Perched on a leather armchair, speaking directly to viewers, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently explained his government’s new plan to reduce immigration by roughly 20 per cent. In two videos — one in English and one in French — he outlined the broad strokes of Canadian immigration policy.

The videos are undoubtedly damage control. Trudeau faces decreasing public support for his government’s immigration policy, calls to resign as party leader, and a federal election that the Liberals are on track to lose.

Since the early 2000s, the Canadian public maintained a largely positive view on immigration. However, public opinion has recently shifted. Even though Canadians’ primary concerns remain the economy, housing and health care, when asked about immigration, a clear majority now say there is too much immigration. The exact cause of this shift remains unclear, but as demonstrated by Europe and the United States, we face potentially serious societal consequences.

As educators focused on immigration, we find Trudeau’s clear communication in the videos impressive. Immigration policy can be complex to communicate, and public attitudes are often based on inaccurate perceptions. Yet, parts of his message shift blame in troubling ways. By attempting to control the narrative with a simple story, Trudeau paints an incomplete picture and perpetuates misleading narratives about Canada’s immigrant selection, higher education and asylum systems.

In 2022 and 2023, Canada saw the highest annual population growth rates since 1957. While migration has consistently driven Canada’s population growth since 1999, the growth........

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