Hold the line - no - grow the line

If Canada is facing a labour shortage, then what does the Conservative Government plan to do about it? Sounds like about the same thing they are doing on the environment - a whole lot of nothing.

In an article in today's Toronto Star, immigration officials say they plan to keep 2007 immigration numbers just about the same as 2006. Granted, the numbers are strong - 260,000 new immigrants in the next year - but what's distressing is the article's footnote:

"Yet the report also notes that the department is grappling with a backlog of applications that now tops 800,000, a challenge that officials recognize they must address."

Must address? I'll say so. The last number immgration gave up about the backlog of applicants was over a year ago and at that time, they claimed 700,000. That's a increase in the number of applicants in line of over 14% over the last year.

So when are they going to address it? Maybe Mister Harper needs to put The Honourable Rona Ambrose to work on it...she's good at making plans.

Then, by the year 2050...

Let non-citizen immigrants vote?

TheStar.com - Let immigrants vote: Miller

This is the face of the man who wants 200,000 landed immigrants to have the right to vote even if they are not citizens.

This is interesting to me based on what I was just writing the other day. Remember the 2% of immigrants that become citizens? Miller doesn't want to do anything to help or encourage that - he just wants their votes.

"We allow people who don't live in Toronto to vote, simply because they own property here," Miller told the Toronto Star's editorial board yesterday. "And if we ask ourselves, `How have we let neighbourhoods where there are often high proportions of landed immigrants deteriorate?' one of the reasons is they haven't had a vote."

Isn't it one of the responsibilities of "good government" to watch out for those who are most vulnerable and for the disenfranchised? Perhaps letting that responsinility lag is another reason? Miller goes on to state that these residents haven't had a say in decisions that affect them. Well...who's fault is that? And if you believe what you say, then regardless of whether you can turn them into voters, what are you going to do about it?

I'm not sure if I'm so hot on this idea. I think voting is and should be a right of citizenship. I think more needs to be done to encourage full and active citizenship, rather than seek to bypass it.

When I come to Canada, it's to become a citizen and a proud Canadian. Lord, hear my prayer.

Population hike and citizenship - disconnected numbers

CTV.ca Immigrants boost Canada's population hike: report

Did you know that 2/3 of Canada's population growth is fueled by immigration? That's the latest news from Stats Canada. Comparatively, less than 1/3 of growth in the US is accountable to immigration.

I find it interesting that in the same year that Canada welcomed an additional 254,400 new immgrants, that only 4,635 of the 200,000+ that were welcomed into the country three years ago (the basic residency requirement to become a citizen) became citizens (see the Government of Canada's press release).

That's a 2% conversion rate of immigrants to citizens. Ever wonder why so few immigrants are becomming citizens? What is the disincentive? It seems to me that a logical goal for the government would be to convert these immigrants into citizens and taxpayers. This conversion rate is a poor reflection on the CIC's ability to fully integrate immigrants into Canada.

I realize that many new immigrants are temporary residents, but the majority are family class, permanent resident immigrants coming to make a life in this beautiful country. Why is it they are not taking the ultimate step in itegration and becoming citizens?

What do you think is going on?

The YouTube phenom and Toronto

Since the demise of the Panorama webcam at toronto.com, I've been searching for other cams in the Toronto area to make up for the lack of visual connection with the city I am separated from. Then it came to me: YouTube! I did a quick search for the keywords, "Downtown Toronto," and here are the results I got - 346 videos posted by people like you and I to explore.

Most of the videos I've sampled so far are short, shot by tourists, and rough. But a few videos are really nice - ones where the videographer simply stood on a street corner and looked around; no commentary and simply the sounds of the city.

If you're homesick for T-dot, follow the link above and maybe it'll help you feel a little better.

PS. For those of you who are curious, I am eeking still glacially forward in my move towards applying in the Skilled Worker class. It's a matter of savings right now and work is slow...I'm remaining faithful though, and hope still springs to life where doubt tries to plant a seed.