Once Upon A Time

There was a time when Canada's immigrant population was far more homogeneous than it is now. Many of its immigrants came from English-speaking countries; Britain, Scotland, Ireland; the mother country. Many more came from Europe, they were Caucasian. Those who were brought into the country to labour mightily where no one else would, were often orientals and they faced great discrimination.

Canada was not kind to its visible minorities. Although black Americans, escaping slavery, made their way into parts of Ontario and Nova Scotia, they lived as free men and women, but still faced grave discrimination. Canada's native populations, the First Nations people, always faced bigoted discrimination. And Jews faced the legends "no Jews or dogs" for entry to private clubs and universities.

That was once upon a time. Now Canada celebrates itself as a tolerant, multicultural country whose pluralist society represents ethnic groups, cultures, and religions from across the world. Once upon a time there were no special social programs through government agencies that existed to assist immigrants to adjust to their new, adopted country. No language study groups, no social service agencies to provide introductions to society and social assistance.

Immigrants adapted, they learned the language, they worked at menial, subsistence jobs, they raised their children who attended schools and adopted Canadian customs with the language, and they melded into society. If they had assistance it was far more likely to come from those of similar backgrounds who saw it as a duty to help others. There was practical assimilation.

It is now far more costly for Canada itself to embrace, encourage and absorb immigrants. There is a recognized humanitarian aspect to immigration that did not exist in much earlier days, once upon a time. Family reunification, for example; before, family sponsored family by paying for every aspect of their emigration and taking responsibility for adjustment and investment in the future.

Once upon a time there was no universal health care, nor the broad social services seen today. Earlier immigrants had a difficult, often miserable time adjusting on their own, and they lived in helpful communities that offered support. New immigrants also live in communities that offer support, but support is there in many other ways, government-sponsored at every level.

And it is immensely costly. The cost underwritten by the taxpayer. A new study by the Fraser Institute points out that for every immigrant coming to the country it costs an average of $6,000 over what government spends for all Canadians in terms of social supports. Since 2004, it has been estimated the total cost of integrating immigrants reached $25-billion.

Family unification, bringing over parents and grandparents to join their adult children with young families is a costly affair because the parents and grandparents have nothing to offer to Canadian society. No language capability, nor working skills, and because of their advanced age, a need for health care and other services, and eventually old-age supplements.

Immigrants do not, even after their first decade of employment in the country, earn salaries commensurate with the average population, and therefore pay less taxes. They consume the same amount of social programs as other Canadians while adding less than the majority of the population to the tax base.

A longer-range thought process might come to the conclusion that eventually, with the second and the third generation, all those 'differences' will have been expunged; the children of immigrants, adapted into Canadian society and the workforce will earn what other Canadians do, and pay for their own social services.

And they all live happily ever after.