An issue that can't be ignored: Immigration pushed to the forefront of Burnaby South byelection

This story is part of a series called Battleground Burnaby, examining the federal issues at play through a Burnaby-based perspective. It airs on CBC Radio One's The Early Edition Feb. 11 - 15 and is produced by Jason D'Souza.

Immigration has always been a contentious issue in politics and so it is with the upcoming byelection in Burnaby South.

The death of 13-year-old Marissa Shen, whose body was found in Burnaby's Central Park in 2017, pushed immigration issues to the fore after Syrian refugee Ibrahim Ali was charged in October with first degree murder in her death.  

Ali arrived in Canada just months before Shen was killed in what police have described as a random act.

"We were very concerned that it could have a backlash," said Ninu Kang, director of communications and development with the immigrant settlement organization, Mosaic.

"We could lose some public support for newcomers and refugees coming into this country."

Views from the community

The non-profit organization, located right on the Vancouver-Burnaby border, has focused on supporting the family and dissuading misinformation about the tragedy.

But Shen's murder had a significant impact on the community and continues to reverberate.

Wei Qiao Zhang, who lived in Burnaby South for many years, emphasized the significance of the conversations he's been hearing about immigration ahead of this month's byelection.

"[Many of the voters] are immigrants to this country. They want to have a safe and bright future for their kids, and they have high expectations about safety in Canada," he said.

Of course, Zhang said, not all immigrants hold the same view. But if any riding should be trying to tackle an issue like immigration, it's Burnaby South.

"Burnaby South is a very important place to have a discussion about immigration policies — it has all the challenges you could face in a diverse society," Zhang said.

Party lines

With the byelection on Feb. 25, candidates are taking a stance on immigration and community perceptions of safety, from some candidates emphasizing their immigrant roots to others calling for a reduction in to the number of immigrants coming to Canada. 

Party positions are important but, according to an immigration lawyer, changes to policy haven't matched the passion that the topic evokes.

"A lot of those are really big buzz words: immigration, border security, safety. Those are words that resonate with people and they're easy to say," said Erica Olmstead.

"Every party will often have a similar stance on those issues. Everyone wants to keep everyone safe."

She says any policy change is likely to be a lot less drastic than suggested by the rhetoric and some of the campaign promises.