The Institute for Canadian Citizenship is proud to play a role in the ongoing project of welcoming new citizens, and encouraging them to participate. Canada has been an immigrant nation since well before Confederation in 1867.

The UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (“Global Compact for Migration”) is an initiative by UN member states to co-operate in addressing the circumstances that are forcing unprecedented numbers of people from different countries to leave their homes. It also seeks to find ways to reduce the terrible risks associated with these journeys, which have led to an estimated 60 000 deaths over the last 20 years. One key aim is to help receiving nations create conditions that will allow newcomers to succeed.

The Global Compact for Migration is neither a treaty nor a convention, and it is not legally binding. But that doesn’t make it any less important. Canada should be proud to be among the 150-plus signatory nations today in Morocco. We are already leaders in many immigration best practices and we might be able to help. In fact, the standards invoked in the UN compact are already largely in place in Canada, and we have everything to gain from this international consensus. Such a humanistic approach to solving the great crisis of our age is in keeping with Canadian values.