Reduce the welfare state, not immigration
May 17, 2011 - 5:48pm
An article in the national post:
"The solution to this problem is not to end family reunification (which, in 2009, accounted for less than a quarter of all immigrants). It is to downsize our bloated welfare state, a change that would not only address the $25-billion shortfall described by the Fraser Institute, but that would benefit all Canadians, both new and old alike."
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/05/17/national-post-editorial-b...
The Fraser Institute study that the National Post editors are so upset about:
http://www.fraserinstitute.org/uploadedFiles/fraser-ca/Content/research-...
What a crap study, followed by a crap editorial.
Canada wants skilled workers — but it also wants people who will embrace Canadian values. Those values include hard work, but also respect for the family.
Racist, xenophobic tripe.
Now if they wanted to reduce the REAL welfare state - the military and corporate one - that would be another story.
Who cares what the Nazi Post thinks.
What has this story got to do with anything progressive? You can find a piece of crap like this everyday on the MSM. Why pollute babble?
Reduce corporate welfare? Hike corporate tax rates? Where do I sign up?????
Um, does anyone else smell a troll?
Only one post to go on, but yes.
Maybe eyesonly should have left it that way!
Believe it or not, I have actually read a few bits of good writing in the Post. For that reason it's even more mystifying that they let that "convenience store" line past the editor.
I could blame it on one of the gross stereotypes levelled at journalists, but that would be unkind.
Here's a slightly different take on the issue that might be more of a breath of fresh air:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20051870-503544.html
(there's a link to him presenting the motion)
That's what we need in our House of Commons - more satirists.
this isn't all that surprising to me, they're just prepping us for the "austerity measures" we're going to have rammed down our throats under a majority conservative government.
Pretty wild comments on this issue here:
http://www.news1130.com/news/local/article/227664--immigrants-costing-ca...
Actually, I'd be interested in your comments, eyesonly. So far you've merely posted links to racist and xenophobic comments and opinions of others, without commenting yourself. Do you have anything to say about any of this?
Freedom 55 -- I don't like where the discourse on immigration is heading in Canada. People did not say stuff like this a decade ago. This is starting to look like Britain and France. Whats interesting too is the reaction of the national post to this fraser institute paper. They don't like it and have been attacking it in other articles in the paper.
The answer to your question, Freedom55, appears to be "no".
I didn't know Newt Gingrich was on babble.
Can we please give eyesonly the benefit of the doubt here? There's nothing here that indicates this new poster is a troll. In fact, s/he's said "I don't like where the discourse on immigration is heading here." Stand down, babblers!
Welcome, eyesonly. I think you're on the level, but it might help to clarify your above comments--we get a lot of trolls here on babble, especially post-election, so forgive our suspicion. I'm assuming you meant that Canada is starting to respond virulently to immigration in the same panicked way Britain and France are. I agree--it's quite scary. The MK Sun Sea boat of Tamil migrants last year remains a potent recent example.
I don't blame the National Post for its criticism of that bastion of progressive thought - the Fraser Institute.
Isn't it fun when right-wingers have a tiff?
@ Rebecca West
I don't have a problem with it either..... in fact some of their criticisms in the editorial are spot on.
It's when the writer starts to come up with alternative solutions that they go off the rails.
Plus.... I try to remember that the Fraser Institute came out in support of marijuana legalization close to a decade ago, So as right wing as they are, it is always good to evaluate their proposals at face value, not based on who is making them.
I don't blame the National Post for its criticism of that bastion of progressive thought - the Fraser Institute.
Isn't it fun when right-wingers have a tiff?
The editor will tell you it is proof they are an unbiased paper.
the Fraser Institute came out in support of marijuana legalization close to a decade ago, So as right wing as they are, it is always good to evaluate their proposals at face value, not based on who is making them.
Like Pat Robertson?
@ Maysie
ha ha... God one... I mean Good one.
I don't want to take this thread on a tangent, but I'm serious. I think no matter how ridiculous the source, sometimes the idea is the right one, or at least may be pointing in the right direction. There are enough cases of strange bedfellows on the left and right of an issue.
Like I said, some of the criticisms in the editorial - regarding contributions of non-wage earners, for example - are valid, even though the analysis and conclusions are completely screwed.
And in case I need to state it clearly, I think the editorial is completely vile.
To be clear what the Fraser Institute is advocating is not about family reunification. The message in its study is privatize immigration. Go figure!! The National Post doesn't disagree with that it just wants to up the ante to an attack on the welfare state. The Fraser Institute would not disagree and I am sure the NP can find lots of its studies proving how Canada's welfare state is ruining the economy.
We propose changes in Canada’s immigrant selection process that are not anti-immigrant, but are instead aimed at replacing the present failed system with one that uses market forces to select immigrants and thus to determine the level of annual inflows. The basic instrument proposed for the selection of immigrants is reliance on legitimate job offers issued by approved Canadian employers. This private system is to be supervised by the government to ensure those immigrants’ earnings are high enough to prevent the imposition of fiscal burdens and that immigrants do not pose a risk to public health and safety.
Now, at the beginning of the second decade of the twenty-first century, with Canada facing large cyclical deficits, we need to have a no-holds barred public discussion of proposals to reform the immigrant selection procedures. We need to resolve the problem soon because growing structural deficits are expected to emerge over the next few decades as a result of the aging of Canada’s population and the unfunded liabilities of Canada’s social programs. We cannot afford to add the growing fiscal burdens imposed by poorly selected immigrants to this toxic fiscal brew that is undermining the Canadian welfare state. Canada’s immigration system is badly broken and mere tinkering, as the government has been inclined to do, will not be enough to fix it. Nothing less than a totally new approach will do.
Author of the study Herbert Grubel has an article today in the post:
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/05/18/herbert-grubel-the-invisi...
They are arguing for a Saudi Arabian style immigration policy. Temporary workers at the tender mercies of their employers. This is a win win for Canadian business. By expanding the temporary worker program the corporations get labour costs at below a living wage and it simultaneously dampens wages generally since everyone in this great future will get to compete for a living with people who are little more than indentured servants.
We need immigrants from all classes and more refugees. They need an easier path to citizenship not one predicated on how well they can doff their cap to the master.
good point shoveler. It's like they're saying since we can't compete with the slave wages and zero worker rights in the countries all our major corporations are doing business, maybe if we just let them bring the workers here and treat/pay them the same way, it appear would solve all our problems. Then we can say we created jobs!
i think if you're good enough to come work here and make our companies money, you're good enough to live here permanently with all the accompanying rights.
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/05/18/scott-stinson-on-the-cabi...
Sometimes they DO sort of get it right.
Yeah but look at the hate directed by the conbots in the comment section. My loathing of the right has reached new levels after this election. The "My team won so suck it!" Is so fucking childish and stupid. Its NOT YOUR FUCKING TEAM did you win a prize or something. No you are getting the shit kicked out of you, but I guess thats OK because its your friends and not some random stranger...stupid conervatives.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2011/05/20/housing-rbc-affordabili...