will run through March in 11 languages, including Spanish, Urdu, Ukrainian, Hindi and Tamil. immigration the department told Reuters. They are part of a broader shift in tone by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's unpopular government on immigration and efforts to limit refugee claims.
Migrants have been blamed for high housing prices, though some experts say that's a simplistic explanation, and surveys show a growing number of Canadians believe the country is accepting too many newcomers.
The four-month campaign is slated to cost a third of the total spend on similar ads over the previous seven years.
Search queries such as “how to claim asylum in Canada” and “refugee Canada” will prompt sponsored content titled “Canada's Asylum System – Asylum Facts,” the ministry said.
“Seeking asylum in Canada is not easy. There are strict guidelines for qualifying. Find out what you need to know before you make a life-changing decision,” reads one ad.
Canada has long been perceived as a welcoming place for newcomers. Its leaders are now reducing immigration and trying to force temporary residents to leave and prevent people fleeing US President-elect Donald Trump from seeking asylum.
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“Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada works to combat the spread of misinformation and disinformation about Canada's immigration system and to highlight the risks of working with unauthorized representatives,” a department spokesperson wrote in an email.
It could be an uphill battle. Canada's refugee system faces a backlog of 260,000 cases amid growing global displacement. The government has little control over who seeks asylum.
His immigration minister hinted at fast-tracking claims deemed unlikely to succeed. The government hopes millions of people will leave the country on their own when their visas expire, and the immigration minister has threatened to deport them if they don't.
It is a dramatic turnaround for a government that for years laid out the welcome mat.
In January 2017, when Trump took office, Trudeau tweeted: “For those fleeing persecution, terror and war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada.”
On November 17, almost eight years later, Trudeau released a video promoting his government's immigration policy, calling out the “bad actors” who are “exploiting our immigration system for their own interests.”
Last month, the Liberal government, which is trailing in the polls, announced it was reducing permanent and temporary immigration. The population is projected to shrink slightly in two years.
Advertising campaigns to counter misinformation about how to apply for asylum could be helpful, said University of Ottawa law professor and immigration expert Jamie Chai Yun Liu.
“On the other hand, if they're saying 'You're not welcome' … that really seems to go against Canada's approach in the past,” she said. “They exchanged messages.”
