Ont .,: Opinion Polls and Welfare State

ont .,: I can understand why immigrants would want to bring the rest of their extended family here, including older ones who will benefit from our health-care system, Bernier said in the prepared text for his speech Wednesday evening, according to National Observer. But we cannot be the welfare state of the planet. With his People's Party of Canada barely touching two per cent in opinion polls, the Quebec MP chose to hit one of his key themes at an event in Mississauga, Ont., a western suburb of Toronto. He pledged to reduce the number of immigrants admitted to Canada each year to 100,000 or 150,000 at most, if the economy and other circumstances allow that many. Bernier said Canada must look after its own citizens first, and focus on newcomers who bring economic value to the country. Canada currently admits about 350,000 immigrants. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.