Among the announcements made by outgoing Immigration Minister Joe Volpe was a$398 million investment to improve settlement services and to launch a Going to Canada portal; funding for the Internationally Trained Workers Initiative;

and an additional $920 million to help newcomers to Ontario integrate and access language training.

Of these, only the deal between the federal government and Ontario is certain to be carried through, having already won the approval of the main opposition Conservative Party.

Less is known, however, about the extra $700 million Volpe pledged to spend over the next five years to start reducing the current inventory of applications for permanent residency, and the launch of the new in-Canada immigration category.

Most opinion polls point to the Liberals winning marginally more seats in the coming election, but the Conservatives led by Stephen Harper may yet form the government even under this scenario, if supported by Jack Layton's third-running National Democratic Party.

Whoever wins the next election, this much seems clear: Those whose applications to move to Canada are already in the pipeline are unlikely to be greatly affected as none of the major parties are talking about overhauling the current points system.

While they may disagree on methodology, the Liberals and Tories also seem to have a similar stance on some basic issues, including recognition of immigrants' foreign professional credentials and experience.

The two parties also agree on the core issue of speedier processing of applications for both skilled workers and family reunification, as well as settlement support for newcomers outside the three major metros of Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.

Where the Tories take issue with the Liberals is in terms of approach.

On recognition of foreign credentials, a Conservative Party policy statement says: "(Currently) there is no identified process or national consistency for the recognition of international credentials... We want a fair and transparent process for the recognition of foreign credentials and experience that earns the respect and confidence of Canadians as well as of the international community."

The Tories also want the sponsorship process for family reunification to be overhauled, including faster processing times and discontinuing the practice of accepting fees and applications from parents and grandparents.

On the issue of speeding up processing times for all applicants, the Tories say they will ensure this through improved staffing, training and resources for Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

For all that, if recent history is any indicator, the Liberals appear to have a lock on new Canadians' votes.

They have successfully seized on statements made by leaders of the Conservative Party and its predecessor the Reform Party to demonize their opponents on the issue of immigration.

Harper moderated his tune after becoming Tory leader, telling the same magazine in 2002 that "I'm very supportive of a significant level of immigration and always have been.”

However his reluctance to spell out in numbers what he considers a "significant level", combined with his Reform Party predecessor Preston Manning's one-time call for Canada’s annual intake to be lowered to 150,000 annually, continues to make him suspect in the eyes of many new Canadians.

Whether the new, more moderate approach of the Conservatives as spelled out on their website ("We need an immigration system that is welcoming, fair and well managed") is enough to woo immigrants to their side in the coming election remains to be seen.