Cape Breton island welcomes American refugees

[OttoVonBismarck]

I think the reality is a little different. I think opposition to "normal" immigration is based off of long term nativist beliefs. I think acceptance of refugees comes from the "immediate response to a crisis."

[Malthus]

Which is odd to me--because even with influxes of Muslims a lot of Europe is going to suffer debilitating demographic collapse. It just seems odd that you'd not be doing anything proactive about that. Canada like the U.S. is in better shape in that regard, but it's just odd that you wouldn't want educated immigrants with job skills AND refugees. The United States accepts both, albeit it's not as liberal on refugees these days (sometimes we have been--we had a very liberal policy to Vietnamese refugees for a couple decades until that program phased out.)

Part of that was that the "Boat People" were seen as more likely to be pro-US, while there is a lot of fear that Muslims immigrant will prove not to be - this fear is a lot weaker in Canada (hence a lot more liberal Canadian policy).

But yeah, I agree that it is strange that western countries are not more pro-immigration from other western nations.

[Malthus]

Clue me in on the reference?

That nations have no friends, only interests. Yet here they are not pursuing interests for the purposes of being good friends.

I think if it was purely up to the statesmen, the nations would not accept humanitarian refugees. However, in democracies, the statesmen must respond to what is popular, and at least be *seen* as acting in a moral manner if the electorate demands it (our shiny new Liberal Canadian government is very big on this, and it has paid off for them.  ).

Though historically speaking, accepting refugees has usually turned out pretty well for those western nations who have done so, in the long run, however horrified local nativists have been. If modern Europe and its Muslims turns out to be an exception, it will be interesting to analyze just why this should be so.

[Barrister]

Which is odd to me--because even with influxes of Muslims a lot of Europe is going to suffer debilitating demographic collapse. It just seems odd that you'd not be doing anything proactive about that. Canada like the U.S. is in better shape in that regard, but it's just odd that you wouldn't want educated immigrants with job skills AND refugees. The United States accepts both, albeit it's not as liberal on refugees these days (sometimes we have been--we had a very liberal policy to Vietnamese refugees for a couple decades until that program phased out.)

Umm, I don't know about the US, but we have a point-based system that strongly favours immigrants with skills and education (plus who can speak english or french)...

[Maximus]

I think if it was purely up to the statesmen, the nations would not accept humanitarian refugees. However, in democracies, the statesmen must respond to what is popular, and at least be *seen* as acting in a moral manner if the electorate demands it (our shiny new Liberal Canadian government is very big on this, and it has paid off for them.  ).

Though historically speaking, accepting refugees has usually turned out pretty well for those western nations who have done so, in the long run, however horrified local nativists have been. If modern Europe and its Muslims turns out to be an exception, it will be interesting to analyze just why this should be so.

If you let them in but don't accept them you get the worst of both worlds. IMO this has been a problem in Western Europe for decades.

[Valmy]

I think if it was purely up to the statesmen, the nations would not accept humanitarian refugees. However, in democracies, the statesmen must respond to what is popular, and at least be *seen* as acting in a moral manner if the electorate demands it (our shiny new Liberal Canadian government is very big on this, and it has paid off for them.  ).

Well the recent Canadian election and its use of dead kids on beaches is not typical is it? I mean I have certainly not seen that dynamic decide a US election.

Though historically speaking, accepting refugees has usually turned out pretty well for those western nations who have done so, in the long run, however horrified local nativists have been. If modern Europe and its Muslims turns out to be an exception, it will be interesting to analyze just why this should be so.

Well how long have Western Nations been opening their doors to non-western refugees? Hardly a sample large enough that one can just declare 'how could this ever go wrong ever?' I think it is a new enough phenomenon for different possibilities to be a concern, particularly in ethnic-based nations.

[Malthus]

I think if it was purely up to the statesmen, the nations would not accept humanitarian refugees. However, in democracies, the statesmen must respond to what is popular, and at least be *seen* as acting in a moral manner if the electorate demands it (our shiny new Liberal Canadian government is very big on this, and it has paid off for them.  ).

Though historically speaking, accepting refugees has usually turned out pretty well for those western nations who have done so, in the long run, however horrified local nativists have been. If modern Europe and its Muslims turns out to be an exception, it will be interesting to analyze just why this should be so.

If you let them in but don't accept them you get the worst of both worlds. IMO this has been a problem in Western Europe for decades.

This is my impression as well.

[OttoVonBismarck]

Which is odd to me--because even with influxes of Muslims a lot of Europe is going to suffer debilitating demographic collapse. It just seems odd that you'd not be doing anything proactive about that. Canada like the U.S. is in better shape in that regard, but it's just odd that you wouldn't want educated immigrants with job skills AND refugees. The United States accepts both, albeit it's not as liberal on refugees these days (sometimes we have been--we had a very liberal policy to Vietnamese refugees for a couple decades until that program phased out.)

Umm, I don't know about the US, but we have a point-based system that strongly favours immigrants with skills and education (plus who can speak english or french)...

I thought that it required you to have employment lined up and that the employer documented no Canadian suitable for the position could be found?

[Barrister]

I think if it was purely up to the statesmen, the nations would not accept humanitarian refugees. However, in democracies, the statesmen must respond to what is popular, and at least be *seen* as acting in a moral manner if the electorate demands it (our shiny new Liberal Canadian government is very big on this, and it has paid off for them.  ).

Well the recent Canadian election and its use of dead kids on beaches is not typical is it? I mean I have certainly not seen that dynamic decide a US election.

I think a lot of people drew the wrong lessons from that incident.  While the NDP and Liberals rushed to top each other on doing more to help migrants, the Conservative poll numbers actually went up at that time.

Canada isn't all that different from anywhere else.

[Barrister]

FWIW, Cape Breton itself is not actually behind the website.

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/cape-breton-trump-219442

[Malthus]

FWIW, Cape Breton itself is not actually behind the website.

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/cape-breton-trump-219442

Heh, interesting: it's not official, but the officials are all for it.

"Where he lives is a beautiful place and he gave some great imagery and great content," the official said, adding that the person in question had "done a fine job as positioning Cape Breton island as a place people will want to visit and live."

[Valmy]

Hey maybe if Trump wins we can all apply for refugee status.

[dps]

If I was going to move, it would be to somewhere warmer

Belize.  They speak English, and AFAIK they have no extradition treaty with the US.

[PRC]

I thought that it required you to have employment lined up and that the employer documented no Canadian suitable for the position could be found?

That's a little different.  That's for the Temporary Foreign Worker program which was hobbled by the Conservative government just a couple years ago severely damaging hospitality and other service industry type jobs that rely on foreign workers like fast food, etc.

Those temporary foreign workers may or may not be seeking to become Canadians.

[lustindarkness]

I have heard Costa Rica is a good place live and that the US $ goes a long way there.