Canada to cut back on visas and immigration permits to extended family

[Peepers]

What would be interesting to know is how much it has cost the Canadian taxpayer (over the years and the years to come) to allow into Canada the parents of landed immigrants. Last year 16,000 visa's were given out. In the previous years I would suspect that the numbers were even higher. In Ontario alone we must have a few hundred thousand parents of landed immigrants living here currently.

Under the sponsorship rules the sponsor (adult child) must look after their parents basic needs for 10 year however they are only on the hook for medical costs for the first 3 months. After that medical costs are FREE. As we all know as a person gets older the medical costs really begin to pile up as Doctor visits become a regular occurrence along with expensive medical procedures. Imagine the cost of providing healthcare to this large population of elderly people ! Is it any wonder that governments are resorting to the rationing of healthcare? When you have 100,000's of people using a healthcare system that they have not paid into something has to give.

Also I wonder how many sponsors default on their obligations? When this happens the sponsored parent are not deported, in fact they are free to collect welfare and ODSP. How many of these people are currently collecting financial assistance?

After 10 years in the country the sponsored parent is free to collect Old age security (again something that they did not paying into during the productive part of their lives).

What is all this costing us? I suspect the total amount is staggering!

 

[ss.44]

Canada, like many other nations, is what it is today, largely due to the contributions made by immigrants. Immigrants are some of the hardest working people in this nation and not to mention some of the most intelligent. Why shouldn’t our boarders to be open to extended family members of hard working immigrants? I think it’s rather disturbing that the right-wing government would tighten immigration laws. When immigrants invite their extended family to come to Canada, they aren’t doing so to “to take advantage of the system.†Most immigrants bring their relatives here for a better life, and provide their extended family members with financial support, without having to rely on “taxpayers’ dollars.â€

And to “lead82,†when new immigrants come to this country and become a part of Canada’s population, why shouldn’t they benefit from the health-care benefits? In case you haven’t noticed, this country is comprised of a large number of immigrants who contribute to these services, and you’re damn right their family members who make it to Canada should benefit from these services.

This country was made on the backs of immigrants and I’m really sick and tired of people disregarding the history of this country and the benefits of its diversity.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Why shouldn’t our boarders to be open to extended family members of hard working immigrants?

They are open. I have lots of extended family members here in Canada that followed us from the UK, including cousins, uncles, aunts, etc. However they all came on their own merits through the application process. However none came as seniors, and nor should they have been allowed to.

And to “lead82,” when new immigrants come to this country and become a part of Canada’s population, why shouldn’t they benefit from the health-care benefits?

Young adults and their children should benefit, and they are Canada's investment in the future. But their aged parents can stay away because they haven't paid for the services, and unlike young adults and children, will not live long enough nor pay enough taxes to contribute sufficiently to the system.

 

[picard102]

This country was made on the backs of immigrants and I’m really sick and tired of people disregarding the history of this country and the benefits of its diversity.

Canada wasn't built on the backs of those immigrants elderly parents.

 

[bleeepbluuup]

Senior immigrants arrive with a progressive need for services while giving nothing back to the economy.

Hey, free childcare ain't nothing to sneeze at. These days it might not even be worth keeping a low-paid job if you have to pay daycare costs. Also, if mom's always bowing out of the workforce to watch the kids (and it usually is mom), this easily derails her career and long-term earning potential. Who knows, maybe she loses a tax bracket.

And money aside, I'd much rather leave my children with family than with some random babysitter or daycare.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Hey, free childcare ain't nothing to sneeze at. These days it might not even be worth keeping a low-paid job if you have to pay daycare costs. Also, if mom's always bowing out of the workforce to watch the kids (and it usually is mom), this easily derails her career and long-term earning potential. Who knows, maybe she loses a tax bracket.

And money aside, I'd much rather leave my children with family than with some random babysitter or daycare.

How about we raise our own kids? My wife left her job for seven year to raise our kids, and I took on a consulting job on weekends and evenings in addition to my day job. I would never ask my parents to raise my kids, nor ever put them in daycare. How about some personal responsibility?

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

picard102:

Canada wasn't built on the backs of those immigrants elderly parents.

Since when has Canada become so small, timid, self-centered and selfish? Deliberate and systematic exploitation of Canadian generosity without an eye on giving back to the country is one thing - being stingy and uncharitable is another. Don't confound the two. Besides, just how likely are economic immigrants likely to stay if there are better pastures elsewhere (as there surely must be), if they have no other ties in the country? How likely is the country likely to benefit from these immigrants in the long run? How loyal to the country would they be if they don't make it their true home - and how likely would they be inclined to improve and defend it if it isn't?

AoD

 

[urbandreamer]

How loyal was my ggrandfather who was the only member of his family to come to Canada from England, then spend 3 years in the Canadian army in ww1? He was 100% proud to rep' Canada.

The immigrants I work with--many from China and India who've been here less than a decade and in some cases less than a year--have zero interest in Canada--they're all about their extended family, and talk about "my country is better than here" nonsense. Tedious.

 

[GenerationW]

How loyal was my ggrandfather who was the only member of his family to come to Canada from England, then spend 3 years in the Canadian army in ww1? He was 100% proud to rep' Canada..

Not exactly much of a moral dilemma for an English immigrant in WW1 to fight with a staunch British ally, not to mention that back then Canada looked and acted a lot more like a satellite of Britain than it does today.

Might have been a different story for a new German immigrant living in Kitchener in 1914.

 

[bleeepbluuup]

How about we raise our own kids? My wife left her job for seven year to raise our kids, and I took on a consulting job on weekends and evenings in addition to my day job. I would never ask my parents to raise my kids, nor ever put them in daycare. How about some personal responsibility?

We may draw the circles of responsibility differently, but don't think for a moment that others don't have it. I will take care of my parents in their old age and they will take care of my children. We are always responsible for one another.

 

[ss.44]

How do you define "zero interest in Canada?" Surely, the fact that they are living/working/paying taxes in Canada suggests that they have a very large interest in Canada. And, what exactly do you mean by "they're all about their extended family?" Since when is helping family a crime? I find it ridiculous how some people criticize others for having strong family values. It's actually disgusting. If your coworkers discuss ways in which certain aspects of their home country are better than the ones they have experience in Canada, they have every right to feel that way. They come to this country bringing a different life experience and instead of shooting down their opinions or criticizing them for having strong family values, perhaps you could actually pay attention to what they're saying and learn a thing or two.

 

[urbandreamer]

^I've learned that many new Canadians are quite racist and old fashioned and intolerant. They certainly aren't in love with English or French Canada.

By zero interest in Canada, I mean they could care less about Canadian politics, TV, architecture, culture, values etc and want to import their own values on b&b Canadians--keep dreaming... They just focus on their families, making certain their single sisters etc don't marry us Canadians etc.

I also find it quite hilarious how ignorant they are re: the ROC, hell even the world beyond the GTA! How can you live without seeing the rural countryside? Fresh fruit just isn't found in "my country."

But then, I can understand their point of view--if I moved to India, I'd insist on everything being Canadian. Would be interesting to see how the locals would react to that.

 

[ss.44]

^I've learned that many new Canadians are quite racist and old fashioned and intolerant. They certainly aren't in love with English or French Canada.

By zero interest in Canada, I mean they could care less about Canadian politics, TV, architecture, culture, values etc and want to import their own values on b&b Canadians--keep dreaming... They just focus on their families, making certain their single sisters etc don't marry us Canadians etc.

But then, I can understand their point of view--if I moved to India, I'd insist on everything being Canadian. Would be interesting to see how the locals would react to that.

Seriously, you're calling immigrants "racist and old fashioned and intolerant?" That's a good one. First of all, immigrants are the ones who are faced with racism in Canada and not the other way around. Canada, in case you have forgotten, is not a white, anglo-saxon nation! We have a diverse population where people have EVERY RIGHT to practice their own cultural beliefs and values. What do you mean by "us Canadians?" I'm sorry, but are you immune to the fact that many people who are "b&b Canadians" have parents who emmigrated here from India, China and host of other countries? It's pretty sickening how you generalize about all immigrants, when I highly doubt you have the balls to say anything to your coworkers.

 

[ss.44]

How about we raise our own kids? My wife left her job for seven year to raise our kids, and I took on a consulting job on weekends and evenings in addition to my day job. I would never ask my parents to raise my kids, nor ever put them in daycare. How about some personal responsibility?

Seriously, who cares if your wife left her job to raise your own kids? Big accomplishment. You're assuming that just because you and your wife worked out a schedule where your wife was able to stay at home and raise kids while you worked is the appropriate way of raising kids.... Ridiculous. Arguably, maybe kids are better off having both parents work so that they can grow up to see that raising children, and other domestic duties, are not the sole obligation of their mother, and that both parents are income earners. This way kids will learn to respect women's role as equal to men in society.

If you can criticize how other people run their families, you should be prepared to be criticized yourself. Don't assume immigrants want to bring their relatives to Canada simply to raise their kids when you lack the facts. Many immigrants and others who have strong family values, enjoy having a close-knit relationship with relatives, and want them to be a part of their life. Seriously, you're going to condemn people for wanting to have their elderly parents be a part of their lives, after their elderly parents are the ones who raised them? Ridiculous.

 

[urbandreamer]

ss.44--damn right I tell my co-workers to their face that they're being intolerant, racist etc. But I'm realistic in that I realize we're all racist to some degree, and many of these newbies have only been exposed to one cultural background most of their lives--similar perhaps to small town folks in Ontario being only exposed to their own mostly white culture.

When you live and work amongst folks mostly from your own background--my place is mainly Brampton/SA--you get comfortable and may forget there's live beyond the SA community.... It truly reminds me of being exposed to Conservative Mennonites in Waterloo/Perth Co. region as a child--the "English" vs "us" mentality. So yes, I'm saying many new immigrants are just as intolerant and racist as old school Canadians.

By Canadian, I mean those b&b in Canada, particularly 3rd generation and beyond, as realistically it takes 2-3 generations to become comfortable with Canada being "home." I'm half American, so I should know.... (If you've got a dual passport, chances are great you're not fully comfortable with your new "home.")


Back to the topic at hand--old folks should'nt be allowed en masse to Canada, simple as that. There's always exceptions, but there should be a limit--under 10k/year?

Here's a British example of what happens when you choose not to embrace your new country's values: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-judge-learning-English-20-years-Britain.html