EU Immigration Crisis Megathread

[Eddie Teach]

Second, Mono and his family were not refugees.  The government of the day had a policy that actually gave them preference over other immigrant classes.  It was a silly policy for the reasons I have explained.

Mono and his family were Commonwealth citizens being abandoned to the PRC. That policy makes perfect sense.

[crazy canuck]

I am not sure how you can possibly equate Mono's situation with that of a Syrian family in 2015.

Well, maybe I am not racist?

You demand the EU gives the same thing to refugees that you believe was  a waste to give to the Mono-era immigrants.

If you don't see a distinction between an investor class migrant and a refugee I think we can narrow down the source of our disagreement on these issues 

[crazy canuck]

I am not familiar with the changes to Canadian immigration laws after my departure, but my sense is that the HKers stopped going to Canada largely because everybody who wanted to go had already done it.  Most people are also aware that Canada is an economic dead end for us.

The investor class immigrant has been abolished for a few years now.

[Tamas]

I am not sure how you can possibly equate Mono's situation with that of a Syrian family in 2015.

Well, maybe I am not racist?

You demand the EU gives the same thing to refugees that you believe was  a waste to give to the Mono-era immigrants.

If you don't see a distinction between an investor class migrant and a refugee I think we can narrow down the source of our disagreement on these issues 

You declared that any kind of money spent on Commonwealth citizens was wasted because they could leave/have left. Yet you think cost should not be a consideration when looking after illegal immigrants coming from foreign countries. As long as we are talking about the EU, and not Canada, that is.

[crazy canuck]

You declared that any kind of money spent on Commonwealth citizens was wasted because they could leave/have left. Yet you think cost should not be a consideration when looking after illegal immigrants coming from foreign countries. As long as we are talking about the EU, and not Canada, that is.

Really?  Where did I say Commonwealth citizens?  My point is that what has been spent on the investor class immigrants we gave priority to up until a few years ago has been entirely counterproductive because they largely did not stay in the country. 

That has nothing to do with refugees for a large number of reasons, not the least of which is those refugees will probably stay in Canada.  That fact that you continue to lump in refugees with investor class immigrants (the ultimate in economic migrants) is, at the very least, telling.

[Tamas]

You declared that any kind of money spent on Commonwealth citizens was wasted because they could leave/have left. Yet you think cost should not be a consideration when looking after illegal immigrants coming from foreign countries. As long as we are talking about the EU, and not Canada, that is.

Really?  Where did I say Commonwealth citizens?  My point is that what has been spent on the investor class immigrants we gave priority to up until a few years ago has been entirely counterproductive because they largely did not stay in the country. 

That has nothing to do with refugees for a large number of reasons, not the least of which is those refugees will probably stay in Canada.  That fact that you continue to lump in refugees with investor class immigrants (the ultimate in economic migrants) is, at the very least, telling.

So only rich people got help then? I did not kno wthat. I can understand your feelings then.

[crazy canuck]

More to the point only rich people in the investor class category received priority treatment.  I think we would have received a lot more benefit if we had focused on things like family reunification during those years.  People that are actually going to stay here and create more stable family structure.

[Valmy]

I am frankly ashamed of my countries response.

Yep

[Ancient Demon]

The only controversy has been the number we will take which imo has been too low.

I suspect any number less than all would be too low for you.

Another controversy has been what types of "refugees" to take, with people like you claiming that it's racist to make any distinction between persecuted minorities and Islamists (even though the UN defines a refugee as being from a persecuted group).

[crazy canuck]

Another controversy has been what types of "refugees" to take, with people like you claiming that it's racist to make any distinction between persecuted minorities and Islamists (even though the UN defines a refugee as being from a persecuted group).

Maybe in your mind.  But the reality is that the Conservatives had temporarily halted the processing of the refugees in order to do an audit to ensure the UN was in fact identifying bona fide refugees.  The audit results confirmed that the UN process was valid and so the Conservative government restarted accepting the refugees.

[Monoriu]

I am not familiar with the changes to Canadian immigration laws after my departure, but my sense is that the HKers stopped going to Canada largely because everybody who wanted to go had already done it.  Most people are also aware that Canada is an economic dead end for us.

The investor class immigrant has been abolished for a few years now.

We didn't apply under the investment class.  Lots of people I knew went to Canada under family reunion as well.  Just because somebody went to Canada for family reunion purpose doesn't mean he will stay.  Bottom line is it is much more financially beneficial to work in HK/China, so people won't stay in Canada.

[Monoriu]

More to the point only rich people in the investor class category received priority treatment.  I think we would have received a lot more benefit if we had focused on things like family reunification during those years.  People that are actually going to stay here and create more stable family structure.

Chinese generally go to Canada as an insurance.  The purpose is almost always political.  Doesn't matter if you call it investment or family reunion.  They'll find a way if they are desperate, and they are.  And then whether they stay or not will depend on if they value their career in this side of the pond more, or if they want to have an easy life in Canada. 

[crazy canuck]

More to the point only rich people in the investor class category received priority treatment.  I think we would have received a lot more benefit if we had focused on things like family reunification during those years.  People that are actually going to stay here and create more stable family structure.

Chinese generally go to Canada as an insurance.  The purpose is almost always political.  Doesn't matter if you call it investment or family reunion.  They'll find a way if they are desperate, and they are.  And then whether they stay or not will depend on if they value their career in this side of the pond more, or if they want to have an easy life in Canada.

I doesnt matter what I call it.  It matters what policies the government has and what kind of immigrants those policies attract.  The investor class immigrants were always going to be the passport of convenience types.

[Monoriu]

I doesnt matter what I call it.  It matters what policies the government has and what kind of immigrants those policies attract.  The investor class immigrants were always going to be the passport of convenience types.

But I imagine the passport types don't really take much from you guys either.  They don't need welfare, that's not why they go to Canada.  Maybe a university education or two for their kids.  Maybe some healthcare. 

A lot of the investment immigrants stay.  The typical practice is that the father and grown sons go back to China/HK to work, while the wives, daughters, and grandparents stay. 

[crazy canuck]

I doesnt matter what I call it.  It matters what policies the government has and what kind of immigrants those policies attract.  The investor class immigrants were always going to be the passport of convenience types.

But I imagine the passport types don't really take much from you guys either.  They don't need welfare, that's not why they go to Canada.  Maybe a university education or two for their kids.  Maybe some healthcare. 

A lot of the investment immigrants stay.  The typical practice is that the father and grown sons go back to China/HK to work, while the wives, daughters, and grandparents stay.

Yeah, and then the wives and children dont pay any property tax because they apply for indigent status based on their Canadian earnings which are basically zero.  So the kids are here getting a free education in every sense of the word since the property taxes that are supposed to be paying for the schools are not being paid.  Not to mention the free health car and other benefits that are not being supported because no income is being declared in Canada.  It has become a real problem in the Vancouver area.  The Province is about to introduce legislative changes to address that issue so that families drawing income from abroad can no longer claim the property tax reduction.  That was meant for retired folks so that they were not forced to move.  Not people scamming the system.   The Feds will also be introducing tax reform so that resident families are also taxes on their income abroad...