Landeaux, are you missing something?  No you are not.  Said another away, several generations ago a person could make a living, support a family without speaking English or without an education because they had a strong back.  As well they were responsible for their own health care, housing, and educating their children did not cost much.   As well Canada was a developing nation with untapped rural and natural resources.   That world no longer exists and Ibbitson's statements do not reflect the financial burden on the country today.  Ibbitson is implying the Country will grow economically as it did in the early part of the last century with immigration.   But that is false.