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Can Canada provide a refuge for the Japanese who wish to leave Japan?
Fri, 2011-04-01 13:31
#1
Can Canada provide a refuge for the Japanese who wish to leave Japan?
Fri, 2011-04-01 13:40
#2
There are many Japanese people in shelters without any hope of returning home because their homes are gone and as the situation with the nuclear power plants escalates there is further evidence that radiation is contaminating food and water, given this it seems to me that there must be some who feel they would like to leave. Can we offer them refuge?
Fri, 2011-04-01 16:54
#3
probably easier to relocate within japan where their families and friends are, but i'm sure the expat community here could help if needed.
Sat, 2011-04-02 22:34
#4
The population of greater Tokyo is 35 million, how do you evacuate that many people? To where in Japan?
I agree that it would be most appropriate for the Japanese community here to take the lead on sponsoring Japanese families but I wonder if many aren't still in some sort of denial about the situation there and focused on helping them with their immediate needs and then rebuilding. Where are they going to rebuild though? Some of that land is now gone and some now toxic.
What happens when your land is so poisoned that you can no longer live there? I think of the Tibetans when the Chinese invaded and when they could no longer live in their homeland India offered them refuge. Perhaps people do not want to look at this next stage of environmental disasters but can the world just watch as many die by radiation sickness?
Sat, 2011-04-02 22:39
#5
Maybe we should wait until they ask? And then discuss with other countries as well? I personally don't want 35 million immigrants to Canada, from anywhere. Call me irresponsible.
Sat, 2011-04-02 22:46
#6
Boom Boom
In an earlier thread I proposed that Canada could easily re-settle hundreds of thousands of refugees of natural disasters. This is a big country. And - if the refugees of natural disasters want to come here in the first place!
Sat, 2011-04-02 22:58
#7
They need to evacuate about 3 million for now by what I've read. This is a real humanitarian crisis - nothing that would concern our corrupt stoogeaucracy in Ottawa. They barely do their jobs some small percentage of the time without detailed instructions from either Bay Street or Washington, one or the other. The feds will likely offer a pittance in relief aid, like they did for the 14 million victims of flood in Pakistan - they sent a paltry $2 million.
But when it comes to doling out billions to profitable oil companies, and car companies mostly foreign-owned and controlled and mainly by rich Americans, our corporate hirelings in Ottawa are tripping over one another to help out as a rule.
Mon, 2011-04-04 10:04
#8
I wouldn't recommend Canada as the first save haven coming to mind for Japanese people, given our history.
Mon, 2011-04-04 10:25
#9
And I think that given our history we might want to help them at this point.
Mon, 2011-04-04 10:27
#10
If we were to set up a table of criteria for accepting refugees in large numbers, what factors would be on it? In what order of importance?
How many populations, right this minute, need urgent resettlement?
Which people are in most immediate physical danger?
To which are we currently giving no help or inadequate help... or violence?
Which have the least hope of returmning to their original homes, or resettlement elsewhere in their own country?
How much habitable, sustainable room does Canada have for a fresh influx of population? Saying it's a big country is all well and true, but the caribou can't take a lot more hunting and the water available for farming in Alberta is already depleted and a 2-bedroom house in Ontario goes for $250,000 and Nova Scotia can't attract enough doctors for its present needs. I mean people require more than space: shelter and jobs, electricity and schools, transportation and hospitals and a future. If the Harpoons do win a majority, how many of the people already living here - native, settler or migrant - have a future?
Mon, 2011-04-04 10:55
#11
Absentia, good questions and perhaps a topic for a separate thread.
My question is regarding Japanese people who are currently being exposed to radiation, I recognize this does not include the many people around the world who also need refuge.
Mon, 2011-04-04 11:02
#12
Maysie
ennir, I need to share my opinion that the premise of this thread is extremely offensive.
The idea that Canada is this neutral liberal welcoming country is a lie.
The idea of "helping" is colonial and patronizing.
What are people in Japan asking the world for right now? If anything?
And I think that given our history we might want to help them at this point.
I see. So it's not about actually "helping" anyone in Japan then is it? (The colonial idea of "helping the less fortunate" never is, by the way). It's about Canada's presumed "ego"? Are you perhaps imagining that "helping" people who are rich enough to emigrate from Japan will somehow balance the treatment of Japanese Canadians 60 years ago? Whatever.
In my opinion this thread is beneath the level of discourse on babble and should be closed.
Mon, 2011-04-04 11:36
#13
ennir, I need to share my opinion that the premise of this thread is extremely offensive.
The idea that Canada is this neutral liberal welcoming country is a lie.
The idea of "helping" is colonial and patronizing.
What are people in Japan asking the world for right now? If anything?
And I think that given our history we might want to help them at this point.I see. So it's not about actually "helping" anyone in Japan then is it? (The colonial idea of "helping the less fortunate" never is, by the way). It's about Canada's presumed "ego"? Are you perhaps imagining that "helping" people who are rich enough to emigrate from Japan will somehow balance the treatment of Japanese Canadians 60 years ago? Whatever.
In my opinion this thread is beneath the level of discourse on babble and should be closed.
Wow!
I don't hold to the view that Canada is a "neutral liberal welcoming country" but I do feel that we are a country that could help and as far as "helping people who are rich enough to emigrate" I suspect many of those whose homes have been washed away and are currently in shelters are not rich enough to emigrate.
I have a personal interest in this, just as everyone else here has personal interests in the topics they post on, my heart goes out to the people of Japan who are now living with the fear that the air they breath and the water they drink and the food they eat is poisoning them. I am sorry you find this "beneath the level of discourse on babble". Wow again.
Mon, 2011-04-04 11:39
#14
Maysie
ennir, this thread isn't about the overwhelming tragedy in Japan, nor is it about the horrors that the people in Japan are going through whose homes have been destroyed, who can't access clean air, food, water. I've made no comments about that.
This thread is about "What can Canada do to help". A notion and idea grounded in a buncha stuff I said already that you disagree with.
My answer, as others have stated, is:
What are the people of Japan asking for?
What have they identified as their needs, which I don't assume is a short list.
My guess is emigrating is far down the list, especially to a North American country. But that's just me.
Mon, 2011-04-04 11:42
#15
I think this thread should say open so the patronizing ideas about "charity" being espoused can be thoroughly debunked.
Mon, 2011-04-04 11:49
#16
Maysie, this thread would not exist except for the overwhelming tragedy in Japan.
I don't know that the Japanese would ever ask for anything but our offering does not have to be dependent on that and I don't see offering refuge as suddenly 35 million people wanting to emigrate to Canada but I do think there may be some that might want to come for a time.
Sometimes an offer of help is simply that, it does not have to be tangled up in colonialism.
Mon, 2011-04-04 13:26
#17
I honestly don't think ennir meant to be patronizing or colonial or anything of the sort. I think the question was sincere and motivated by sympathy for suffering people, regardless of any other consideration.
But there are other considerations, always, and as we all bring different baggage, we weigh those matters differently and react differently to trigger-words.
Mon, 2011-04-04 13:41
#18
Snert
I have to wonder, if Darlington were to start to overheat, how many of us would be hoping that Japan is prepared to offer us refuge? I'm not sure that would make my top 100 thoughts.
Mon, 2011-04-04 13:51
#19
In a disaster situation like this, I think it would be okay for our corrupt stooges to extend a range of unconditional offers to the people of Japan.
Mon, 2011-04-04 18:53
#20
Tigana
Canada suspends mobile radiation measurements around Vancouver, BC “until further notice” as radioactive cloud looms (VIDEO)
http://enenews.com/canada-suspends-mobile-radiation-measurements-around-vancouver-bc-further-notice
Physicians have "deep concerns" about impact on Canada from Fukushima
http://enenews.com/physicians-have-deep-concern-about-canada-being-impac...
Mon, 2011-04-04 18:55
#21
I honestly don't think ennir meant to be patronizing or colonial or anything of the sort. I think the question was sincere and motivated by sympathy for suffering people, regardless of any other consideration.
But there are other considerations, always, and as we all bring different baggage, we weigh those matters differently and react differently to trigger-words.
Thank you for your understanding absentia.
In the community I live in when people lose their homes to fire it is news and people step up and offer help, many Japanese people are losing their homes to another kind of fire, a radioactive fire which has not been extinguished as of today. The disaster has not ended for them.
Wed, 2011-04-06 11:39
#22
Over two hundred families from Taiwan have offered to host Japanese families, sorry I can't provide the link.
Wed, 2011-04-06 12:49
#23
Canada suspends mobile radiation measurements around Vancouver, BC “until further notice” as radioactive cloud looms (VIDEO)
http://enenews.com/canada-suspends-mobile-radiation-measurements-around-vancouver-bc-further-notice
The fixed point measurements are still available. Spam filter would not allow me to post the link
Wed, 2011-04-06 19:11
#24
And thank you Fidel.
Tue, 2011-05-17 10:15
#25
Tue, 2011-05-17 12:13
#26
remind
Heart breaking ennir, but yet what they are calling for...seems like putting a bandaid on open heart surgery.
Tue, 2011-05-17 13:22
#27
They do raise the issue of children being evacuated and they do say,
"Since TEPCO sponsors a number of nation-wide mass media, major TV stations and newspaper companies in Japan are not positive about such actions. We therefore would like to appeal to you press people outside Japan for assistance.
Please report as much as possible on this problem. Please disseminate it to the world.
Please pursue the status quo of the children being exposed to radiation.
Please endeavor to save the future of children together with us."
Tue, 2011-05-17 15:14
#28
remind
Yes, I read that, hence my heart break, but speaking about it with anyone, brings out dead silence.
And I am not sure they could evacuate those children living 20km away anyway, they are probably so irradiated that they would cause the same to those they come in contact with.
The news silence of this is infuriating. Just yesterday a news reader was reading along when confusion showed on her face as she read about the flooding in Arkanas as being the worst natural diaster of our time.
Even here there is pretty much dead silence about it. I do not understand it.
Tue, 2011-05-17 19:58
#29
I think we are in shock.
Tue, 2011-05-17 20:46
#30
remind
The population's 'alleged' shock at this happening has no bearing on the news silence around the world about it.
And I am not so naive that I believe the silence here is shock, on the part of the many.
Tue, 2011-05-17 22:23
#31
That is true but then there is little in the news that is relevent.
As to here I cannot say, I appreciate the other thread that is posting alternative reports on what is happening there, I suppose indifference is another option, denial........perhaps many are simply worn down with grief at our utter stupidity.
Wed, 2011-05-18 10:05
#32
remind
That is true but then there is little in the news that is relevent.As to here I cannot say, I appreciate the other thread that is posting alternative reports on what is happening there, I suppose indifference is another option, denial........perhaps many are simply worn down with grief at our utter stupidity.
I can get on board with the part of your comment that I bolded...for some for others I think it is fear. Fear on many different levels. Still for others it is greed.