Canada may face snap poll on immigration changes
   Register

[x]

Canada may face snap poll on immigration changes


china is offline china china
Mighty Intellect
Posts: 1,632 china is a jewel in the roughchina is a jewel in the roughchina is a jewel in the rough
Location: china
china's Avatar
March 24th, 2008, 08:09 AM

Canada may face snap poll on immigration changes
China National News
Monday 24th March, 2008
(IANS)

A proposed amendment to Canada's immigration policies has triggered the possibility of fresh elections in the country. Though China is the top source of immigration to Canada, India is likely to overtake it this year.

The amendment, which will give the government sweeping powers to regulate immigration, is included in the budget implementation bill. Parliament will vote on it early next month.

While all three opposition parties accuse the immigration minister of trying to assume draconian powers through the amendment, the minister says 'nothing could be further from the truth'.

On the contrary, the minister - Diane Finley - says the amendment bill allow her government to clear the backlog of about 900,000 applications for immigration.

She told Canadian TV Sunday the amendment was aimed at cleaning up the immigration mess left by the previous Liberal party government.

Finley said her Conservative party was ready to face a fresh election if the combined opposition defeats the amendment.

'We have to make it easier to get more people here faster. We have a backlog right now that the previous government ballooned from 50,000 to 800,000. It has since grown to 900,000,' she said.

Since the proposed amendment gives her powers to block anyone's entry and decide how many immigrants from a particular country are allowed in each year, the minister tried to allay fears by saying that new measures will, in fact, speed up immigration of family members.

Currently, Canada gets about 250,000 immigrants each year, with family members accounting for about 30 percent.

If the amendment is passed, new immigration measures will come into force from February-end.

The pro-immigrant Liberal party has not yet decided how it will vote on the amendment.

'We have not yet decided how we are going to vote,' Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh told IANS.

But the New Democratic Party (NDP) has already introduced an amendment that seeks to remove proposed changes in immigration policies.

The issue is likely to heat up before parliament reopens March 31.

Major immigrant communities such as Indo-Canadians and Chinese Canadians, who traditionally support the Liberal party, will voice their concern about the new policy.

In fact, the Chinese Canadian National Council has already put pressure on the Liberal party to defeat the amendment even if it means fresh elections.

Council executive director Victor Wong said the million-strong Chinese community 'would be very disappointed in the Liberals' if they didn't defeat the amendment.

Indo-Canadian bodies have not yet reacted to the proposed amendment.
Reply With Quote
Walter is offline Walter canada
Mighty Intellect
Posts: 1,544 Walter is a glorious beacon of lightWalter is a glorious beacon of lightWalter is a glorious beacon of lightWalter is a glorious beacon of lightWalter is a glorious beacon of light
Walter's Avatar
March 24th, 2008, 08:23 AM

The election will be in October 2009 just as Mr. Harper has been saying all along.
Reply With Quote
Praxius is offline Praxius canada
Mass'Debater
Posts: 2,738 Praxius has much to be proud ofPraxius has much to be proud ofPraxius has much to be proud ofPraxius has much to be proud ofPraxius has much to be proud ofPraxius has much to be proud ofPraxius has much to be proud ofPraxius has much to be proud of
Location: Atlantic Canada
Praxius's Avatar
March 24th, 2008, 09:07 AM

"The pro-immigrant Liberal party has not yet decided how it will vote on the amendment.

'We have not yet decided how we are going to vote,' Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh told IANS."


Yes they have, they'll do exactly what they did the last two times they had to vote.... they won't and take off for a 3 hour coffee break or something, claiming they're making a statement/point by not doing their jobs.

Either way, I already know what will occur in order for her to clear this backlog:

"no, no, no, no, no, Denied, Denied, Denied..."

"... There... problem solved, me so smrt."
Reply With Quote
MikeyDB is offline MikeyDB canada
Steven Hawking's Tutor
Posts: 4,604 MikeyDB has much to be proud ofMikeyDB has much to be proud ofMikeyDB has much to be proud ofMikeyDB has much to be proud ofMikeyDB has much to be proud ofMikeyDB has much to be proud ofMikeyDB has much to be proud ofMikeyDB has much to be proud ofMikeyDB has much to be proud of
March 24th, 2008, 09:11 AM

Geeez Walter can't we have a discussion without you bringing up the topic of your idiot child?
Reply With Quote
Reply
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
About Canadian Content | Contact Us | Archive | Technology | Free Downloads | Top
(C) Copyright Canadian Content Interactive Media. Usage is subject to our Terms of Service at http://www.canadiancontent.net/corp/TOS.html