Canada defends visa change for Mexicans, Czechs
July 14, 2009 - 6:56pm
Apparently too many of them are claiming refugee status:
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney defended the imposition of new visa requirements on Mexican and Czech citizens Tuesday in a bid to stem a surge in refugee claims by visitors from those countries.
"We're not talking about the kinds of people that are living in UN refugee camps by the millions who are victims of war and state-sponsored persecution," Kenney told CBC in an interview.
Source. Ah, but of course. Mexico and the Czech Republic are our friends, so by definition they don't violate their citizens' human rights.
It's cynical and self-serving in the extreme, since the government doesn't want to spend any money on improving the refugee system. But it's not especially out of character for this bunch.
In the Czech Republic, last time I checked, the Communist Youth organization had been banned despite the fact that a number of Communists had been elected to the Czech Parliament. It all has to do with venomous hatred of the resounding successes of the Czech peace movement, compliments, at least in part, of the Communists.
I can't help but wonder about the sorts of people that would be refugees from such a situation. More left wing than the Conservative zealots in this country can stomach? Perhaps. Ditto for Mexico. Didn't Mexico have a very suspicious election in which all sorts of George Bush style allegations of fraud took place? Again, who is going to be leaving such a situation for political reasons, i.e., refugees?
Of course, it could simply be a sort of "priming the pump" in advance of an expected election and reminding all the bigoted and knee-jerk anti-immigrant supporters of the Conservatives what side their white, white bread is buttered on. It's very easy to look for some immigrants to target for some mean-spirited assaults, especially if all sorts of personal attacks, moral opprobrium, finger-wagging and so on are included in the deal. Those Conservatives love to kick people when they're vulnerable. And it's got that Jason Kenny stink all over it.
In the Czech Republic, last time I checked, the Communist Youth organization had been banned despite the fact that a number of Communists had been elected to the Czech Parliament. It all has to do with venomous hatred of the resounding successes of the Czech peace movement, compliments, at least in part, of the Communists.
Ummm, I don't think so, N.Beltov. It's about Roma fleeing racist persecution and marginalization. It's about racism on the part of both governments, I'm afraid.
As for Mexico, I find it hard to believe that we're being flooded with "left-wing" refugees from there. Would require some evidence. I'd believe economic migrants.
My understanding is that the majority of Czech immigrants are from the persecuted roma minority.
This one has struck a bit close to home. The daughter of a former landlady (is there a replacement term for that word?) is getting married at the end of the month to a man originally from Mexico. His relatives are now scrambling to get visas to attend the wedding. The prospective bride and groom where interviewed on CBC radio this morning.
ETA: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2009/07/15/wedding-visa.htm...
Just to be clear, I was pointing out that the banning of the Czech communist youth organization was about the success of the Czech peace movement. I'm aware of the Roma minority issue, but it's entirely possible that both are factors here.
There should be plenty of information about right wing Canadian governments that have adopted immigration approaches and quotas, etc., effectively encouraging immigrants (and refugees) who are more likely to have socially and politically conservative views. I don't think this is any big surprise to those who know some history about the issue.
My understanding is that the majority of Czech immigrants are from the persecuted roma minority.
And in all liklihood, the Harper government's views on Roma and other Travellers(as the British call them)would echo the views expressed in this exchange(used at part of Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger's "RADIO BALLAD" on the travellers and those who persecute them in the UK)between MacColl and Seeger's collaborator, Charles Parker, and Harry Watton the(unbelievably, LABOUR)leader of the local council in Birmingham:
Watton: How far does it come in your mind before you say: "I have done everything I possibly can...and I will help the broad mass of these people, but there are some I can do nothing with whatsoever" Then doesn't the time arise in one's mind when one has to say "All right, one has to exterminate the impossibles...."
Parker: Exterminate-that's a terrible word. Surely you don't....mean that?...
Watton: Why not?
This is the "Third way" ? Sounds like treason to ordinary working people to me.
Well, Watton said that in the early 1960's, so he could be classified as Old Labour rather than New Labour. Still, Old Labour often did badly on antiracist issues-there was Ernest Bevin's treatment of Jewish refugees, there was Harold Wilson's betrayal of Labour's anti-apartheid manifesto commitment in the 1960s(and his tacit acceptance of Ian Smith's putsch in Rhodesia).
Thread drift: Lessor?
Harper is one shrewd bastard and quite frankly, the Liberals are no match for him. We need someome a wee bit smarter than Ignatieff to take him on.
I hope all the European countries force Canadians to get visas in return.
Thread drift: Lessor?
This has been done before
http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/07/15/checking-visas/
Harper is one shrewd bastard and quite frankly, the Liberals are no match for him. We need someome a wee bit smarter than Ignatieff to take him on.
I hope all the European countries force Canadians to get visas in return."
Why would you hope that.
I think that in the case of the Czech Republic, it is Roma refugees and in the case of Mexico, people fleeing the drug war. I can see the need for caution if the latter is true... as for the Roma, their situation is really a shame and they seem to be persecuted wherever they go in Europe...
Harper is one shrewd bastard and quite frankly, the Liberals are no match for him. We need someome a wee bit smarter than Ignatieff to take him on.
I hope all the European countries force Canadians to get visas in return.
See post #13. The Liberals did this exact same thing in 1997.
Kenney reversed the Czech visa policy, in the first place, and has now reversed his own policy reversal.
Its partly a moneygrab loaded with hypocrissy and les especially about the no warning part.
Here is how they could have done it.
1) Hired extra people to process the flood of requests
2) Announced the visa requirement would go forward but that anyone who already had purchased and had proof of accomodation or travel tickets would be processed immediately.
Denying visas to people who have already made arrangements to come here before learning of the requirement is immoral.
It is also inexcusable as the flood of applicants excuse is garbage since nobody can go back in time to make arrangements. True some may not be able to prove their previous arrangements but it won't be hard for those with flight tickets or booked hotel rooms.
Czech Roma angered with the re-imposition of visa requirements by Canada
The Roma Community & Advocacy Centre (RCAC) was started in September, 1997, after the unexpected arrival of over 3,000 Czech-Roma refugees in Canada. This was the first time in Canadian Immigration history that a large number of people arriving in Canada in a short period of time requested Convention-refugee status and declared themselves to be Roma fleeing persecution because of their ethnic identity.
Since the arrival of the Czech-Roma refugees, more Roma refugees have arrived from Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, the former Yugoslavia and other countries of the former Soviet Bloc where Roma face active persecution and systemic discrimination.
According to an article by Tiffany G Petros in the November 27, 2000 edition of the Central European Review, "The Czech Republic is home to between 250,000 and 300,000 Roma, who make up the country's second largest minority population after Slovaks and have experienced long-term discrimination. It was hoped that the collapse of Communism in 1989 would improve human rights conditions for all.
"But in recent years the Roma in the Czech Republic have experienced increasing discrimination in the areas of education, employment, housing and health care. In addition, Czech Roma have become the target of racial attacks. In the wake of such developments, the issue of Roma rights has attracted attention not only from domestic politicians and civic organizations but also from the international community.
[...]
"Thus calling the Czech Roma refugees claims bogus is totally wrong," he said. "These types of comments by our immigration minister will seriously prejudice thousands of upcoming cases still waiting to be decided by the IRB.
Meanwhile, Bila promised that the Roma community will fight the report commissioned by the IRB on the Czech Republic in the federal courts, arguing that the report is beyond the mandate of the quasi-judicial body to issue a report on a single ethnic group. They've also organized a letter writing campaign and a petition to inform the public and elected leaders of what they say is "a gross miscarriage of injustice."