Next 5 years could be bumpy for immigrants, lawyer says

Is Alberta premier Danielle Smith scapegoating immigrants to deflect from her government’s fiscal problems? Last week, Smith announced a raft of referendum questions will be put to Albertans this October, including several that call for more provincial control over economic immigration, limiting services to some, creating waits for temporary residents to access social programs and imposing fees or premiums for non-permanent residents to access health care and education. Some of the proposals could raise issues of fairness or legality or run up against federal-provincial jurisdiction problems, according to a Calgary immigration lawyer. Raj Sharma is a Calgary immigration lawyer.