Within four days of calling a general election earlier this month, Stephen Harper, Canada’s prime minister, had visited a Chinese family in Vancouver and spoken at an Italian old people’s home, a Polish community centre, and a lunch hosted by the Indo-Canadian Chamber of Commerce in suburban Toronto.

Mr Harper’s message was the same. As he told the Polish group: “Just as the story of Canada is the story of immigration, the story of the Conservative party is one of supporting immigration [and] welcoming new Canadians.”