Trudeau’s surprising immigration pivot: ‘integration is key’ after years of diversity first...

Why you shouldn't believe the former PM or his new stance on immigration.

I did a double take when I heard what Justin Trudeau said about immigration.

He actually said that integrating people into the host society is key. That’s the exact opposite of what he long said as an MP and the policy that his government practiced.

Remember, this is the guy who took issue not with honour killings, but with the Harper government calling them barbaric and saying so in a 2011 citizenship guide.

“Canada’s openness and generosity do not extend to barbaric cultural practices that tolerate spousal abuse, ‘honour killings,’ female genital mutilation, forced marriage or other gender-based violence,” the citizenship guide read.

In response to the guide, Trudeau told my old friend and colleague Daniel Proussalidis at Newstalk 1010 that he didn’t like the tone the Harper government used and was uncomfortable calling these practices barbaric.

“The use of a word as pejorative as barbaric has more of an opportunity to set someone’s hackles up,” Trudeau said.

Here’s the radio report from 15 years ago.

In the face of a firestorm of criticism, Trudeau walked back his words, and to be clear, he was always opposed to honour killings and the like.

He was just uncomfortable denouncing these practices.

So, now, Trudeau is in Finland over the weekend at the annual SuomiAreena debate forum and he was talking among other things about immigration and the need to integrate.