The essence of the piece is that immigration is more costly than beneficial to Canada, and that certain policies need to be changed to redress this.
On Tuesday, this one was published. Saying much the same thing. According to the authors of a Fraser Institute report,
there are "popular propositions" about the benefits of immigration: Young immigrants pay taxes that support social services for Canada's aging population; immigrants fill the low-paying jobs that others do not seem to want; Canadians are ennobled by allowing people to share in the country's economic riches; immigration enriches the cultural life of Canadians, and future generations end up repaying their parents' debt by earning an average or above-average living in the long run.Mr. Grubel and economic consultant Patrick Grady argue, however, that these benefits either do not hold up to close scrutiny or that they are simply not worth the economic cost.
Never a truer word, etc.
It's surprising how persistent some myths are. Yes, young immigrants help out, but they get older. And their parents and grandparents, already of the age to begin draining the system, often follow them.
They work low-paying jobs, but many Canadians are unemplyed, so it's not that nobody in Canada is available to do them.
It's a form of 'charity' to allow people to live in Canada? Yes, it is. But such generosity needs limits, or else it becomes a drain on people's goodwill, and creates resentments that should not be there.
Immigration enriches Canadian culture? Well, that's highly subjective. Sometimes it does, often it doesn't. I wonder how I am an 'enriching' Canada at times. By being an English-speaking pro-democracy, pro-freedom taxpaying citizen I guess. But culturally? not really.
The best part of the article is a quote from a Douglas Cannon, a "prominent BC based immigration lawyer" (ha! no conflict of interest there, then), who says:
"Immigration is, in the end, about people and their futures, their dreams, their hopes -- how can you put a dollar amount on that?" he said. "It's about continuing to make Canada a place of opportunity."
Well, he clearly puts a dollar amount on it - unless he works for free (hahahahahahahahahaha).
I'm all for Canada being a place for people to fulfill their dreams, unless of course those dreams include living off other people's hard-earned taxes, spreading medieval beliefs and practices to an unsuspecting populace, or committing crimes and violence against the very Canadians who have opened their arms to newcomers.
The smartest suggestion from the FI report is undoubtedly the recommendation that:
Immigrants may have their parents and grandparents join them as landed immigrants in Canada only after posting a bond to cover payments for health care and other social benefits.Simple, yet genius.
Tim there's a widespread impression here in Ireland that the Canadian economy is booming and can't get enough labourers!!
ReplyDeleteHi Shane.
ReplyDeleteI don't know where that impression comes from! there are a lot of unskilled workers here and a lot of jobs advertised too. And there are always 'seasonal' workers on short permits mostly from Spanish-speaking countries. So there is a lot of labour, and there are a lot of jobs. Particularly in Alberta near Fort McMurray, but also in rural areas where the farms are.
I'm surprised there aren't more Irish people here, to be honest. In my area, most artisan-type building work is controlled by (east) Indians so it's hard to get work unless you speak Punjabi, but I'm sure other areas have a lot of opportunity.
I would add though that most Irish I've met here are from the professions. I think it's the opposite of the Old Days when Irish emigrants became labourers. Nowadays, only the doctors and engineers can get work abroad, while the manual work is virtually monopolised by migrants from much poorer countries. Ireland has become a victim of its own wealth it seems.
ReplyDelete"Immigration enriches Canadian culture".
ReplyDeleteThis is an old canard. Think about it. An immigrant can only "enrich" Canadian culture if his own culture is RICHER THAN Canada's!
Does anyone seriously think the culture of the average Pakistani, African or Arab immigrant is superior to Canada's (if so why is he immigrating?). Of course not. Therefore, when he immigrates, he IMPOVERISHES Canadian culture, hopefully not by too much if there are not too many of them.
At best if he assimilates quickly he helps keep Canadian culture on an even keel. But he NEVER enriches Canadian (read, Western) culture.