Saturday, August 18, 2007

MORE MEXICAN LABOURERS FOR CANADA?

As the summit between Canada and Mexico approaches, reports indicate that discussions may center upon bringing more Mexican labourers to Canada. Currently, about 12,000 Mexican low skilled agricultural workers come to Canada each year under a special program. They then go back to Mexico, but many simply stay under the radar. A sore point in Canada-Mexico relations is the increasing number of so-called "refugees" from Mexico, around 5,000 people a year, who enter as visitors and then claim refugee status, receive benefits, health care, social assistance, etc., despite that their cases are ultimately found to be groundless. This imposes a huge cost on the refugee determination system, and "clogs" it with bogus cases. Mexico is now the largest producer of refugee claimants for Canada, displacing many countries with a larger population, war, and worse human rights record. I received a call this week from a woman in Florida, seeking information on "the spacial program for Mexicans to claim asylum". According to her, some outfit in Florida has advertised a phone number, asking people to make an appointment, and "guaranteeing" a "good life in Canada". The holders of the number do not provide their name or position, but say that they are "experts in Canadian immigration". Apparently people attend at the premises, and are told that, for a hefty fee, they can be "taken to Canada" where they will be welcomed as refugees, given a work permit and a job, because "Canada needs more Mexican workers"......there is a sucker born every minute....

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