Let’s welcome DECA immigrants

Canada has a huge population aging issue. Between 1982 and 2012, our median age rose 10.2 years, from 30 years to just over 40 years, a 33 per cent increase.

Eastern Canada leads, with median ages in 2012 in Newfoundland of 44.2 years, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick at 43.4 years, Prince Edward Island at 42.6 years and Quebec at 41.5 years.

Excluding immigration, 2016 figures show Canada’s birth rate is 1.6, far below the 2.1 needed to replace its population. The fastest overall growth percentage was people over 65.

Canada needs well-educated, official language speaking immigrants. Fortunately, there are 600,000 to 800,000 of such people on our doorstep. The U.S.A., under President Donald Trump, intends to deport tens of thousands of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, who are young adults, back to Mexico and Central America. These are young people who were brought to the U.S. illegally when they were small children, but who grew up and were educated in the U.S.

Many have university degrees in engineering, IT, medicine and science — all knowledge we need. Because of their parents’ undocumented status, most of these young people now live in fear of possible deportation. Less than one per cent have ever had a brush with the law.

While we can’t absorb them all, we can certainly accept thousands of the best and brightest each year.

We could offer a temporary support program, similar to the Syrian refugee program, but without language training or skills upgrading.

Through newspaper ads, Canada could invite qualified people to visit our consulates in the U.S. and Mexico and apply to immigrate: “Canada needs and wants you.” Tom Eason, Calgary