MP Bruce Hyer speaks on International Day for the Elimination of Discrimination

 OTTAWA – Bruce Hyer, MP spoke in support of a new Northwestern Ontario Immigration Portal, launched at the Italian Cultural Centre in Thunder Bay today after multicultural festivities and a community breakfast in recognition of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The interactive website is a result of a collaborative initiative by 31 Northwestern Ontario communities to attract immigrants and welcome newcomers to the region. The site provides a central location for Northwest Ontario immigration information, such as community services offered and advantages of living in the region, in as many as 11 languages.

“Our region has seen a slow but steady decline in population over the last number of years, in part because of out-migration of our young people.” said Hyer. “As a result of this and other factors, our population is getting older. Even now, we’re struggling to support an aging population. At the same time, the Northwest is facing shortages of skilled knowledge-based workers, such as health care personnel, mining technicians, and many other skilled professions. But right now, skilled immigrants coming to Canada are overlooking the Northwest. We’ve got to change that, and educate more local talent, or we may compound skills shortages and population decline in the future.”

Hyer highlighted the need to remain vigilant against discrimination. “Minorities across Canada all too often face racial discrimination, wherever they live.” he noted. “If we want to build that welcoming, prosperous Northwest society everyone wants to live in, we’ll have to work together to fight discrimination wherever we find it. There are more than just economic reasons – by embracing diversity and acceptance, we enrich our own society, just as past generations of immigrants have already done.”

“The Northwest faces unique challenges.” added Hyer. “We are barely 2% of the provincial population, spread over roughly 60% of the province. Because of the vast distances involved, we can’t rely as much
as other regions might on workers or services coming in from neighbouring regions to satisfy any skill shortages we might have. We have to attract the talent that will set up shop right here in the Northwest, whether they be skilled workers or entrepreneurs. The portal launch today is a step in the right direction.”

Hyer noted that the web portal was launched on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, designated by the United Nations to be commemorated on March 21 every year.

For more information: Andy Blair  613-996-4792

Northwest Ontario Immigration Portal:

www.immigrationnorthwesternontario.ca