It is because of the future that I have come to China as Canada's Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. The new century holds enormous promise for both of our nations. With its economic modernization and the largest pool of human resources on earth, China has become a major player in the world economy. Canada, in turn, has expertise and resources that are of advantage to this and other countries. In order to remain competitive, Canada must maintain a highly skilled workforce to capitalize on the global opportunities of the knowledge-based economy of the future.
China is already our top source country of highly skilled immigrants.
Chinese immigrants to Canada are contributing to our growth and prosperity, and to the many close ties between our two countries. Recently, however, China and Canada both have also had to confront a vexing international problem, which threatens to disrupt the free flow of skills and expertise among nations. Here I refer to the growing international problem of criminally organized smuggling, trafficking and forced labour of human beings. Neither Canada nor China can afford to tolerate these criminal practices. They place countless lives in danger, and undermine public confidence in both our immigration and refugee programs, and in the many close ties that our countries enjoy.