'Trump' Cape Breton immigration inquiries draw offer of help from minister

Nova Scotia's minister of immigration says her office has not been asked to help process the thousands of immigration inquiries from Americans generated by a humorous website about Cape Breton.

'Cape Breton If Trump Wins'has generated hundreds of thousands of hits since it was posted three weeks ago. Many viewers up to 4,000by page creator Rob Calabrese's reckoning have asked for information aboutmoving to Canada.

Calabresesays the response has been amazing, and overwhelming, but he's been offered no help by either the federal or provincial governments.

Nobody asked

Immigration Minister Lena Diabtold CBC Radio's Mainstreet inCape Breton that her department hasn'tbeen asked to help.

"We're here to help. We're here to answer all calls. We've done that. We're doing that. We will continue to do that," Diab said.

"We haven't heard from him directlyat the Nova Scotia office of immigration. We would love to if there's any information they feel there's a gap or that's missing or anything they want to know. We are here to assist everybody in Nova Scotia on these issues."

Diab said she didn't realize how big Calabrese's website had become until last week. Dozens of news outlets and web sites across North America picked up the story.

Calabrese was interviewed by CBC News andCNN's main network. A reporting team came to Cape Breton last week for a story which aired on CNN International's flagship programAmanpour.

The interest has generated traffic not just on Calabrese'sTrumpwebsite but also on those of Destination Cape Breton, theisland's marketing agency, and Tourism Nova Scotia.

No permanent officials

Calabresehas complained that there are no permanent immigration officials in Cape Breton to shoulder some of the burden.

Diab objects to that statement.

"I have come there a number of times, I've sent many of my staff," she said.

"We are working very closely withthe Cape Breton task forcethat includes Cape Breton University, Cape Breton Partnership, the many chambers of commerce across the island.

"It includes NSCC, UniversitSainte-Anne. We also work in close partnership with the YMCA there, with Le Conseil dedveloppement conomique and Immigration Francophone on the island as well. So we are already working in partnership with all of those that already exist in the communities."

Diabsaidin contrast to Tourism Nova Scotia, her office has received onlyabout nine inquiries about emigrating to Canada in recent weeks.