Canadians Speak About Immigration and (1) Big Banks, (2) Aboriginals, (3) Food Bank Use And (4) Canada’s University Presidents
From P.F.D. : TD Bank Ads Marginalize Mainstream Canadians In Pictures Showing TD Customers And TD Bans The Word “Christmas” :
I personally saw the manager of my local Toronto Dominion bank and asked him in his office why mainstream Canadians were so under represented in his bank’s ads. He told me that he had little input in such decisions and that these things were decided in marketing. I told him that I would be withdrawing my funds from TD and would be urging my friends to do the same. I also told him that I was considering becoming more organized and starting a boycott of TD if I could.
He immediately told me that he would fast track my concerns. I asked him “To whom. Who exactly is behind this?” He said that he frankly didn’t know, but knew that someone somewhere was responsible.
Then the most extraordinary thing happened. He said “I’m going to take off my banker’s hat and tell you that frankly your concerns bother me too. I have watched a close acquaintance struggle to get into the RCMP while immigrant minority candidates sailed through. It just isn’t fair. Regarding cultural issues : We used to be able to put up signs saying ‘Closed for Christmas’ . Now we can’t. It’s not right.”
He said he would join any protest movements I knew of or organized outside of the context of the bank.
Surprising? Not really. I know that millions of Canadians feel as he does.
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From C.H. : Why Aboriginal Leaders Say Little About Immigration :
For some time, I have wondered what Canada’s aboriginals felt about immigration. I see billions of dollars spent on re-settling immigrants, much of it invisible to the naked eye, and still aboriginal education, health care, mental health and parent support issues are ignored or minimized. Maybe it is because those aboriginal people don’t have the many thousands of dollars to buy their way into Canada.
Unfortunately, I also perceive a lack of will among their leaders. I think this is based on a reliance of many upon their victimization story which, when properly manipulated, buys them scraps of what look like benefits that get thrown at them from time to time. That story has to end. They are worth the whole meal that most Canadians expect for themselves–not scraps thrown to quiet them down or for the governments and sometimes churches, to look good.
Isn’t it ironic though that those who are almost entirely focused at base, about “colonization” having destroyed their largely forgotten “way of life” and their very selves, have had to yield as we all have to this outrageous immigration business? And this outrageous immigration business means that Canada is being re-colonized.
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From R.T. : High Immigration Causes High Levels Of Food Bank USE
The disturbing levels of many Canadians’ reliance on food banks nowadays are really evidence of widespread poverty. Katharine Schmidt, of Food Banks Canada, and others have recently stated that the solution to poverty is “to get Canadians working”.
Quite frankly, I would suggest that a prime contributing factor to this whole problem is reckless and irresponsible immigration policies on the part of the federal government. It allows approximately 300,000 to 400,000+ newcomers added to our labour pool every year at a time when some 1.4-million Canadians find themselves without work. Enlarging the labour pool at times of high unemployment and, in so doing, exacerbating poverty by depressing wage levels, is completely irresponsible and, I would suggest, nothing short of amoral. All that these “generous” immigration intakes succeed in achieving is exacerbating the problem of poverty for both domestic unemployed, and for the new arrivals who face a very difficult employment market.
It is very regrettable that most politicians seem extraordinarily reluctant to broach this subject. This issue is enormously important, and directly impacts the lives of so many Canadians in so many adverse ways, including food bank usage.
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From R. P. : Canadian University Presidents Are Naive To Travel To India To Recruit Students :
A number of years ago, I opened a Canadian high tech office in New Delhi. Many Indians working for that company in Canada, the US and UK called me asking for a job. They simply wished to return to their homeland, with of course a North American salary. There is very little in common between society/culture in Canada and that in India. I found great naivety amongst senior Canadian business leaders and trade people from Ottawa. Indians are opportunists and entrepreneurs. There is a very high level of corruption in all fields. They also regard North Americans as naive. Of course, this is too general and simplistic.
However, the rhetoric of Canadian University Presidents is so predictable and irrelevant. Indian industrialists will go anywhere in the world for the best deal. Of course, there are opportunities for Canadian companies in India. But, I’m afraid that filling university places with young Indian students will not increase trade or “understanding”. Indian businesses are not run by students, but often by dynasties (Tatta, Thapar, Mallia, Hinduja’s etc.) who are tough negotiators. It is irrelevant where their sons and daughters went to university.
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