Is It Time For An Amnesty?
November 28, 2006There are more than 200,000 undocumented individuals, more commonly known as illegal immigrants, currently residing in Canada.
Most have integrated in Canadian society and contribute to our economy by working at jobs that would otherwise go unfilled. The problem is that they did not play by the rules in getting to Canada or if they did enter legally, they have since overstayed the date by which they should have left.
What should be done with these individuals? More to the point, should they be granted some sort of amnesty and be "officially" allowed to remain in Canada?
These questions have no easy answers and they have been bandied about by successive Canadian governments for more than a decade. There are compelling arguments on both sides of the amnesty issue. Those in favour of amnesty contend that, for a host of reasons, it makes sense to regularize the status of these people and, in any event, we lack the resources to effectively remove them from Canada. Those opposed to amnesty retort that we make a mockery of the immigration processing system by rewarding individuals who chose to ignore its rules.
Both camps make valid points. While I respect the position of those against amnesty, I am in favour of Canada granting amnesty to undocumented individuals for the reasons that follow:
- Most undocumented individuals in Canada have been in the country for many years. It used to be relatively easy to enter Canada but that is no longer the case. In the last few years Canadian immigration authorities and border service personnel have become much more vigilant in preventing unauthorized individuals from entering the country. So we can expect that there will be fewer and fewer new undocumented people in Canada in the future. Now that our borders are less penetrable it makes sense to regularize the status of everyone within those borders.
- Many of the current undocumented people in Canada are former refugee seekers, whose claims were denied. They simply went "underground" rather than leave Canada. Perhaps, with good reason. The Canadian refugee determination process in horribly flawed. Safeguards were put in the enacting legislation that were meant to protect the system's integrity but the government never implemented them. Within the last few months one Refugee Board member was convicted of accepting bribes and another has been charged by the RCMP with accepting sexual favours from a woman in return for "help" in her refugee claim. One can only imagine how many worthy asylum seekers had their claims rejected because they refused to pay bribes or provide sexual favours.
- There is already a shortage of workers in Canada. In the Toronto area alone, thousands of construction jobs are being filled by undocumented workers, who probably do not report their incomes to the taxing authorities. Remove them from their jobs and the economy will suffer. It makes more sense to "legitimize" them and at least begin collecting income tax from them. Yes, it would be better to replace undocumented workers with temporary foreign workers on Work Permits but Canada's Foreign Worker Program is relatively slow and somewhat clumsy. Canadian employees, in general, are reluctant to jump through the required hoops to recruit foreign workers.
- Finally, provincial health and social services departments need to know how many people really live in their jurisdictions. From the hiring of teachers and law enforcement personnel, to the building of schools and hospitals - all of this is based on having an accurate head count.
For these reasons, I feel it is time to bring undocumented individuals in Canada into the system.
25 Comments:
hi i will like to know is there is amesty for all imigrant doesn't have his documents special people working hard in this country, they only survice and still waiting for his paper for along time, Do you this the goverment need to do something about that?
i like this side is amazing
I do not give a rat's ass how long these 'wetbacks' have been in this country! If they do not have an S.I.N.- they do not pay TAXES!
It took one and one half years to bring my WIFE here! She and I, did all the paperwork-all of the security checks, medical exams, filled out all the paperwork, and PAID OUR FEES! (And I have lived and worked in this country for 40 years!)
Our 'Refugee System' is an offensive joke- most of our 'Refugees' are classified as 'Economic Migrants' by the United Nations- send them back where they came from, and seize thir assets to pay for their airfare!
I feel that there are many things that our government does not take in to consideration when denying a person citizenship. I met my husband while he was here visiting family and fell in love. He was denied citizenship because I made a few thousand short what they believe is acceptable to take care of our family. For 5 years I took care of him and our daughter on my own without the governments help and what did I get as a Canadian citizen, but the stress of having my husband taken away a month and a half before our son was born. Now I am left with no one helping me with my two children and a government that will not let my husband even come back to meet his only son. I feel our laws let the wrong people into our country and keep the good people out.
Im living en USA ilegaly for 21 years I wander if I can have Canadian Visa to go to aplly for work Im a Certificate Nurse Assitante with experience 17 years, my son is Canadian Citizen, he es 23 years old. Thanks
I have my Blood Sister who is seeking to come here in Canada as Temporary Foreign Worker. As I am here in the country, I have posted to many companies my sister's Curriculum Vitae. Nearly 6 months till now, But NO Employer is accepting to employ her, because she is not here in front of them to see how she looks.
I think the government must change this kind of situation. Give more facilities by advertising List of Employers and list of job they are offering to Foreign Workers. Thus will be easier for Foreign Workers to work here in Canada. I think they must do as Dubai- Saudi Arabia- give a list of Employees Name and the Job occupation . This will Help a lot. Thanks
Your position about amnesty is fair.
Why do those who abuse the system seem to prosper?!?!? I applied back in 2004 and spent over $3,000 in the process.
I find it appalling this is even an issue. There should be absolutely no blanket amnesty for illegals. I am a law abiding American citizen in the process of legally immigrating to Canada. Like billions of law-abiding citizens, and countless millions of law-abiding immigrants around the world, I am demonstrating my worthiness of entry and eventual Canadian citizenship by abiding by Canadian immigrant laws. Like all other legal immigrants, I am putting forth a lot of money, time, effort, and hassle to obtain residency in a new country of choice. I am watching as the Govts. of both the U.S. and Canada make a mockery of their immigration systems by even suggesting such a blanket amnesty. While neither country could round-up and send back all their illegals if they wanted to, the truth is: they do not have to! Just enforce the laws that make hiring, employing, housing, and otherwise aiding illegals - illegal. This will mostly rectify the problem of illegals on its own.
There probably are very specific case-by-case situations such as certain refugee situations, or certain family situations of legal immigrants that one could potentially make a valid argument to allow amnesty.
Unfortunately, the blanket amnesty both Canada and the U.S. are batting around regarding their illegals only seems to be a benefit to their corporations. Corporations which can exploit an undocumented labor force with very low wages and illegal working conditions, and an undocumented illegally existing cheap labor force working without paying full taxes and contributions to society with little chance of repercussion to either side.
If there is a projected long-term labour shortage, then the Govt. can adjust quotas and programs to attract more legal immigrants in a sustainable fashion to fill these gaps.
Absolutely NO! to blanket amnesty for illegals!
Thaddeus (a LEGAL American and LEGAL Canadian-in-the-making)
With reference to DRC's comment,I would like to say that he got it wrong by saying that,those who have been in Canada for years illegally should be sent back home.
DRC,do you believe in God Almighty?Do you know that the earth is the Lord's and the Fullnest thereof?.The fact that you and your family were opportuned to get into Canada legally does not warrant you talking like that.In my opinion,there is no place like home and nobody enjoys breaking the law-since one knows the implication of doing that.Those people you are seeing as "wetbacks" are human beings and I believe,it is circumstances beyond their controls that forced them to leave their native countries in order to survive in a strange Land.
If I may asking are they not contributing to the economic development of Canada by taking up the jobs that you DRC can't imagine doing!
Please I would like to advise,you employ everything within your power to advocate the legalisation of their status,so that they can start paying the TAXES you feel have made them a cheat.Because I can also deduce from your comment that,their illegal status which in one way or the other prevents them from paying taxes because they don't have S.I.N is a kind of cheating on you-since you with a legal status always pay your taxes.
Please let's make the world a better place by sharing things with those that have none,afterall we are all going to leave this world for another world;and when we leave we don't take anything with us.All the wealth ends here on earth.So let's be our brothers keepers.
Simon writes from Lagos Nigeria.
The same things happen wit me too. I was leaving in Canada from 2000 to 2004 . I come like refugee from Bulgaria. In this time I get married . My life is Canadian. The Emigration board refuse my application for lending immigrant . They ask me to come back to Bulgaria to apply for lending in Romania base of my marriage . In office in Romania they again refuse my application . Now I leave separately wit my wife. In Canada I was have very successes full business . We install the systems for remote video monitoring and the business start very good. For example I can say that we supply the ministry of transportation in Quebec.
But the wife is not that we like to be , the wife is that’s happen .
In conclusion I like to say that I really love Canada. I meet very good friends there ,and I really glad that I still have them . I hope that one day I will come back .
Good luck for all of you.
Kriss Alexander
kriss_alexander@abv.bg
Simon, virtually nobody leaves their home country by choice. Poverty, unemployment, dangerous government regimes, oppression, and no sign of it ever improving in the foreseeable future. I am leaving the U.S. for these very same reasons you and people all over the world are on the move.
The best demonstration of obeying the law when entering a new country is to obey that country's immigration laws. The result of not doing so is typically arrest, deportation, or finding yourself up a creek without a paddle. Just like the result of robbing a bank is arrest, imprisonment, or worse in some countries. Why do you seemed surprised there are implications for breaking the law? Why do feel it fine to be in complete breach of such laws with illegal entry into a country and then expect a country to roll out the red carpet for you?
Canada I suspect is like the U.S. in that it reports its unemployment rate on the percentage of people filing for unemployment benefits just after losing a job. Tens of millions who are unemployed what is often years after those meager benefits are exhausted are not counted.
Myself and all the other unemployed (or so underemployed that it's the same thing) folks I know who have been that way for years are not proud and will work any job that pays a living wage. One cannot even pay taxes, let alone health care, a roof over head, fund a retirement, etc, etc etc, on the $1-$7 jobs that abound that illegals mostly end up filling. Wages this low force a person to instead spend their time looking for a living wage rather than working such jobs. A situation big corporations love - illegal exploitation of the most desperate.
The U.S. and I'm guessing Canada too could rectify it's unemployment rates by enforcing its immigration laws, which would force companies to pay a living wage. Companies would then find they have to start obeying the labour laws that have been on the books for years. When a living wage is paid, the unemployed that already exist in that geographical area could afford to fill them.
Simon, im afraid its just not that simple....Simon. I have worked illegaly in Canada before, reason being i had a criminal conviction and was refused entry. This is why Canada is such a clean, polite and gracefull country. Can you imagine granting amnesty to thousands of convicted peolpe trying to dodge the system? I can assure you sir, this is a massive reason why peole are working illegaly in Canada today.
OK - well maybe it's also time for Canada to drop all the red tape and let us easily return to Canada with our wives and kids (natural-born abroad to us)?
I work for an international organization and feel as such, and since Canada gets to claw back the national assessment portion of my salary, that my wife should begin her permanent residency clock while we are abroad - but no such luck. Now I hear they want to start taxing us on top of the national assesment too!
Yeah, go on keep bringing in low-skilled immigrants and keep giving the Canadian professional expats more and more reasons to never come back..It's your call CIC. Adieu.
I agree that it is not worth the effort to go the illegal route.If you want to live and work in a new country you must play by the rules. The host country must also play ball. For example , we applied for landed immigrant status back in 2004 up to and including today we have had no reply as to the status of our application,that is 28 months later.Maybe this also plays a significant role in people taking the illegal route. We have spend thousands of dollars taking the legal route. Seems it is easier,quicker and cheaper taking the ilegal route.I shall personally never take the illegal route but the thought has crossed my mind since I am still waiting for a response where as other people , who took the illegal route, is allready setteled in , have jobs etc. Where as our lives are on hold while we await the descision of the immegration dept. How much longer will we have to wait? Another 28 plus months? Just a thought.
One of these posts suggests that Canada "enforce the laws that make hiring, employing, housing, and otherwise aiding illegals - illegal. This will mostly rectify the problem of illegals on its own."
By denying illegals the means to feed and shelter themselves, it sounds like this writer is suggesting we let all illegals die of neglect.
Obviously, this is a reprehensible suggestion. But I understand the suggestion comes from a place of frustration. Namely, the frustration of having to pay through the teeth to enter Canada, while many seemingly pay nothing.
First of all, many non-status Canadians want an amnesty exactly because they are paying a price they don't want to pay. It's an emotional price, compounded by the potential cost of losing their whole lives should they eventually be deported.
But furthermore, I think it's important to consider exactly why anyone has to pay to enter Canada at all. Remember that Canada was founded as a British colony. The Chinese were brought to Canada to complete the crucial nation-building project of a coast-to-coast railroad. Having risked their lives in the Rocky Mountains, these workers thought they would be able to live in Canada, and bring their families over too.
The British thought otherwise, and levied an immigration tax on all Chinese wishing to enter Canada. This effectively ended the risk to 'White Canada', as it called in popular songs of the time.
The Komagatu Maru incident illustrates well how the racially prejudiced logic of immigration in early twentieth century Canada was extended to other races (mostly Punjabi Seik in this case). For a history of immigration in Canada, you can check out
http://www.web.net/~ccr/history.html
The immigration system is a tax designed to keep out undesirable. Today the system discriminates against the poor rather than people of colour, although there's a good deal of overlap there.
I understand that people who are literally invested in the system get angry at those undesirables who escape the system's reach. But understanding the purpose of the system, I think we should try to be compassionate to non-status Canadians. Not only should we grant an amnesty, but we should continue to question the discriminatory logic of the Canadian immigration system.
I fully agree that no amnesty should be given to those who are here through lying and deceit. many of them are a drain on the system causing me to pay higher taxes. Each person should be judged as an individual, taking into consideration their contribution to society, personality, honesty, family relationshipetc. Have they been on social assistance should be of great importance.
Personaly, I think the problem lies with the immigration authorities. If we consider that immigrants are only trying to better their lives it is logical to assume that the immigration officers are also trying to better their lives as well.
If they do not appear to be discriminating and let anybody into the country they will probably lose their jobs. It doesn't matter if they let criminals into Canada( they do)as long as they can appear to be doing some usefull work.
I don't think they are doing usefull work.
Consider Mexico: The economy of Mexcio is boosted by Canadians and Americans spending their money in Mexico. Mexico doesn't suffer because of this but Canada suffers from a lack of workers. If Canada's economy was weak Mexicans would be allowed to enter Canada freely and without hassle and intimidation.
Fellow immigrants and family members:
If you have immigrated legally or are immigrating legally... GREAT for you. My wife had the opportunity to immigrate not because of her qualifications but of my national birthright to marry whoever I want to. No illegal immigrants I know wanted to immigrate illegally because they couldn't afford to do it legally or they didn't have the time or effort to do it. They did it because they are sure they will be denied. It took my wife 5.5 years of tiny steps for something that should have been a lot simpler, but I will not judge an "amnesty" as being unfair to me or her.
BOTTOM LINE:
If you're frustrated with the immigration system, complain about the system. I'm know you're right to think it's slow, expensive, inconvenient, and inefficient.
Imagine for me if you would be more accepting of an "amnesty", if it was legislated to be more expensive and longer than all other processes?
late in the game on this one, but let me add a quick comment: people who are here illegally pay nothing into the system because they make nothing from the system. $8/hour and you want them to pay taxes on that? it's typically food chain behaviour: everyone bears down on the ones below them. why dont' people try saving up and exercising their energy to complain about the manipulation of the corporate world that continue to line their pockets at your expense. you dont think you're part of the food chain? you are - you're the rank just under the rich and they're not paying taxes at all....because of you and me.
now THAT's a battle worth fighting.
if you had to feed your kids and look for a better life you would. what makes you such a proud ambassador for this country? that you're trying to deny people the right to better their life? look around - this country is founded on immgiration. i'd take a look at your own origins before you decide denying peopel opportunity is such a great idea....
it's 2007. hopefully a new page to a better chapter...
To all the people who appose of amnesty, I think its really sad of them. There was a comment I read here that if as the person called us "wetbacks" do not have a sin card we all should be sent packing. Well here is a little information for him/her. I have been here in Canada since I was sixteen years old and trying to get my papers now for half of that time, I am now 34, I have a sin card, I have paid taxes in the past, I have a drivers permit now, always had a bank account and a credit card, I've been able to rent apartments, get phones under my own name, pretty much do everything everyone else can do, except vote, or travel out of the country. However, I still I'm unable to get the immigration to say yes to my application. Now I ask you, what do you make of this. I've spent a lot of money with lawyers and immigration and still nothing has come out of it so at one point going underground for me was the best thing. Now I do have a little money saved, a good job and also a good place to live...so I ask myself why can't I be recognized by the immigration. Its fustrating and sad and leaves people like me to try and survive however we can so don't always blame us, because sometimes we have no choice for doing what we do and being here illegal.
Thank you
Man... it is sad seeing what some people think of those who are trying to make a better life for themselves. Every day on TV we see commercials for Save the Children... we see starving people, dying people, helpless people...yet we here in this land of opportunity fail to see those among us, who if push comes to shove, will become the faces of tomorrow's commercials.
How would you feel if that were your family.......imagine that. I am not saying that many of the Immigrants are from poverty stricken countries, but trust me, many of them are only here because the pros far outweighs the cons.In this case, the grass is greener on the other side.
Being in Canada illegally is more worth while than being in a country where there is unemployment, crimes, and life not fit for any human being.
The answer may not be Amnesty , but who's to say that it isnt.
It's funny how so many people oppose amnesty, yet, some of these poeple are the ones who hire the illegals......what does that mean? Yes, people, some members of our society enjoy the fact that labour is cheap, even though slavery has been abolished, in the minds of some, illiegal labour is just as eqivalent.
On the other hand, not all illegals are productive beings ... this in lies the problem ... If Canada has to grant amnesty, then it should be based on Standards Test where it is up to the immigrant to prove what he/she has to been up to since being here ... that includes employment, housing, social relationship...etc.
Furthermore, I strongly believe that all illegals should be given the opportunity to right themselves after having to prove their contribution to the Canadian System.
So my dear opposers of amnesty....no matter what your reason for opposing.... the fact remains "illegals" are here, they are not going anywhere.......SO GET USE TO THEM.
Besides them, without them.....who would babysit your kids for next to nothing, who would do your dirty laundry, clean your house......
Then again, if i were you, Id not want to grant them amnesty either because frankly....i'd want to have my cake and eat it to...
Remember......God takes care of his own...so no matter what...GOD TAKES CARE OF HIS PEOPLE!!!!!
hi i lived in toronto for 10 yrs i love canada i work 2 jobs 1 part time 1 full time if i was to be granted legal status in canada iwould pay like everyone else in to the system i m from east europe.ceau
Can you tell me why illegals are able to get drivers licenses even though they are illegal in Canada?
Do we even check proper documents to see whether or not they are even criminals?
I know of illegals who come for the Caribana Festival, and its a very known fact in their countries that if they arrive in Canada they can easily go underground, and no one will ever find them.
Stop this craziness. Lets build a safer Canada.
I do not agree with DCR, but it's just me.
I think the goverment should regulate and give landed status after a certain period of time, Let say 5 years.
I'm here with my daughter for 7 years, And I always paid TAX-es. (Had 3 jobs at same time and paid baby-sitter)
Goverment let people get comfortable here, making theme believe ,if you behave, pay your taxes, you may stay.
But at the end, the send you home and let the one stay who's on welfare.
Is that fair?
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