Former Chrétien-era cabinet minister Herb Dhaliwal says that anyone with a U.S. visa has already been vetted for security reasons and wouldn’t pose a threat to Canada.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
Canada could encourage more high-end tourism by allowing South Americans to use U.S. visas to enter the country, says a former Chrétien-era cabinet minister.
Herb Dhaliwal told The Globe and Mail Thursday that he made the proposal to the office of Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and the idea is under consideration. Mr. Dhaliwal held several cabinet posts under former prime minister Jean Chrétien, including natural resources, fisheries and revenue.
“There are 10 per cent of people in South America who are wealthy and well-connected. They go back and forth to Europe and the United States. They have got money but they don’t want to go through the hassle of getting another visa,” he said.
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Many of these people already have U.S. visas but they don’t want to travel to the United States because of the policies of President Donald Trump, he said.
Mr. Dhaliwal noted that anyone with a U.S. visa has already been vetted for security reasons, and they would not pose a threat to Canada.
“I think there would be lots of tourists because they want to come to Canada. This is a very easy solution to attract the upper crust from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru and other South American countries. It would also help us build a stronger relationship with South America,” he said.
Mr. Dhaliwal said he is among many Canadians who are boycotting travel to the United States even though his daughter and three grandchildren live in California.
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A successful B.C. business executive, Mr. Dhaliwal said the Canadian economy is in serious trouble because of the Trump tariffs and he applauded Prime Minister Mark Carney’s determination to get major infrastructure and energy projects under way.
Mr. Dhaliwal said he supports Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s proposal for a second oil pipeline through British Columbia.
The project is opposed by British Columbia Premier David Eby who said it would require an overturn of the ban on oil tankers off the West coast.
“Now with what happened with Trump we have to build pipelines to get our oil and gas to the rest of the world. We have no choice. Otherwise we will be in big trouble with our economy,” Mr. Dhaliwal said.