Short-Term Fixes, Long-Term Consequences: Rethinking Canada’s Immigration Strategy
January 26, 2026, 7–8:30 pm
UBC Robson Square Theatre | 800 Robson St, Vancouver, BC (map)
Canada’s immigration system has increasingly emphasized temporary residency, with permits rising from 190,000 in 2000 to 1.6 million in 2024. This growth has outpaced permanent immigration and sparked debate over its economic and social impacts. Temporary foreign workers now fill significant roles in sectors like agriculture and hospitality, influencing labour markets, housing and public services. Supporters highlight workforce needs and economic stability, while critics raise concerns about worker rights and long-term policy implications.
This debate explores whether Canada’s reliance on temporary international labour should be eliminated or rethought — and what the long-term consequences may be.
Debaters
Dr. Catherine Dauvergne, KC
Canada is creating a permanent “service class”
Former Dean of the Peter A. Allard School of Law at UBC, Catherine has been working in the areas of refugee, immigration and citizenship law for more than 25 years. She was named a Fellow of the Trudeau Foundation in 2012 and designated Queen’s Counsel in 2019. The author of three books on border law and co-author of five other volumes, much of Catherine’s work engages feminist critique of the law and the place of women in immigration, refugee and citizenship laws.
Stan Vander Waal
Temporary workers are an essential part of the economy
Stan is a second generation farmer growing up in livestock and field crops and is currently president and owner of Rainbow Greenhouses, a family farm in succession to the next generation that is based in Chilliwack and produces flowers. Stan is also BC Agriculture Council’s past president and sits on the boards of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council, among other industry boards and associations.
Don Wright
Canada is creating a permanent “service class”
Don is a former deputy minister to Premier John Horgan, cabinet secretary and head of the public service for the Government of British Columbia. Among his many non-government positions, Don was president and CEO of Central 1 Credit Union and president of BCIT. Now semi-retired, he is senior counsel for government relations and strategic communications at Global Public Affairs, a Fellow with the Public Policy Forum, and a Senior Fellow with the C.D. Howe Institute.
Dr. Robert Russo
Temporary workers are an essential part of the economy
Robert is a lecturer in the Master of Laws (Common Law) Graduate Program at the Peter A. Allard School of Law. His research interests in law extend to human rights, labour and justice issues and he served for almost a decade as a Federal Government representative at hearings across Canada to resolve individual claims related to federally-operated residential schools.
Host
Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon
President and Vice-Chancellor, UBC
Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon started a five-year term as the 17th President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of British Columbia in 2023. He holds a PhD in neuropsychology and his research in the field of cognitive neuroscience focuses on the links between brain activity and perception in the visual, auditory and vestibular systems, as well as on multisensory integration.
Sharing his own lived experience, he advocates nationally for open conversations about mental health and substance use. These efforts have been recognized with a Transformational Leader Inspiration Award from the Royal Ottawa Hospital, and the Honorary Presidency of the Canadian Psychological Association.
Moderator
Matthew Ramsey
Senior Director, News and University Affairs
Matthew is the Director of University Affairs at UBC Vancouver where he has worked in media relations for more than a decade. Prior to joining UBC, Matthew worked for 20 years in newsrooms across B.C. where he developed a deep and abiding respect for journalists who ask challenging questions about difficult topics.
Matthew firmly believes in the power of a spirited discussion to deepen understanding.
This event is made possible with support from:
What is UBC Debates?
Modelling civil discourse in a polarized world
UBC Debates seeks to bridge the gap between opposing views—creating a space where the community can engage serious topics with civility, respect and decency.
This signature event series was created to solve a problem: with so many communities stuck in echo chambers, there is no place to constructively address differences of opinion.
In response, civil discourse is a key function of UBC Debates; allowing us to bring together renowned experts to discuss disputed and timely topics in a polarized world.
