Poilievre accuses government of cooking books on immigration

OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has accused the government of concealing the truth about the number of immigrants entering Canada, despite the emphasis in the new immigration levels plan on individuals already residing in the country. At a news conference in Brampton, Ontario, Poilievre stated that the current administration is surpassing the Trudeau government's immigration targets by planning to grant permanent residency to 200,000 temporary residents this year, alongside the broader goal of accommodating 380,000 permanent residents.

The one-year initiative will select 100,000 individuals currently holding work visas but also applying for permanent residency, in collaboration with provincial and territorial governments. The remaining 100,000 applicants will be chosen from humanitarian permanent residency programs, and officials claim this will address the applications of approximately 50,000 former Hong Kong residents and Ukrainian nationals currently residing in Canada.

Poilievre also asserted that the Temporary Foreign Worker Program should not be accessible to regions with unemployment rates exceeding 5.5 percent. This report by The Canadian Press was initially published on November 6, 2026.