Disappointed Americans swarm Canada's immigration Web site

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From combined dispatches

OTTAWA -- The number of U.S. citizens visiting Canada's main immigration Web site has shot up sixfold as Americans flirt with the idea of abandoning their homeland after President Bush's re-election last week.

"When we looked at the first day after the election, Nov. 3, our Web site hit a new high, almost double the previous record high," Immigration Ministry spokeswoman Maria Iadinardi said Friday, Reuters news agency reported.

On an average day, about 20,000 people in the United States log on to the Web site, www.cic.gc.ca -- a figure that rocketed to 115,016 on Wednesday. The number of U.S. visits settled down to 65,803 on Thursday, still well above the norm.

Mr. Bush's victory sparked speculation that disconsolate Democrats and others might decide to start a new life in Canada.

Would-be immigrants to Canada can apply to become permanent residents, a process that often takes a year. The other main way to move north on a long-term basis is to find a job, which requires a work permit.

But please, no sob stories.

Asked whether an applicant would be looked upon more sympathetically being a sad Democrat seeking to escape four more years of Mr. Bush, Miss Iadinardi replied: "There would be no weight given to statements of feelings."

Canada is one of the few major nations with a large-scale immigration policy. Ottawa seeks to attract between 220,000 and 240,000 newcomers next year.

"Let's face it, we have a population of a little over 32 million, and we definitely need permanent residents to come to Canada," Miss Iadinardi said. "If we could meet [the 2005] target and go above it, the more the merrier."