No Way To Populate a Country

No Way To Populate a Country

"At a time when we need more adjudicators to have refugee claims processed faster, how is this [car and chauffeur provided to the new chair of the Immigration and Refugee Board at a time his office is stretched trying to tackle a surge of asylum seekers entering from the U.S.— at a cost of $78,562 annually] going to have a positive impact on the processing time?"
"This is problematic when the board is struggling to find resources and innovative ways to improve efficiency to deal with the growing backlog [of refugee claimants]."
Francisco Rico-Martinez, FCJ Refugee Centre, past chair of the Canadian Council for Refugees

"That money [$1.18 billion over five years in the latest budget,to increase border security and speed processing of asylum claims] was put there in order to ensure we have appropriate border security approaches but also improve the processing speed for immigration Canada."
"So if someone comes across the border [and] claims asylum, we want to make sure we process that quickly so they either are moved back to where they came from, if it's inappropriate, or in the case where they are legitimately seeking asylum, we deal with them in a compassionate and rapid way."
Finance Minister Bill Morneau

Asylum seekers get ready to cross the Canadian border at Champlain, N.Y., Friday, August 4, 2017. The 2019 federal budget promises a new border enforcement strategy that will cost $1.18 billion dollars over the next five years. (Ryan Remiorz/Canadian Press)

Canada -- a roomy, large open landscape yearning to be peopled. The second-largest geographic location that labels itself a nation in the world, with a modest population of only just over 37 million people. People originally from all across the globe, joining the indigenous aboriginal communities long settled in the country. People who have undergone a regulated immigration system to qualify for admission and to make a new life in this broad, diversified landscape of mountains and lakes, prairies and rivers, forests and oceans.

Immigrants who fled persecution in their home countries, looking for economic opportunities away from crowded countries where education, health services and security were all in short supply. Immigrants who arrived with few belongings but great hope and aspiration. For whom, on arrival, no government handouts were available, no services of any kind, and what they managed to accomplish they managed on their own initiative, appreciating the opportunity to do so.

They raised families and their children became fully integrated into the prevailing culture, and themselves seized any and all opportunities to advance themselves, as Canadian citizens with a view to honouring their country and serving their own interests at the same time. It's not as though Canada has just sat back and waited for its residents to gain wealth for the nation blessed with huge natural resources, and to multiply, enlarging the population base by natural means.

Immigration levels in a country of 37 million people are robust, roughly a quarter to a third of a million people annually are admitted and welcomed as permanent residents and eventually qualifying for citizenship to boost the population base. Carried out in an orderly manner, the economy rises and employment is available for everyone and social welfare fills in the gaps temporarily until people establish themselves.

The evolution of mass communication and transport has meant that word gets around and so do people. A change in administration in our neighbour to the south brought a President who resolved to do what his predecessors struggled with to little avail; relieve the country of its enormous number of illegal residents. Causing a mass panic with a spillover into Canada across the border from the United States. People, hordes of people who have chosen to migrate and declare themselves refugees deliberately bypassing legal entry points for illegal entry and declaration of haven-seeking.

Canada committed itself to a humanitarian intake of 60,000 Syrian refugees. Most have been in the country between two and three years, and among those aged 20 to 59 who arrived in 2015 and 2016, 24% of males and 8% of females were employed on Census Day (May 10). This compared with 39% of male and 17% of female refugees from other countries. Since there were no government handouts in much earlier waves of refugee intake and immigration, employment was of necessity higher, even among those with little command of English.

Illegal migrants crossed the border from the U.S. into Canada amounting to 42,000 through several years; people who bypassed legal avenues to enter illegally as a deliberate ploy to declare refugee status and take advantage of Canada's generous social welfare, where even if they are disqualified they will live in the country for two to three years while under Canadian law appealing the decision for deportation, provided with education, health care and temporary work visas.

Last year, Canada welcomed 321,065 immigrants who applied legally at consulates and embassies around the world to emigrate from their countries of residence or birth to Canada. This number does not include the irregular -- illegal entry of economic migrants bypassing official ports of entry to walk across the border with the knowledge that once they declare themselves refugees they will be given access to Canada's generous welfare benefits.

The first wave of illegal migrants represented Haitians living on temporary visas as an American humanitarian gesture following the earthquake and tsunami in Haiti when those who had taken advantage of U.S. generosity were determined not to return to their country of origin at the lapse of their visas, and to enter Canada instead. The second wave was comprised largely of Nigerians who secured temporary travel visas to the U.S. with the intention of arriving there and immediately transiting to the closest border point to declare themselves 'refugees'.

This file photo taken on Aug. 5, 2017 shows refugees who crossed the Canada/U.S. border illegally near Hemmingford, Quebec being processed in a tent after being escorted by the RCMP.    GEOFF ROBINS/AFP/Getty Images

When illegal crossers walk into Canada bypassing official border posts, the RCMP makes a show of 'arresting' them, but in effect, courteously ushers them toward a legal post where they are invited to make their claim for refugee status. This process has seen the RCMP spend over $6.6 million in the past two years to process asylum-seeking migrants at Canada’s busiest illegal border crossing in Lacolle, Que., the expense reflecting  personnel overtime and maintenance of a satellite office, as well as funds spent on buses to transport the migrants, including diapers, baby food and car seats.

Toronto and Montreal have seen their emergency housing totally overwhelmed by the presence of the migrants, accommodation meant to serve the needs of Canadians requiring temporary emergency shelter but now too crowded to fit their needs. The spillover of migrants has seen the necessity of renting hotel rooms, other housing units meant for low-income or homeless people, costing both cities hundreds of millions in costs to feed, house and provide medical care for the illegal entrants.

A group of asylum seekers arrives at the temporary housing facilities at the border crossing Wednesday May 9, 2018 in St. Bernard-de-Lacolle, Quebec. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz