Canadian Alliance candidate, Betty Granger, resigned Sunday after immigration remarks she made this week in Winnipeg.

Granger told a group of university students that she's worried about an "Asian invasion" in British Columbia.

On Saturday she said she was sorry. "I apologize," she said, "I believe in the equality of all Canadians."

Betty Granger
Betty Granger

Granger had said she's concerned about the influx of Asian students that have come to Canada and put pressure on the university system.

"Our own Canadian students actually could not even get into some of our university programs in Vancouver and Victoria," she said.

Granger said land prices on the West Coast have jumped as a result of "a well-monied population buying up blocks and blocks of real estate."

She also referred to problems such as immigrants in Toronto who support "Tamil terrorists."

This is not just an immigration problem, Granger said, referring to Chinese migrants who have arrived via ships in British Columbia. It's also a justice issue "because there was a realization that what was coming off these boats was not the best clientele you would want for this country," said Granger.

One student asked Granger if she was promoting selective immigration. She responded simply that "there are problems that arise out of poor immigration policy."

Granger is running for the Alliance in Lloyd Axworthy's old riding of Winnipeg South Centre.

Last week, Canadian Alliance Leader Stockwell Day suggested Canada's doors should be flung wide open to immigrants, while the system should get tougher with people who try to come to the country illegally.

Day said he is satisfied with Granger's apology. "When things like this come up, we go after them right away," he said during a campaign swing through southwestern Ontario.

"We find out, we get a clarification. When that clarification and the apologies have been made then we appreciate that."

Granger's comments follow accusations by the Liberals that the Alliance is associated with racists.

It also follow complaints from a protester in Regina earlier this week who claimed an Alliance supporter told her to go back to her own country.