HOW NEW ARRIVALS ARE JUMPING THE QUEUE FOR LIMITED SPACES IN QUEBEC SENIORS' HOMES ”
Quebec senior citizen, Daniel Palladini, tells a disturbing story of recently-arrived foreign seniors jumping the queue for scarce spaces in Quebec Seniors' homes. Mr. Palladini points out that the queue jumpers have never worked a day in Canada.
Meanwhile, Quebec Seniors, who have worked here all their lives and contributed to Canada's social welfare system for all of that time, are told there is no room at the proverbial inn or that they will have to wait until room appears.
This is no isolated incident, he says. It is an organized effort to deceive and abuse. Partially at the least, it also accounts for why, since 2001, the increase in the percentage of Quebec seniors has been significantly larger than the increase in the rest of Canada.
Canadians should note the following:
In 2006, Canada allowed immigrants to sponsor a total of about 20,006 parents and grandparents. Some Canadians may see nothing wrong with this. Here are three problems:
(1) Undoubtedly, a number fulfill their sponsorship requirements. But, as Mr. Palladini notes, a significant number of these sponsors renege on their obligation to care for their parents and grandparents. Canada is left to look after them.
(2) In many cases, once the parents and grandparents have arrived, their sponsors use the parents and grandparents to sponsor children (often adults) who would otherwise be unable to satisfy skill requirements to enter Canada. Contrary to what Citizenship and Immigration Canada says, around 80% of the immigrants who arrive in Canada every year are unskilled. In any economic climate, is it prudent to bring in large numbers of unskilled immigrants?
(3) A backlog of about 100,000 additional parents and grandparents is waiting to enter Canada (and to continue the cycle of importing unskilled people). At a time when Canada's own population is aging and placing more demands on our health care system, how much sense does it make to bring in more older people to increase the burden?
(4) Immigration Watch Canada has previously stated that this abuse is occurring in other parts of Canada.
(See http://www.immigrationwatchcanada.org/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=1321 March 2, 2007: Abusing Canadian Generosity: Can Canada Be A De Facto Seniors' Home For Large Numbers of Immigrants' Parents?)
Mr. Palladini presented his statement at a Consultation Meeting that was arranged and chaired by Mme. Marguerite Blais — Quebec Minister Responsible for Seniors. Ms. Blais was attempting to reach out and learn more about the concerns of Quebec seniors. Her action was conducted throughout the province of Quebec. Mr. Palladini gave a copy of his statement to the Quebec Minister of Immigration, Hon Yolande James.
Daniel Palladini is the founder of Detect A Pension, an organization which assists Seniors in getting pension benefits from government and private companies. http://www.detectapension.com/pension-rights.html
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HOW NEW ARRIVALS ARE DISPLACING CITIZENS IN QUEBEC SENIORS' HOMES
My name is Daniel Palladini. I am 66 years old and live in a government subsidized seniors residence in Pierrefonds. I have been there for five (5) years. I have lived and worked throughout Canada and the mid-east for 38 years. Madame Minister, I am proud to say that I was born and raised in your very own riding of Ste. Anne – St. Henri.
Allow me to say that I am grateful today to have the opportunity to live in such a facility. It is with this in mind I come here today to make others aware of the unfortunate and regrettable experience I and other residents have been witnessing during the last 3 or 4 years in our residence.
According to a Montreal Gazette article of last July 18, the number of seniors over 65 in Canada has increased by 11.5% since 2001 while in Quebec the increase was 14.3%, a difference of almost 25%. (Jeff Heinrich -journalist)
I have personally witnessed an unusually higher number of Immigrants now called ermanent Residents and not Canadians, occupying living accommodations at our Residence, while many thousands of Quebecois and Canadians remain homeless. These are new Quebec residents, many of whom speak neither French nor English and have not worked one day of their lives in Quebec. In accordance with the current legislation, they are able to jump the queue to gain entry into these government- subsidized facilities.
There have been just too many such occurrences to think that what is happening is not a carefully-orchestrated scheme, guided by unscrupulous Immigration Consultants who are taking advantage of the current legislation in Quebec and Canada.
If I may explain what can occur and is likely occurring:
(a) A Quebec resident applies to sponsor a senior relative to come and live in Quebec. (b) Following arrival, the sponsor reneges on his responsibilities. (c) The sponsored senior(s) now apply for and receive Social Welfare. (d) As a recipient of Social Welfare, this now entitles them to jump the queue and gain entry into a subsidized residence ahead of life-long Quebecois.
All of the above can be accomplished after living in Quebec for only two years
I know of what I speak, as I am a voice of experience in this social matter and it troubles me considerably to live comfortably, knowing this is on-going.
I am not against immigrants coming to Quebec or Canada – my father was one about 100 years ago. I volunteer weekly to help new young adults to Quebec to improve their English skills at a local vocational school. However, I do vehemently disapprove of the above scheme and am equally disappointed in the lack of interest or concern displayed on this subject by the government and journalists from the English media.
Maybe now, we can have a better understanding, as to why the population of Quebec 65 and older, has increased at a rate of 25% faster than in the rest of Canada.
I only hope that the current legislation would be changed in order to deny the new residents of Quebec the opportunity to systematically jump the queue.
Thank you.
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