Two-thirds of Canada's rapid population increase over the past five years came from immigration - a force that in coming decades will account for almost all of the country's growth, according to census figures released Tuesday.Unlike the United States, where an influx of legal and illegal immigrants has fueled heated debate, there is little public discussion in Canada on the issue.
The data released by Statistics Canada show the country's population grew 5.4 percent, the highest rate among the Group of Eight industrial nations.
Among the G-8 countries, only the United States, at 5.0 percent, approached Canada's growth. France and Italy grew 3.1 percent and Britain 1.9 percent, while growth for Japan and Germany was near zero and Russia's population shrank 2.4 percent.
With births slowing, Canada is reaching a unique situation, said Laurent Martel, a Statistics Canada analyst. ``We're heading towards a point where immigration will be the only source of growth in Canada,'' he said.
Read More
