Living in hope

I have been looking back at the posts from the last few months - primarily since the whole budget and immigration reform thing came up - and I noticed that I have been getting a bit aggressive in tone. The overview of this blog has always noted, "...and the occasional rag on the CIC." but I seem to have made that more than occasional of late.

Maybe the frustration is showing? Maybe I'm betraying some fear that I wont be reunited with my love? That's what this has all been about from the start after all. This immigration to Canada has always been about taking down a border between my love and I, that we might have a life together. Along the way, I also fell in love with Canada. I want to make the rest of my life there. I want to be a Canadian, and all that that implies.

I am a man of faith. Being such, I shouldn't be worried, as I can get, over the actions of the government, or of bureaucrats. I have to put my faith in God that he will hear my prayers and break down even the barriers that the Tories may want to impose. Those barriers are nothing to my God. I need to remember that and live again in faith.

So I'll try to get back on an even keel here at the Mind, and be of service to those of you on the same quest to reunite, to become Canadians. After all, living in hope and faith is so much better than living in fear.

Wait...until she makes up her mind

The Star reported on the 21st that immigration officials have completely stopped the intake of new applications while it awaits a decision from Her Supreme Highness, the Seer of the Economy, the Balancer of Diversity, the Determiner of Righteous Reunification, Les Grande Protector De Refuge, otherwise known as Immigration Minister Diane Finley.

What the Honorable Ms. Finley must decide is which category of applicants will be processed and which will have their applications returned, unopened. This isn't an immediate process. Once she does decide, the CIC will have 6-months to notify the impacted individuals.

They will get their application fees back, but significant legal fees (averaging $5,000CAD for a basic application) are non-refundable.

And what about the backlog? While we await a decision from the Minister, it is expected to grow by another 90,000 applicants.

Read the Star story here.

Downtown Toronto from You Tube

I thought you might all enjoy a little 10 minute video of a cloudy day in Toronto from 2007. Just a reminder of where we are trying to get to...

A new era begins

The Liberals rolled over, the Tories got their way, and Canadians have a new immigration plan to get used to. On June 10th, the Star notes, "Bill C-50, a budget-implementation bill containing the immigration reforms, passed 120-90 despite the criticism of opposition parties."

Criticism - not action. The Liberals could have voted the bill down - but that would have forced an election...and the Liberals don't want one of those because they are afraid they might lose (again).

So in reality, the Liberals assisted the Tories in screwing Canadians out a a chance to debate and decide upon a balanced immigration policy that addresses backlogs but that is still fair and balanced.

All we that truely oppose these new policies can hope for is that the Tory minority falls soon and that these wholesale changes to immigration policy are short-lived.

And to the Liberals - we won't forget the support you gave us.

Canadian IMMIGRANT - Welcome to Canada checklist

The Canadian IMMIGRANT is a magazine and a website created around the following proposition: "Research from Statistics Canada shows that it takes an immigrant an average of 10 years to settle in Canada. We know that immigrants suffer from lack of information. Could we in any way help that immigrant by providing information in an accessible format? Could we speed up the process of "settling in"? It became increasingly clear that immigrant settlement issues meant more than just providing a brochure listing how to get Social Insurance Number (SIN) cards and open bank accounts. There are broader information needs to be met."

To that end, they've published a three-part (so far) guide to the "landing" process, including checklists, tips and immigrant resources. Landing is what all immigrants eventually go through, and is the process that includes your initial entry into the country as a Permanent Resident and getting established with basic identification and services.

Check out Part 1 here.

You tell 'em, Phil...

"Legislation that is important in shaping Canada's profile in the international community has survived another vote in the House of Commons – not because it is supported by a majority of elected legislators but due to a failure of Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion's caucus, which has refused to exercise its responsibility as the official Opposition.

"This is government by default; a minority government growing in unpopularity imposes its will on the country because elected MPs are continually absent during critical votes.
Surely there must be some appeal to the Governor General to terminate this government when it is so dysfunctional and clearly flaunting democratic principles.

"In the interim, it would be reasonable that the Bloc Québécois or the New Democratic Party be formally declared as the official Opposition and be accorded the privileges of Parliament so that the Harper government answer to a formal Opposition in the House of Commons."

- Phil Little, Nanaimo, B.C.

One step closer to immigration reform

Just a quick update:

According to an article in yesterday's Star: "The Tories' budget implementation bill – which contains the immigration reforms – survived three votes last night and looks certain to get the Commons' final approval tomorrow or Thursday before going to the Senate. Only a handful of Liberals turned up for the votes, which passed 114-83. "

So the Liberals have rolled over like the schoolyard chicken who says, "I'll meet you for a fight after school." then doesn't show up for it. How Dion believes that these sorts of actions make his party more electable in the future is beyond me. Do Canadians forget about these things? Do the generations of immigrant citizens care about these things?

I tend to remember who's got my back and who doesn't. I guess Stephane is counting on a different result.

Hope you've saved some Loonies...

It doesn't look like the one opposition party left in the Federal government has any intention of letting the current Federal budget pass with its controversial immigration ammendments. In a May 21 article in the National Post, Toronto NDP MP, Oliva Chow (wife of NDP leader, Jack Layton) is quoted, "We're going to throw everything we can at it," she said. "We will speak, we will move motions, we will have amendments, we will try to make sure it doesn't pass this summer."

"Ordinary Canadians have not had the chance to speak out about this," said Ms. Chow. "The New Democrats believe the public would be served by [having] at least a few months to discuss and debate this issue."

With no budget in place before Summer, I hope the Conservatives have saved some Loonies!

Read the entire National Post article here

If getting to the Budget vote is any indicator...

...Then it's going to be a long time before Canada's New Government (oh wait - they aren't new anymore) gets around to really doing something effective, as opposed to political, about the immigration backlog.

There's nothing really new to report in the current immigration debate. Every few days, a new article comes out in the Star or the Globe and Mail, citing immigration experts who all seem to agree that Finley and Harper have got it wrong. Their ad-hoc approach to immigration management does nothing to deal with the current backlog of over 950K applicants (it would only be retroactive back to February of this year) and it fact, may divert resources from the backlog to deal with current demand in areas the Minister identifies as those classes to be focused on.

Their appear to be a couple of areas of consensus emerging in the debate that would begin to solve the backlog and create a policy that would benefit the nation's immigration goals:

1. Staff up - hire more processors to deal with the backlog and get fair decisions made on those who have already applied
2. Increase the number of immigrants allowed each year - Canada has acknowledged that it's economic future, and the quality of retirement of it's boomer generation depends on a growing population that can only be supported by immigration. So, let us in!
3. Pre-qualify/pre-screen/prepare - Set up a system that allows economic class applicants to get in line only after they know they meet certain standards for immigration (language, education, professional training). Their time and Canada's aren't wasted. Coordinate these programs closely with Canada's trade and professional licensing organizations and demand for professionals will be met, and fewer doctors will be driving taxis.

But if the leaders of the nation wont even get to a vote on funding the government, what chance does such a coordinated program have? I guess time will tell.

Spring Break is almost over!

Hi my friendly readers! I've been away on vacations the last few weeks, but will be getting back to the blog no later than next week. I really should post these absences up front...I have a goal of being more involved with the blog this year, so watch out for more news and info and features. Please vote in the polls so I know you're here and thanks again for checking in!