Perish The Thought

Canadians are sensitive and compassionate to the needs of others. It is a given that those who migrate to Canada from less privileged areas of the world, would wish to take advantage of the opportunity, once they are themselves comfortably settled in to life in the country, of the entitlements relating to family reunification. To sponsor an applicable family member, for example: parents, young siblings. To give them the opportunities that they themselves enjoy so they may flourish and thrive.

"Why should we limit the number of parents sponsored to Canada? Well, let me state the obvious reason. Elderly people place a much greater burden on the public health-care system, a public health-care system that is already in crisis, where costs are growing much faster than the economy, much faster than the population, where emergency wards are over-crowded, where wait times are enormous."

That statement courtesy of Immigration Minister Jason Kenney. And, in recognition that elderly immigrants represent a burden on Canada's health care, its social welfare system, and its social housing programs, it was announced that the parental and grandparent immigration stream is set to undergo new criteria for applicable sponsors.

The growing backlogs and excessively long wait times in the program necessitated a temporary moratorium on new applicants that dated to the fall of 2011. What was recently announced is the resumption of the program. With backlogs and wait times expected to be cut by 50%. Canada now plans to accept five thousand new applications in 2014.

What's different is that sponsors must henceforth demonstrate income levels 30% higher than what currently pertains, and promise that the financial needs of their sponsored family members will remain their personal obligation for 20 years, in place of the previous ten years. Income proof will be required, of three years' duration. Adult siblings will no longer fit the program.

Currently, said Mr. Kenney, fully a quarter of sponsored seniors end up on welfare once the legal requirement for the sponsors to support them has expired. Municipal housing authorities report that greater numbers of sponsored seniors are qualifying for and moving into subsidized social housing.

Mr. Kenney emphasized in his announcement that family reunification must proceed in a manner that Canada can afford.

"I simply do not understand why someone would apply to bring their parents to Canada from the other side of the world only then to put them into social housing. If this was about family reunification what is going on? Families say to me they want to bring their parents to Canada not to be a burden on Canadian taxpayers but apparently a large and growing number actually do end up being a burden. This is not reasonable."

But it is reality.