Martin pledges to remove immigration landing fee

[JomZ]

Liberal Leader Paul Martin will pledge to kill a costly immigration landing fee in an effort to lock in the traditional support of new Canadians.

Martin announced during a campaign stop in B.C. Tuesday that he will roll back the $975 fee if he is re-elected in the Jan. 23 election.

"For many Canadian families with immediate relatives overseas, one of the challenges that they have faced is the $975 right of permanent residence fee," he said.

In 2000, refugee claimants were exempted as well.

The government had claimed the fee was imposed to cover costs associated with processing applications. Yet opponents criticized the fee, saying it was a money grab.

Martin made the announcement in an area where large blocs of Asian-Canadian voters could make the difference in several key ridings in the Jan. 23 election.

The landing fee will be phased out over the next three years. The fee will drop immediately to $600, then to $300 after 12 months, and finally to zero within the next two budgets.

The fee was introduced by the Liberal government in 1995 and applied to adult immigrants. But children and orphaned relatives applying for immigration were exempt from paying the fee.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canadavotes2006/national/2006/01/03/martin-immig060103.html

Score another point for Martin.

Although there is a lot of problems with immigration it doesn't seem to be the biggest issue in this election.

 

[MMMike]

$975 for an adult person moving to this country is too much??? It is peanuts. This move is more about begging for votes from recent immigrants than sound policy. Of course... what else can be expected to motivate the Liberals??

 

[the caracal kid]

somehow all the reactionary talk about a particular group of immigrants and gun violence, combined with it easier for people to immigrate make me think of the irony of a worst case scenario where Martin's plans completely backfire.

in reality though, a person wishing to bring their spouse to canada and is here living the "canadian dream" of low wages and poverty would certianly appreciate not having such a cost associated with re-uniting.

We can do more to increase the prosperity of immigrants, or we can just remove barriers to becoming the "working poor". Canada seems to like importing more potential "working poor" to do all those tasks seen as unbefitting a canadian.

 

[Texas1]

Remove the fee, well he started it, i guess it's only fitting

 

[JomZ]

Uh oh, apparently this announcement last night was to sabotage the Conservatives announcement today that was similar.

Harper implies that the Liberals caught wind of this speech and through his speech out there to deflate the impact of Harpers speech today...

Conservatives would reduce immigration barriers
Last Updated Wed, 04 Jan 2006 11:33:11 EST
CBC News
Stephen Harper courted the immigrant vote on Wednesday, promising to cut the immigration landing fee, and work to have foreign credentials recognized in Canada.


COMMENTARY: New Canadians and the political process
The Conservatives would cut the $975 landing fee in half immediately, and work to reduce it over time to $100, Harper said at a news conference in Mississauga, Ont.


Stephen Harper, Wednesday.
"Immigrants and their families should be allowed to keep more of their own money in their pockets to start a new life in Canada," Harper said.

The announcement comes a day after Liberal Leader Paul Martin said he would eliminate the landing fee, which he himself introduced in 1995.


FROM JAN. 3, 2006: Martin to scrap immigration fee

Harper accused the Liberals of making up policy on the fly, and said Martin is now running against his own record.

Saying immigrants deserve better than the treatment they have received in recent years, Harper promised the Conservatives would reduce barriers to immigrants trying to build a better life for themselves.

"The biggest barrier to new Canadians is the frequent failure of Canada to recognize legitimate foreign credentials," he said.

"Wherever this happens, not only are the dreams of individuals and families shattered, but Canada as a whole is deprived of all they have to offer."

Harper said his government would create a new agency for the assessment and recognition of foreign credentials, working eventually to have those credentials recognized even before the immigrants arrive in Canada.


INTERACTIVE: Parties & Issues

There are many people who left jobs as doctors or other professionals in their own countries to come to Canada, where they end up working as janitors or driving taxis.

Harper bristles at patriotism question

Harper also responded to accusations that he is less patriotic than other leaders.

Responding to reporters' questions, Harper said Martin is the leader who has been musing about a Parti Québécois victory in Quebec, and said the Liberal leader had avoided paying taxes in Canada while running Canada Steamship Lines.

Martin, he said, lived much of his corporate life under the flags of Barbados and Liberia for tax purposes.

Martin was head of the shipping company until 2003. Its operations were kept in a blind trust after he entered politics.

His three sons now control the firm. Its ships have often flown the flags of foreign countries.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canadavotes2006/national/2006/01/04/elxn-tories-immigration.html

 

[DasFX]

Liberal Leader Paul Martin will pledge to kill a costly immigration landing fee in an effort to lock in the traditional support of new Canadians.

Why is this such a big announcement? The people this directly affects can't vote anyhow. These "new" canadians aren't going to get their money back. 1000$ to come to Canada is a bargin if you ask me!

 

[Jersay]

$975 for an adult person moving to this country is too much??? It is peanuts. This move is more about begging for votes from recent immigrants than sound policy. Of course... what else can be expected to motivate the Liberals??

Don't forget that some immigrants that are trying to come to Canada don't have that much money anyway. So 1,000 dollars is a alot of money to them.

 

[Texas1]

$975 for an adult person moving to this country is too much??? It is peanuts. This move is more about begging for votes from recent immigrants than sound policy. Of course... what else can be expected to motivate the Liberals??

Don't forget that some immigrants that are trying to come to Canada don't have that much money anyway. So 1,000 dollars is a alot of money to them.

if they can't afford $1k how are they going to rent a apt, house, food, clothing..........

 

[Jersay]

Because some have families that are already in Canada that support them in their stay here until they are sorted out and on their feet.

 

[Hank C]

If it is true that Paul Martin and his Liberals found out the CPC was going to make the announcement and then beat them to the punch, it seriously raises questions about the honesty and integrity of Mr Martin. To me he is the most phoney and shameful PM I have ever seen in Canada, but we only deserve who we vote for!

 

[Jo Canadian]

Because some have families that are already in Canada that support them in their stay here until they are sorted out and on their feet.

Yep! That's what families are for man. Support. The ones who come over with nothing and no support are in most cases refugees of some sort, and there are programs to help assist those who require the help.

 

[FiveParadox]

There was a leak in a Conservative campaign announcement? Mr. Harper should resign until the "investigation" is complete.

 

[Jersay]

:lol:

good one!

 

[Suzique39]

Re: RE: Martin pledges to remove immigration landing fee

There was a leak in a Conservative campaign announcement? Mr. Harper should resign until the "investigation" is complete.

:cheers:

 

[zoofer]

Notice how everything is backloaded? Has the Liberals ever loaded a promise upfront?
Besides their perks pensions etc.

There must be a mole/spy/fifth columnist/ traitor/cum Senator/ planted in the Con party to supply the leaks.

If found he should be leaked upon for undermining Canadian values.

 

[Hank C]

If it is true that Paul Martin and his Liberals found out the CPC was going to make the announcement and then beat them to the punch, it seriously raises questions about the honesty and integrity of Mr Martin. To me he is the most phoney and shameful PM I have ever seen in Canada, but we only deserve who we vote for!

...not only this, but it was Paul Martin himself that helped bring this fee in the first place. Does he really think Canadians are that dumb?

 

[zoofer]

As reported it is just another user fee.

At the time, the landing fee was justified as a fee-for-service, no different from the myriad of other fees Canadians are forced to pay for government services. The money was collected to defray the cost of processing applicants and other services offered immigrants. And, as a recent Fraser Institute study proved, Canada's liberal immigration policies are a financial burden to other Canadians -- especially in regard to unskilled "family reunification" immigrants. This being so, the landing fee made sense when it was introduced, and it makes sense still.
As an example of the sort of costs involved, consider the recent Liberal pre-election spending spree, which contained a promise to quadruple the amount of money Ottawa will pour into language training and other services for immigrants in Ontario, a deal worth $920-million. The amount each immigrant in Ontario receives in federal funds for skills development would jump to $3,400 in five years.

Such an investment is arguably justified -- without it, immigrants will continue to trail dismally behind native-born Canadians in income, and so will continue to pay little in taxes and place a disproportionate demand on social programs. Still, it illustrates that immigration comes with a cost attached to it.

Mr. Martin said the $975 fee had become "a barrier" to immigrant families trying to reunite with relatives from abroad. So too are airfares. Will the taxpayers of Canada next be on the hook for those?
Just another user fee

 

[Hank C]

Yea it is a user fee...I support Harper plan on cutting it rather than Martin plan to completely getting rid of it then sending taxpayers the bill.....

 

[the caracal kid]

...not only this, but it was Paul Martin himself that helped bring this fee in the first place. Does he really think Canadians are that dumb?

we need to recognize that most politicians view the populace as a stupid short minded herd in need of the right "carrot" to lead it.

this is so ingrained into the society at large, that to even challenge the foundation of the political structure is met with resistance. A true testament to social engineering.

 

[Hank C]

...not only this, but it was Paul Martin himself that helped bring this fee in the first place. Does he really think Canadians are that dumb?

we need to recognize that most politicians view the populace as a stupid short minded herd in need of the right "carrot" to lead it.

this is so ingrained into the society at large, that to even challenge the foundation of the political structure is met with resistance. A true testament to social engineering.

yea all politicials view the populace like this....but when a Liberal is campaigning against something he brought in, then it has gone to a new level. :lol: