Dichotomy
Banned
75 years ago, immigrants got off the train or boat with nothing and received nothing. That is not the case today. There is an entire industry built around their well-being: an industry that is extremely adept at knowing the system and protecting that system. An opportunist is someone who comes here expecting hand outs and for things to be easy. The bedraggled Poles and Italians that came here 75 years ago expected nothing and got nothing.
It is also not helpful to the discussion to keep dragging out 'who got here first.' Recent evidence points out that the Vikings preceded the 'aboriginals' and we know the aboriginals immigrated here, too. How far back do we want to go? I don't know how my ancestors got here. In fact, on my father's side, there is a castle and a town in Wales named after my family. I wouldn't think they came here to feather their bed, but I don't know.
I readily admit my partner came here as a tourist - nothing more. He stayed because of me. Many a times he wanted to throw in his studies and head back to his (paid for) condo in Sao Paulo. Unlike some, I have lived how difficult it is to learn this language - not studied it in a book. I have seen the immigration system from the inside.
I know a lot of professionals are leaving Mexico because of the corruption and poor living conditions - but wouldn't Mexico be better off if they stayed? The middle class is what that country needs, not the peasants and the idle rich.
There are a lot of Canadians who would work in Tim Horton's, just not at $8 an hour. So I'd pay .25 more for a coffee - hell, Starbucks charges double anyway.
The business conservatives and the social liberals make strange bedfellows when it comes to immigration policy
It is also not helpful to the discussion to keep dragging out 'who got here first.' Recent evidence points out that the Vikings preceded the 'aboriginals' and we know the aboriginals immigrated here, too. How far back do we want to go? I don't know how my ancestors got here. In fact, on my father's side, there is a castle and a town in Wales named after my family. I wouldn't think they came here to feather their bed, but I don't know.
I readily admit my partner came here as a tourist - nothing more. He stayed because of me. Many a times he wanted to throw in his studies and head back to his (paid for) condo in Sao Paulo. Unlike some, I have lived how difficult it is to learn this language - not studied it in a book. I have seen the immigration system from the inside.
I know a lot of professionals are leaving Mexico because of the corruption and poor living conditions - but wouldn't Mexico be better off if they stayed? The middle class is what that country needs, not the peasants and the idle rich.
There are a lot of Canadians who would work in Tim Horton's, just not at $8 an hour. So I'd pay .25 more for a coffee - hell, Starbucks charges double anyway.
The business conservatives and the social liberals make strange bedfellows when it comes to immigration policy