Truemors
Opinion
Barry Artiste, Now Public Contributor
We have all seen the Visa Credit Card Advertistement, which quotes "Change is Good, but Life Takes Visa", The Canadian Government taking a cue from Advertisers, prefer a "Chequebook" with a "healthy bank balance" to the tune of "$400,000.00" for "Immigrants" looking to get the "Immigration Red Carpet" treatment and immediate Permanenet Residency as soon as you hit the Tarmac.
For the rest of the "Immigrants, "Keep your Spare Change".
For example, since the transfer of Hong Kong to China in late 1989, Canada looking to cash in on the influx of nervous Hong Kong residents, put up a $250,000.00 Immigration cash incentive to those wishing to get out before the Chinese Communists came a Knocking. Hong Kong residents came in droves.
British Columbian citizens especially around the lower mainland took notice as house prices all of a sudden were kept more in line with the Governments $250,000.00 Immigration requirement saw Hong Kong Residents shell out $250,000.00 in the Canadian Economy as house prices also climbed to $250,000.00.
Later in 2000 when Prime Minister Chretien and his Enterprising Liberal Government upped the ante for immigrants to $500,000.00.
BC Politicians, area Realtors, Home Builders and Speculators, certainly not one to miss an opportunity off the backs of new Immigrants, saw the mad influx of Chinese Immigrants and upped the Immigration requirements to $500,000.00 per person, nonplussed well heeled Hong Kong citizens paid and came in greater numbers. Yet, today the Chinese community is incensed over a 85 year old 1920's Canadian Government $500.00 Head Tax? Gee, I think I would direct my incensed energy over a Half Million dollar Head tax. Cause that is basically what it is.
It is also about the exact time houses in the lower mainland of BC climbed close to the $500,000.00 mark as well.
Coincidence? For most Immigrants looking to get the "Hell outta Dodge", to them, "It's Priceless". For the Rest of the Immigrants not able to buy their way into Canada, as ING advertisment states "Save your Pennies and watch your Savings Grow" , cause Canada only does Green.
Certainly one can hope this new immigration bill will put all immigrants on equal footing. But as they say, Money Talks and Bullshit Walks.
Mythbusters, Immigration StyleIn the realm of mass misperceptions in this country, it is hard to find an area of government, public policy or politics more muddied by misinformation than the wonderful world of immigration.
Unfortunately, a population already infused with bad data is the perfect dupe for the kind of exaggerated claims being made by all sides in the current debate over the Conservative government's proposed immigration reforms.
The government isn't helping. For instance, the immigration department couldn't provide a simple demographic breakdown of the 900,000 people the government claims are in line to get into Canada.
In an effort to inject some cold reality to the increasingly heated debate about Canada's ethnic mosaic, herein some of the more popular immigration myths, and some inconvenient truths. Most of the latest available government stats are for 2006, and based on averages.
Myth: Visible minorities now make up about half the Canadian population.
Fact: The figure is about 16%, although that number is obviously higher in Toronto and Vancouver.
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