Reuters : New citizens start lives in Canada as country seeks immigrants

[Tennis]

At citizenship ceremonies across the country, new Canadians began a fresh chapter in their lives last month in a land they chose for what they saw as its diversity, safety and opportunity.

"There’s lots of multiculturalism here," said Flor Mejid, originally from El Salvador, who attended a ceremony in Calgary, Alberta. "My high school that I went to (in Canada)... there were students from the Middle East, Asia, Central America, and they all got along really well."

Mejid was one of 90 people at the ceremony, hailing from 23 countries, who became citizens weeks before Canada celebrates its 150th anniversary on July 1.

Even as the United States under President Donald Trump becomes more closed off - with a pending ban on visitors from several Muslim-majority countries and a crackdown on immigration violations - Canada's arms remain open.

After Trump issued a travel ban order in January, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted that his country welcomes all fleeing war and persecution.

Since January, nearly 3,500 asylum seekers have entered Canada illegally from the United States. In June, Canada launched a fast-track visa for highly skilled workers, seeking to take advantage of the tougher U.S. immigration environment.

"Canada will welcome a target of 300,000 new permanent residents in 2017," a spokesman for the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada federal department said in a statement.

"Planned admissions for resettled refugees in 2017 is 25,000 ... Immigration continues to play a key role in contributing to Canada’s well-being, to our economic prosperity."

During Calgary's ceremony, citizenship Judge Joe Woodward told the new Canadians of their responsibilities to contribute to society and "to keep Canada alive."

"When you become a part of Canada, Canada becomes a part of you," he said.

Yosra Boudhrioua, originally from Tunisia, did not speak fluent English when she came to Canada in 2012. But five years later, when she attended the Calgary ceremony, she was completing a degree to become a teacher.

"It doesn't put you down," she said of Canada's immigration system, which offers free language classes. "You're always up if you have the passion."

It's great to have a positive story every once in a while. Here's a heartwarming one out of Canada.

If more countries followed Canada's lead, wouldn't the world be a better place?

[the game]

As long as they aren't Mexican right?

[Tennis]

As long as they aren't Mexican right?

Mexicans are free to apply either as immigrants or refugees.

[Kapadons]

86% white. Sure is a lot of multiculturalism in Canada... when will Canada take a page from US book and embrace diversity.

[shadowmouse]

@Kapadons Interesting that you should make that point. Allow me to add a counterbalance: http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/o...out-of-mind-2/

Or it could be because we simply do not see the forest for trees. We are distracted by the stories of corrupt band councils, or flooded reserves, or another missing Aboriginal woman. Some of us wring our hands, and a handful of activists protest. There are a couple of unread op-eds, and maybe a Twitter hashtag will skip around for a few days. But nothing changes. Yes, we admit there is a governance problem on the reserves. We might agree that “something” should be done about the missing and murdered women. In Ottawa a few policy wonks write fretful memos on land claims and pipelines. But collectively, we don’t say it out loud: “Canada has a race problem.”

If we don’t have a race problem then what do we blame? Our justice system, unable to even convene Aboriginal juries? Band administrators, like those in Attawapiskat, who defraud their own people? Our health care system that fails to provide Aboriginal communities with health outcomes on par with El Salvador? Politicians too craven to admit the reserve system has failed? Elders like Chief Ava Hill, cynically willing to let a child die this week from treatable cancer in order to promote Aboriginal rights? Aboriginal people themselves for not throwing out the leaders who serve them so poorly? Police forces too timid to grasp the nettle and confront unbridled criminality like the organized drug-smuggling gangs in Akwesasne? Federal bureaucrats for constructing a $7-billion welfare system that doesn’t work? The school system for only graduating 42 per cent of reserve students? Aboriginal men, who have pushed their community’s murder rate past Somalia’s? The media for not sufficiently or persistently reporting on these facts?

Or: us? For not paying attention. For believing our own hype about inclusion. For looking down our noses at America and ignorantly thinking, “That would never happen here.” For not acknowledging Canada has a race problem.

We do and it is bad. And it is not just with the Aboriginal peoples. For new immigrants and the black community the numbers are not as stark, but they tell a depressingly similar story.

If we want to fix this, the first step is to admit something is wrong. Start by saying it to yourself, but say it out loud: “Canada has a race problem.”

Instead, Tenn feeds us feel good puff pieces that go hand in hand with this article.

[primalmatter]

They where carefully picked from a multitude of countries and chosen for the wealth they will bring to their new nation?

Who would have a problem with that?

I don't get the reason why they bring up Trump though. Surely the author isn't trying to conflate legal immigration of skilled workers with illegal immigration right? The two are not even close to the same thing. Perhaps he got confused and started writing a second article half way through his first?

[Crispin]

People would be bored to death, if the world was like Canada.

[Deleted]

If more countries followed Canada's lead, wouldn't the world be a better place?

So be very restrictive of the number of refugees 25,000 (by west europen standard) that can enter Canada (thanks to Canadas geographical location) and only cherry pick the refugees Canada want.

Then boast on the internet how good Canada refuge policy work......


Now Tennisace, what do you think Canada shall do if 50 000 young men from Middle East and Africa enter the country illegally and then calim they are childern (under eighteen) and refugees, and all "convenient" lost there ID papers in the escape?

[Zeta333]

It's great to have a positive story every once in a while. Here's a heartwarming one out of Canada.

If more countries followed Canada's lead, wouldn't the world be a better place?

no country has any obligation to let any refugees into thier country.

[Endus]

So be very restrictive of the number of refugees 25,000 (by west europen standard) that can enter Canada (thanks to Canadas geographical location) and only cherry pick the refugees Canada want.

Then boast on the internet how good Canada refuge policy work......

Refugee intake wasn't restricted to 25k. There was a specific government sponsorship program, where the Government of Canada was covering the transportation costs of the refugees from the camps they were currently at to Canada, at our expense. Thousands of refugees also entered Canada by private sponsorship in addition to those numbers. And this only counts Syrian refugees; Canada is taking in refugees from other regions, like Afghanistan and Eritrea, as well.

Focusing on one single program and pretending that that's the whole of Canada's refugee program is just not reasonable.

[Deleted]

Refugee intake wasn't restricted to 25k.
Focusing on one single program and pretending that that's the whole of Canada's refugee program is just not reasonable.

I misunderstood article, so how many refugees did get asylum in Canada 2016? or how many are Canada planing to give asylum to in 2017? Not that I speak about refugees not immigrants.

If you know it will be intresting to know how many paperless (lack of ID) refugees did Canada give asylum to in 2016?

EDIT did find the number 46,700 for 2016..... so its low compared with western Europe. My orginal point I get a bit tired on Tennisace, the he/she? go Look Canada is so good, and its not particularly remarkable.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

is this even news? since when has Canada not let people in?

i don't think they should let in "asylum seekers" from america though id rather they let people from county's with bigger problems then just not liking the president.

[Tennis]

no country has any obligation to let any refugees into thier country.

Err if they sign on to treaties then they have obligations.

[Endus]

I misunderstood article, so how many refugees did get asylum in Canada 2016? or how many are Canada planing to give asylum to in 2017? Not that I speak about refugees not immigrants.

If you know it will be intresting to know how many paperless (lack of ID) refugees did Canada give asylum to in 2016?

EDIT did find the number 46,700 for 2016..... so its low compared with western Europe. My orginal point I get a bit tired on Tennisace, the he/she? go Look Canada is so good, and its not particularly remarkable.

It's comparing apples to oranges. The major factor in determining where refugees go is their ease of access; Europe is a short boat trip from Syria, while North America is across an ocean.

This is also why Europe's intake, as significant as it may be, is absolutely dwarfed by the refugee intake in the other Middle Eastern nations;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refuge...rian_Civil_War

Sure, Germany, Sweden, and Hungary have all taken in more refugees per capita than Canada, largely because of that ease of access, but if you compare Canada to, say, France, or the UK, we're taking in a lot more. So let's not pretend it's the entire EU that's taking on that burden; it's a few specific countries.

The paperless refugee issue is a nonsequitur; they're not coming here to begin with. The sponsorship program isn't us accepting applicants who come to Canada, it's Canada going out and seeking refugees to sponsor. If they arrive on our shores, there's a different process/system. The 25k and so forth is all part of the Refugee and Humanitarian Resettlement Program, which is Canada seeking to resettle refugees from refugee camps, to Canada, likely permanently. It's entirely unrelated to our asylum system for people who arrive here and ask for asylum, which is how the refugees are arriving in the EU.

[Phlegethon]

86% white. Sure is a lot of multiculturalism in Canada... when will Canada take a page from US book and embrace diversity.

Haha, yeah and then shoot them. Murder by cops, every day of the week.
Ya derp. Oh yeah and vote a Trump into office... Ofcourse that's inclusive, retards get to be president of your country...

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People would be bored to death, if the world was like Canada.

You should visit it, it's nice. The atmosphere can be compared to Copenhagen. Less Warpigs though, so that's a bummer :s
(try Ottawa, Vancouver, Quebec City or Montreal, don't bother with Toronto)

[shadowmouse]

It's comparing apples to oranges.

And you're deliberately ignoring the point. The responses are to the continual flood of a particular kind of thread from OP:

If more countries followed Canada's lead

Deflecting to a dissection of Canada's policy, after a77 has spelled out his point, is disingenuous.

[Deleted]

Multiculturalism doesnt work.

Source: we started in the 80s when turkish/morrocan workers came to the netherlands.. western values dont jibe with masculine arabic 'power' cultures. Your willingness to share is seen as weakness, and while the 5th collone is raised in canada they ideolise and keep strong ties with their homeland;essentially forming a subculture with their iwn values and rules. On top of that the original immigrants barely learn the language and become isolated within their own communities (or homes,as with women). And finally, with other cultures comes other culture problems, from agression towards the police to misogyny- a lot of the problems from the countries these people fled are usually rooted in cultural phenomenon. And those are the parts that makes the multicultural house of cards crumble.

Now obviously these are broad strokes, but this is what happened here.

[Trassk]

Of course it wants more immigrants, it's cheap labour

[Tackhisis]

They may be skilled or educated; but we should look at their core: what true values do they share? Are they ready to betray themselves to adopt the Western concepts like "the law is about all" or "don't do to others what you don't want for yourself" instead of "every man by themself" or "might makes right"? It is those values which will be preserved and propagated in family. Canada already has large diasporas which are source of crime and corruption on all levels, and seems to be unable to tack that.

Oh, and the vibe of the whole situation: "We don't raise our own talents, we steal them from others." Very progressive.

[Deleted]

Sure, Germany, Sweden, and Hungary have all taken in more refugees per capita than Canada, largely because of that ease of access, but if you compare Canada to, say, France, or the UK, we're taking in a lot more. So let's not pretend it's the entire EU that's taking on that burden; it's a few specific countries.

Now you make number argument widout numbers....but I go back to my orginal point, Canada barg about its refugee policy, Without being particularly distinguished in a West Europa standard.

The paperless refugee issue is a nonsequitur; they're not coming here to begin with.

Yes Canada have the luxury to choose what refugee to give asylum to, that helpe a loot.

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:

If more countries followed Canada's lead

Deflecting to a dissection of Canada's policy, after a77 has spelled out his point, is disingenuous.

Yes how can we follow Canadas lead? If we do not move Europe's geographical location.