This bulletin comments on Immigration Minister Jason Kenney's recent statements about cutting immigration. It also comments on a class action suit against his department and a Liberal Senator's call for a halt to Canada's temporary foreign worker programme.
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SPEAK AND ACT CANADIAN
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney's statement this week that Canada is prepared to consider a cut in immigration is a sign that good sense may still exist in our House of Commons. Undoubtedly, Prime Minister Harper has approved this statement. Congratulations to them and to other MP's who have spoken up. But remember : Both employed and jobless Canadians will be looking for good, sensible action over the next few weeks, not idle speech.
Let's look at what has been said and suggest more good sense:
(1) Mr. Kenney has said that Canada will “consider such a cut if necessary over the short term”. Speak and act Canadian, Mr. Kenney and all party leaders!! Don't say “if necessary” !! The necessity has existed for years, but it is even more urgent now. If any MP's challenge you on whether an immigration cut is necessary, most Canadians will crucify them. Remember: Immigration is supposed to serve Canada, not the other way around. As you should know, from the 1920's to 1990, Canada had a policy of reducing immigration in recessionary times like the present. That policy was abandoned in 1990 so that an all-out competition could begin for the immigrant vote. Canada has gone through two economic downturns since 1990 and has not reduced immigration through them. Immigration supporters like to tell us that this is proof that immigration has been good, but the fact is that billions have been funneled into immigration every year—many billions of dollars more than the Department of Immigration admits. Canada cannot afford to throw multiple billions at senseless immigration. In the past, these billions could have been used to solve Canada's social problems such as homelessness. In the present, they are needed for other things that are of infinitely more value than immigration. Why has this funneling not been acknowledged and something not been done about it?
(2) Mr. Kenney says the government's cut will extend “over the short term”. Again, Mr. Kenney and all party leaders, speak Canadian!! Canadians want economic, cultural and environmental normality restored. Reduce the numbers dramatically for the foreseeable future, not for a “short term”. It was a serious mistake to have brought in, since 1990, close to 5 million people, most of whom Canada did not need. Canada made a deal with these people, so, with the exception of the significant number who have come here fraudulently, we will accept them. But Canada certainly does not need to repeat this blunder and this abnormality in our immigration history. Politicians at all three levels may not like to hear that many parts of Canada believe they are being colonized. And it may come as news to the sycophantic among these politicians that most Canadians do not want to have colonization referred to as the “enrichment” of Canada. If our aboriginal population needed a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to examine the effects of their colonization, Canadians need it even more to halt the colonization of Canada !!
(3) Mr. Kenney has said “We don't want people to be coming to Canada and facing unemployment.” “So, we need to be sensitive to a changing labour market, and if we need to make changes, we will.” Once again, Mr. Kenney : Speak Canadian !! That means you should not be first worrying about immigrants facing unemployment. You should be first worrying about Canadians facing unemployment. Canada cannot be a job provider for India, China, the Philippines, Iceland or any other country. Those countries are adults and they have to look after themselves. Canada has to do the same.
(4) Mr. Kenney has said “There is no doubt that newcomers, like all Canadians, will have a tougher time this year….” “And I suspect some people will take that into consideration in their decisions about whether or not to actually use the visas that were offered to them to come here as foreign workers.” Speak Canadian, Mr. Kenney !! If you admit that Canadians are going to have a tougher time finding jobs, then it is your responsibility to prevent unnecessary competition. Don't spend your time praying that foreigners will not use their visas. Don't give them visas in the first place !!!
(5) Mr. Kenney and all the other party leaders have to ask an extremely fundamental question: What purpose should immigration serve in Canada? The fact that 7 of the 11 members of the Standing Committee on Immigration are immigrants indicates that most parties think that immigration policy should primarily serve immigrants. The fact is that Canada's labour needs have traditionally driven immigration policy. Why are MP's with a labour background, and a true interest in serving Canadian workers, not a significant presence on this committee? Speak and act Canadian, Mr. Kenney and all party leaders !! If any place needs to be cleansed, it is this committee and the sycophantic immigration lawyers, career immigration advocates and ethnic hacks whom this committee invites to its meetings and who claim to be the “stakeholders” in Canada's immigration policies.
(6) Mr. Kenney knows that this week a class action law suit was launched against him and the Canada Border Services Agency by victims of marriage fraud. The victims allege that “CIC and CBSA have not systematically or effectively pursued the perpetrators of marriage fraud who remain in Canada legally with impunity. By default the government rewards these frauds and encourages thousands of other foreign nationals to pursue this avenue of illegal immigration into Canada at the expense of the victims and Canadian taxpayers. The governments lack of action widens the door for more fraud, crime and other illegal activities.” Speak and act Canadian, Mr. Kenney and all other party leaders !! This is a very serious issue. Around 6000 spouses enter Canada every year, many of them fraudulently. They have no interest in remaining with their spouses. Their primary objective is to sponsor their relatives and to start the process of chain migration . This has led to a continuous large number of Family Class applications to enter Canada. The phrase “Re-Unite Families”, in many cases, means “Re-Unite Fraudsters”. Canada needs legislation to stop this chronic and arrogant disrespect of its immigration system.
(7) Mr. Kenney has described Liberal Senator Pierette Ringuette's recent call for a halt to Canada's temporary foreign worker programme as “really unfortunate”. Again, Mr. Kenney, speak Canadian !! Look carefully for extensive fraud in the so-called “need” for temporary foreign workers. Realize that most Canadians will say that Canada is “fortunate” to have someone in Ottawa who actually shows real concern about rising unemployment and courageously says something which supports Canadian workers. Where are the rest of our Senators and all MP's on this issue? And where are Canada's provincial and municipal politicians? Canadians want to hear where these people stand !!
