Donald Trump has launched a new international reality show that demands Canada’s participation. Call it America’s Got Talent to Burn. That’s one of the potential results of the U.S. president’s move to restrict immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries.
The closed immigration door south of the border could open a window of opportunity in this country at a time when victories in the global race for talent will determine winners in 21st-century economies.
Tech leaders in Canada have already appealed to Ottawa to open that window wide so that immigrants the United States rejects might find opportunities in this country.
Caution is needed, however. The talent welcome mat should be laid out for those with the highest prospects for succeeding here and the skills Canada’s economy needs most. There’s no long-term value in lowering security or other standards to import more problems than potential.
But there’s also no denying that Canada is hungry for top talent, especially in technology, science and executive leadership, to diversify its economy and wean it from reliance on energy and resource extraction.
Canada has many attractions for emerging business sectors in the new world economy. As noted in a recent announcement outlining a global banking group’s plan to team up with Montreal’s Northern Investment Partners Inc. to cultivate the development of data centres in Canada, those attractions include Canada’s low energy costs, stable socio-
political environment and data protection and privacy laws.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, far less schooled than Trump in the reality-TV approach of browbeating contestants into submission, needs to elevate his international sales game.
The one-way street down Make America Great Again Avenue will lead to a lot of dead ends for Canada’s most important trading partner and leading competitor.
Disruptive times generate great opportunities. An astute Canada can seize those opportunities now; a passive and complacent True North Strong and Free will miss the chance of a generation.
