Canadian immigration minister addresses international conference

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has delivered a speech to the inaugural BORDERPOL Conference in London, promoting the importance of a balanced and secure Canadian immigration system.

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Jason Kenney delivering the keynote speech at the inaugural BORDERPOL conference.

The BORDERPOL Conference was hosted by the UK Border Force in London and was the first such meeting of immigration officials from around the world. Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenney delivered the keynote speech.

"When I became minister, I was acutely aware that Canada had a reputation - fairly or not - as an international 'soft touch' when it came to immigration and border security," said the minister.

"In recent years, we have worked very hard to change this impression. We have done so, in part, by introducing a good number of tough-but-fair initiatives to bolster the security of our immigration system."

Mr Kenney cited the changes he has made to Canadian visa and immigration policies in recent months including the introduction of biometric screening for visitors and cracking down on immigration fraud.

"The first responsibility of the state is to protect the safety and security of its citizens.

"By developing laws, policies, and practices that make our immigration system more secure, we believe we are helping to ensure continuing support for that system."

Recently appointed UK immigration minister, Mark Harper, also spoke at the event.

The Canadian Visa Bureau is an independent migration consultancy specialising in helping people make their application to the Canadian Embassy.