From the Toronto Star (Principals balk at reporting fights by Kristen Rushowy, June 18, 2008):
Ontario's public school principals don't want to be forced to report altercations between students, saying it would be "time-consuming, inappropriate and costly."
"While reports to the police should be made" in cases of physical assault where a student requires medical attention, among other situations, "involving the police in school life is a decision best left to educators who know students the best," says yesterday's letter to the education minister from Lisa Vincent, president of the Ontario Principals' Council.
But Tory MPP Frank Klees (Newmarket-Aurora) says the province needs "the force and effect of law which provides for consequences when the protocol is not followed."
Klees has been pressing the provincial government to close the loophole in the Child and Family Services Act, which mandates reporting of adult-on-student crime or suspicion of it, but not student-on-student.
The move comes after a Grade 1 boy in a York Region Catholic school was allegedly whipped by two Grade 8 boys in a school washroom. The school's principal did not report the incident to police nor to the boy's parents, who found out from their older child.
The parents called police immediately, and two youths have since been charged with assault and assault with a weapon.
[. . .]
Read all of Kristen Rushowy's article.
See also:
Ontario Safe Schools Act - Liberals plan to abolish zero-tolerance policy. Too many black students being expelled
Toronto schools - "The escalation of guns and violence has made lockdown practices as necessary a routine as recess"
Trinidad-born killer apologizes for brutally murdering white student
Are teachers losing control of some Toronto schools? Are gangs starting to take over?
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Urban Diversity Strategy aims to cut Toronto's black dropout rate from 40 t0 15 percent
From the Toronto Star (Cut black dropout rate to 15%, schools told by Louise Brown, June 18, 2008):
Canada's largest school board is poised to set tough targets to chop the alarming 40 per cent dropout rate among black students to 15 per cent within five years.
Through mentors, teacher training and close tracking of the most needy students, the Toronto District School Board's sweeping new Urban Diversity Strategy – to be voted on tomorrow by a board committee and by all trustees next week – would aim to make all intermediate and high schools across the city more sensitive to the demographic roadblocks often facing students of differing backgrounds.
The action plan would also target the 25 most racially diverse, low-performing schools for extra youth workers, outreach staff to work with parents, summer programs for Grade 8 students who fail any of the 3 Rs, and a network of teachers who feel passionate about working in such challenging schools.
"We know this is not going to be an easy task, but with the data we now know about our students, and with what we see is working already at some schools – plus a little bit of pressure – we know it can be done," said Gerry Connelly, the board's director of education, in an interview yesterday.
The report is one of the ways the board is responding to new data showing children from poor or turbulent backgrounds or marginalized communities often lag behind.
While trustees voted to open an Africentric alternative school in September 2009 as a sort of test lab for a more global curriculum and more black teachers as role models, the board also charged staff to come up with ways to help children at risk in all schools.
[. . .]
Read all of Louise Brown's article.
This strategy seems to be based on the premise that all students have the same potential to do well academically. But what if that's not true? What if, for example, average IQ levels differ from group to group? I suspect five years from now the Star will be publishing articles asking why the Urban Diversity Strategy failed. There's nothing wrong in trying to help black students, but don't assume that all groups will do equally well in school.
See also:
Toronto school study shows great disparities among cultural groups in academic performance
Ontario Safe Schools Act - Liberals plan to abolish zero-tolerance policy. Too many black students being expelled
High number of immigrant children places huge strain on Toronto school system
Toronto high school students who speak Portuguese, Spanish or Somali drop out at higher rates
Canada's largest school board is poised to set tough targets to chop the alarming 40 per cent dropout rate among black students to 15 per cent within five years.
Through mentors, teacher training and close tracking of the most needy students, the Toronto District School Board's sweeping new Urban Diversity Strategy – to be voted on tomorrow by a board committee and by all trustees next week – would aim to make all intermediate and high schools across the city more sensitive to the demographic roadblocks often facing students of differing backgrounds.
The action plan would also target the 25 most racially diverse, low-performing schools for extra youth workers, outreach staff to work with parents, summer programs for Grade 8 students who fail any of the 3 Rs, and a network of teachers who feel passionate about working in such challenging schools.
"We know this is not going to be an easy task, but with the data we now know about our students, and with what we see is working already at some schools – plus a little bit of pressure – we know it can be done," said Gerry Connelly, the board's director of education, in an interview yesterday.
The report is one of the ways the board is responding to new data showing children from poor or turbulent backgrounds or marginalized communities often lag behind.
While trustees voted to open an Africentric alternative school in September 2009 as a sort of test lab for a more global curriculum and more black teachers as role models, the board also charged staff to come up with ways to help children at risk in all schools.
[. . .]
Read all of Louise Brown's article.
This strategy seems to be based on the premise that all students have the same potential to do well academically. But what if that's not true? What if, for example, average IQ levels differ from group to group? I suspect five years from now the Star will be publishing articles asking why the Urban Diversity Strategy failed. There's nothing wrong in trying to help black students, but don't assume that all groups will do equally well in school.
See also:
Toronto school study shows great disparities among cultural groups in academic performance
Ontario Safe Schools Act - Liberals plan to abolish zero-tolerance policy. Too many black students being expelled
High number of immigrant children places huge strain on Toronto school system
Toronto high school students who speak Portuguese, Spanish or Somali drop out at higher rates
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Canada adds World Tamil Movement to list of terrorist organizations
From the Toronto Star (Canada brands Tamil group as terrorist front for Tigers by Paola Loriggio, June 17, 2008):
The controversial World Tamil Movement has been added to Canada's list of terrorist organizations, the latest move in an ongoing investigation that links the group to Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers.
The group's assets have been frozen and could be seized by Canada's attorney general, said Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day, who announced the decision at a Toronto news conference yesterday.
"We want to make sure any group who would help terrorist organizations is prevented from doing that," said Day. The minister would not say whether charges would be laid against the group or its members, citing a continuing government probe.
In 2006, the RCMP raided the group's office in Scarborough and seized documents that included step-by-step instructions on how to set up a front organization and indoctrinate children.
About two months ago, the federal police force sought court approval to seize the WTM's bank accounts.
In a 400-page affidavit filed in federal court, the RCMP accuses the World Tamil Movement of orchestrating a complex extortion scheme that targets Tamil Canadians and pressures them to donate money to the LTTE, a militant separatist group that has been fighting for an independent homeland in north and east Sri Lanka since the 1970s.
Published reports have previously suggested that as much as $1 million a month leaves Canada to support the LTTE. Day, however, refused to speculate on the amount when speaking to reporters yesterday.
"They (the WTM) have been collecting lots of funds," said Sri Lankan Consul General Bandula Jayasekera, describing complaints from community members who say the group harassed them for money.
"We've known for years they're the front of the LTTE – it's not a secret."
[. . .]
Read all of Paola Loriggio's article.
See also:
Tamil Tigers exploit Canadian electoral database to extort money for terrorism in Sri Lanka - RCMP alleges
World Tamil Movement leader supports Tamil Tigers but denies his group funded them
Tarek Fatah describes demands made by ethnic delegates at the Liberal convention. Tamils wanted terrorist group delisted
The controversial World Tamil Movement has been added to Canada's list of terrorist organizations, the latest move in an ongoing investigation that links the group to Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers.
The group's assets have been frozen and could be seized by Canada's attorney general, said Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day, who announced the decision at a Toronto news conference yesterday.
"We want to make sure any group who would help terrorist organizations is prevented from doing that," said Day. The minister would not say whether charges would be laid against the group or its members, citing a continuing government probe.
In 2006, the RCMP raided the group's office in Scarborough and seized documents that included step-by-step instructions on how to set up a front organization and indoctrinate children.
About two months ago, the federal police force sought court approval to seize the WTM's bank accounts.
In a 400-page affidavit filed in federal court, the RCMP accuses the World Tamil Movement of orchestrating a complex extortion scheme that targets Tamil Canadians and pressures them to donate money to the LTTE, a militant separatist group that has been fighting for an independent homeland in north and east Sri Lanka since the 1970s.
Published reports have previously suggested that as much as $1 million a month leaves Canada to support the LTTE. Day, however, refused to speculate on the amount when speaking to reporters yesterday.
"They (the WTM) have been collecting lots of funds," said Sri Lankan Consul General Bandula Jayasekera, describing complaints from community members who say the group harassed them for money.
"We've known for years they're the front of the LTTE – it's not a secret."
[. . .]
Read all of Paola Loriggio's article.
See also:
Tamil Tigers exploit Canadian electoral database to extort money for terrorism in Sri Lanka - RCMP alleges
World Tamil Movement leader supports Tamil Tigers but denies his group funded them
Tarek Fatah describes demands made by ethnic delegates at the Liberal convention. Tamils wanted terrorist group delisted
Friday, June 13, 2008
Regent Park residents 'rattled' by shootings
From the Toronto Sun (Regent Park rattled by Cris Doucette, June 13, 2008):
Regent Park residents are feeling more than a little uneasy after a brazen afternoon shooting that left an 18-year-old youth critically injured and a 15-year-old boy wounded.
Watching his two little girls play on a slide just steps from what was a bloody scene a day earlier, Iamtiaz Mohammad couldn't help but feel relieved yesterday that his children were not in the park when the gunfire erupted Wednesday.
[. . .]
Toronto Police say a group of youths were gathered behind the lowrise building on the southwest corner of Gerrard and River Sts. and there was some sort of altercation just before the bullets started flying around 4:15 p.m.
Two teenagers arrived at St. Mike's hospital minutes later in a private vehicle, bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds. The older youth was hit in his chest and the younger boy in the legs.
[. . .]
Read all of Chris Doucette's article.
There is a lot of discussion about whether or not crime in Toronto is getting worse. Some people point to statistics that show crime is not in fact increasing. I would agree that overall Toronto remains a safe city. However, the problem of guns and gangs is new. This is not something that existed twenty-thirty years ago. It is a new phenomenon and it is related to immigration policies that have brought in people from countries like Jamaica and Somalia where there are serious social problems. I'm not saying all immigrants from these countries are bad. Of course not. However, it stands to reason that if countries are dysfunctional large-scale immigration from those places will bring those dysfunctions here. I should also point out that I know full well that most of these gang members were born in Canada. They may have been born here but they are growing up in social environments that have been transplanted from other countries. You can't blame white racism for the fact that so many black children are being raised by single mothers. White Canadians don't force black men to father children with multiple women. (Though knowing Stephen Harper, I expect him to issue an apology shortly. After all, it's the only thing he's good at.) Toronto never was and never will be crime-free, but it would be a safer city if we had better immigration policies. Just to be clear, better immigration means less immigration. Much less immigration.
Regent Park residents are feeling more than a little uneasy after a brazen afternoon shooting that left an 18-year-old youth critically injured and a 15-year-old boy wounded.
Watching his two little girls play on a slide just steps from what was a bloody scene a day earlier, Iamtiaz Mohammad couldn't help but feel relieved yesterday that his children were not in the park when the gunfire erupted Wednesday.
[. . .]
Toronto Police say a group of youths were gathered behind the lowrise building on the southwest corner of Gerrard and River Sts. and there was some sort of altercation just before the bullets started flying around 4:15 p.m.
Two teenagers arrived at St. Mike's hospital minutes later in a private vehicle, bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds. The older youth was hit in his chest and the younger boy in the legs.
[. . .]
Read all of Chris Doucette's article.
There is a lot of discussion about whether or not crime in Toronto is getting worse. Some people point to statistics that show crime is not in fact increasing. I would agree that overall Toronto remains a safe city. However, the problem of guns and gangs is new. This is not something that existed twenty-thirty years ago. It is a new phenomenon and it is related to immigration policies that have brought in people from countries like Jamaica and Somalia where there are serious social problems. I'm not saying all immigrants from these countries are bad. Of course not. However, it stands to reason that if countries are dysfunctional large-scale immigration from those places will bring those dysfunctions here. I should also point out that I know full well that most of these gang members were born in Canada. They may have been born here but they are growing up in social environments that have been transplanted from other countries. You can't blame white racism for the fact that so many black children are being raised by single mothers. White Canadians don't force black men to father children with multiple women. (Though knowing Stephen Harper, I expect him to issue an apology shortly. After all, it's the only thing he's good at.) Toronto never was and never will be crime-free, but it would be a safer city if we had better immigration policies. Just to be clear, better immigration means less immigration. Much less immigration.
Toronto school study shows great disparities among cultural groups in academic performance
Below is more evidence that Canada is paying a heavy price for its senseless immigration policy. Different groups will always perform differently because aptitudes vary from group to group. I fear that the effort to achieve equal outcomes where there aren't equal abilities will cause a lot of harm. We need to be more realistic about racial and cultural differences.
From the Toronto Star (Toronto's schools fail to overcome barriers by Louise Brown, June 13, 2008):
A startling demographic snapshot of students across Canada's largest school board shows the system is failing to help children overcome roadblocks of culture, race, poverty and family background.
The ambitious personal student survey of achievement, to be made public next week, is a call to action for the Toronto District School Board to try to reduce these barriers over the next five years, says director of education Gerry Connelly.
"It confirms our belief that the status quo for too many of our students is not working," said Connelly in a covering letter for the 55-page report, which shows boys lag behind girls in almost everything including math, that teens born in Mexico tend to fail more Grade 9 courses than classmates born India, and that students whose first language is English are less likely to pass Ontario's compulsory Grade 10 literacy test than those who speak Hindi or Serbian.
[. . .]
At a board committee meeting next Thursday, staff will unveil a sweeping new plan aimed at helping students over some of these demographic roadblocks through changes that could range from curriculum and teaching staff to extra free help for certain groups.
Among some of the gaps it will try to address:
Grade 9 students who identify as gay somehow do worse at geography than those who say they are straight – although both do about the same on the literacy test the next year;
Children of single fathers are more likely to do worse at Grade 8 science than children of single mothers – and both do worse than classmates who live with two parents.
Among the 4,800 black students in Grades 7 and 8, the 400 born in Africa are more likely to earn at least a B in math than those born in the Caribbean or Canada.
While board officials are not talking until they put the finishing touches on this blueprint, leading Canadian researchers in the minefield of demographics and learning warn these numbers can be more complex than they seem.
"This isn't some sort of horse race – we do this kind of research in the interest of equity because we know kids from different countries can come to school with different degrees of preparedness, depending on the dominant values of their culture," said Vancouver researcher Bruce Garnett, who has just completed his doctorate in the achievement of immigrant students.
"It's dangerous to use this kind of data to make genetic assumptions. The differences often reflect economic status or the school system in the country you came from."
[. . .]
Read all of Louise Brown's article.
See also:
High number of immigrant children places huge strain on Toronto school system
Toronto high school students who speak Portuguese, Spanish or Somali drop out at higher rates
An effort to encourage more Portuguese students to get post-secondary education
Ontario Safe Schools Act - Liberals plan to abolish zero-tolerance policy. Too many black students being expelled
90 percent of pupils in Mississauga school come from non-English-speaking homes
Does Muslim alienation start in high school?
From the Toronto Star (Toronto's schools fail to overcome barriers by Louise Brown, June 13, 2008):
A startling demographic snapshot of students across Canada's largest school board shows the system is failing to help children overcome roadblocks of culture, race, poverty and family background.
The ambitious personal student survey of achievement, to be made public next week, is a call to action for the Toronto District School Board to try to reduce these barriers over the next five years, says director of education Gerry Connelly.
"It confirms our belief that the status quo for too many of our students is not working," said Connelly in a covering letter for the 55-page report, which shows boys lag behind girls in almost everything including math, that teens born in Mexico tend to fail more Grade 9 courses than classmates born India, and that students whose first language is English are less likely to pass Ontario's compulsory Grade 10 literacy test than those who speak Hindi or Serbian.
[. . .]
At a board committee meeting next Thursday, staff will unveil a sweeping new plan aimed at helping students over some of these demographic roadblocks through changes that could range from curriculum and teaching staff to extra free help for certain groups.
Among some of the gaps it will try to address:
Grade 9 students who identify as gay somehow do worse at geography than those who say they are straight – although both do about the same on the literacy test the next year;
Children of single fathers are more likely to do worse at Grade 8 science than children of single mothers – and both do worse than classmates who live with two parents.
Among the 4,800 black students in Grades 7 and 8, the 400 born in Africa are more likely to earn at least a B in math than those born in the Caribbean or Canada.
While board officials are not talking until they put the finishing touches on this blueprint, leading Canadian researchers in the minefield of demographics and learning warn these numbers can be more complex than they seem.
"This isn't some sort of horse race – we do this kind of research in the interest of equity because we know kids from different countries can come to school with different degrees of preparedness, depending on the dominant values of their culture," said Vancouver researcher Bruce Garnett, who has just completed his doctorate in the achievement of immigrant students.
"It's dangerous to use this kind of data to make genetic assumptions. The differences often reflect economic status or the school system in the country you came from."
[. . .]
Read all of Louise Brown's article.
See also:
High number of immigrant children places huge strain on Toronto school system
Toronto high school students who speak Portuguese, Spanish or Somali drop out at higher rates
An effort to encourage more Portuguese students to get post-secondary education
Ontario Safe Schools Act - Liberals plan to abolish zero-tolerance policy. Too many black students being expelled
90 percent of pupils in Mississauga school come from non-English-speaking homes
Does Muslim alienation start in high school?
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Police say MS-13 different from other Toronto street gangs
Yesterday Toronto police sent out a press release announcing they along with Halton Regional Police had launched raids aimed at people linked to the notorious Central American street gang known as Mara Salvatrucha or MS-13. There have been reports in the past that this gang has been establishing itself in Canada. Earlier this year a MS-13 member who admitted being a murderer was temporarily released before finally being deported.
Today Chief Bill Blair held a press conference to discuss yesterday's arrests. (You can download audio of the conference in mp3 format on the police website.) I listened to the audio this evening. Unfortunately it's no surprise to hear that MS-13 is using the refugee system to enter Canada. This is, after all, the same system that has allowed Tamil, Sikh and Muslim terrorists to set up shop here.
The police said something else interesting. In recent years, Toronto has seen the emergence of black gangs that call themselves Crips and Bloods. While these black gangs imitate the American originals, Toronto police see little evidence of actual links between the Canadians and the Americans. MS-13 is a different story. It is a transnational gang that actively recruits members in other countries. In Canada, MS-13 has been working to recruit local Latino gangs into their transnational network.
Police say yesterday's arrests stopped a plan to murder someone in the justice system, but didn't say what job in the system the target of the plot held.
Today Chief Bill Blair held a press conference to discuss yesterday's arrests. (You can download audio of the conference in mp3 format on the police website.) I listened to the audio this evening. Unfortunately it's no surprise to hear that MS-13 is using the refugee system to enter Canada. This is, after all, the same system that has allowed Tamil, Sikh and Muslim terrorists to set up shop here.
The police said something else interesting. In recent years, Toronto has seen the emergence of black gangs that call themselves Crips and Bloods. While these black gangs imitate the American originals, Toronto police see little evidence of actual links between the Canadians and the Americans. MS-13 is a different story. It is a transnational gang that actively recruits members in other countries. In Canada, MS-13 has been working to recruit local Latino gangs into their transnational network.
Police say yesterday's arrests stopped a plan to murder someone in the justice system, but didn't say what job in the system the target of the plot held.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Toronto police raids connected to MS-13 street gang
This bulletin was sent out by Toronto police this morning:
See also:
Canadian Refugee Board Gives MS-13 Member Asylum BECAUSE He’s A Gang Member
MS-13 - Ultra-violent Hispanic gang establishing itself in Canada
Notorious MS-13 gang setting up shop in Canada. You just gotta love our country's growing diversity.
Toronto Police Service
News Release
Early morning raids, 22 search warrants executed in the GTA, 21 people arrested, Update, Statement from Deputy Chief Tony Warr
Wednesday, June 4, 2008 - 4:40 PM
Specialized Operations Command
416-808-7100
The following is from Deputy Chief Tony Warr:
During the spring of 2008, investigators from the Integrated Gun & Gang Task Force started a focused investigation into the distribution of controlled drugs, firearms, and acts of violence surrounding a group of men in the northwest area of Toronto and surrounding region.
As a result, investigators identified numerous persons involved, and addresses allegedly used to facilitate the distribution of illicit drugs and weapons.
Some of the persons identified are believed to be members of the organized criminal street gang known as “MS-13.” Some are associated with the gang through their distribution of drugs and weapons. The focus of the enforcement action was on the offences surrounding the firearms and the distribution of drugs that were affecting community safety.
Today, in a joint operation, the Toronto Police Service Integrated Gun & Gang Task Force and the Halton Regional Police Service, assisted by other Organized Crime Enforcement units, the Drug Squad, TAVIS Rapid Response Teams, 23 Division, 31 Division, and the Emergency Task Force, executed 22 search warrants in residences, and several more on related vehicles. There were four warrants executed in Peel region, one in York region and the remainder in Toronto.
At present, 21 people have been arrested. The investigation is continuing.
Investigators have seized large quantities of cocaine, related firearms, other prohibited weapons, and a significant amount of cash related to proceeds of crime. As well, investigators have seized paraphernalia associated with the drug distribution network. The seizures are matters of evidentiary concern, and are being investigated and processed accordingly. The total number of charges is increasing as the seized evidence is assessed.
I’m sure you understand why, as the investigation is ongoing, there is much I cannot say. I will not do or say anything which might affect the safety of the officers or the public.
There will be a news conference, at headquarters, at 10 a.m., tomorrow, in which we will be able to provide a complete summary of today’s events, including arrests, charges and the property seized.
Constable Wendy Drummond, Public Information, for Deputy Chief Tony Warr, Special Operations Command
There are no files attached to this release.
See also:
Canadian Refugee Board Gives MS-13 Member Asylum BECAUSE He’s A Gang Member
MS-13 - Ultra-violent Hispanic gang establishing itself in Canada
Notorious MS-13 gang setting up shop in Canada. You just gotta love our country's growing diversity.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Tamil Tigers exploit Canadian electoral database to extort money for terrorism in Sri Lanka - RCMP alleges
From the Globe and Mail (Tamil Tigers using electoral list, RCMP say by Colin Freeze, May 6, 2008):
Read all of Colin Freeze's article.
See also:
Civil war in Sri Lanka - bought and paid for with Canadian dollars
Banning Tamil Tigers had positive effects but Ottawa and Toronto police should do more - Human Rights Watch
World Tamil Movement leader supports Tamil Tigers but denies his group funded them
Tarek Fatah describes demands made by ethnic delegates at the Liberal convention. Tamils wanted terrorist group delisted
Tamil Tigers use child soldiers to fight their separatist war in Sri Lanka
Tens of thousands of Sri Lankans living in Canada have been funding the Tamil Tigers' terrorism campaign through a secret strategy of profiling carried out using Canada's electoral database, the RCMP allege.
In what amounts to the most detailed examination of alleged terrorist fundraising ever filed in a federal court, the national police force claims as much as $50,000 a month was being drawn from bank accounts in Toronto and funnelled to the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka.
The Tigers' operation in Canada, responsible for providing 15 per cent of global funds for the secession movement, identified potential donors by postal code and used a "sales team" of locals to extract the cash, alleges the 400-page police affidavit unsealed in the Federal Court of Canada this week.
The affidavit suggests the Toronto offices of the World Tamil Movement - a non-profit organization - may have been generating funds for the Tigers. The RCMP says it has also obtained a significant letter sent to Toronto from the head of the Tamil Tigers. Velupillai Prabhakaran, one of the world's most sought-after fugitives, is said to have urged that Canadian Tamils commit about 15 per cent of the global contribution to his cause.
Read all of Colin Freeze's article.
See also:
Civil war in Sri Lanka - bought and paid for with Canadian dollars
Banning Tamil Tigers had positive effects but Ottawa and Toronto police should do more - Human Rights Watch
World Tamil Movement leader supports Tamil Tigers but denies his group funded them
Tarek Fatah describes demands made by ethnic delegates at the Liberal convention. Tamils wanted terrorist group delisted
Tamil Tigers use child soldiers to fight their separatist war in Sri Lanka
Monday, April 21, 2008
No economic benefits to mass immigration - British study concludes
From CanWest News (Is immigration helping us? by Margret Kopala, April 21, 2008):
Read all of Margret Kopala's article.
See also:
Canada is bringing in skilled immigrants for jobs that don't exist - Martin Collacott
Immigration agreement won't reverse negative trends
Immigration realism at the Toronto Star
Princeton sociologist: "Toronto is becoming increasingly segregated along racial and economic lines"
The Axis Of Amnesty’s Ideology Of Cheap Labor
Economist George J. Borjas analyzes the impact of immigration on American wages
While Canada's opposition parties quibbled over modest measures expediting the arrival of skilled immigrant workers, one answer to that question appeared in a report from the British House of Lords. Stunningly, it concludes that record levels of immigration bring no economic benefits.
The Economic Impact of Immigration argues that immigration addresses neither labour shortages nor problems associated with an aging society. Rather, low-paid and young workers are being placed at a disadvantage because of competition from immigrants; worse, strains on public services and Britons being priced out of the housing market risk stoking social tensions.
According to the Telegraph, the British government welcomed this contribution to its "huge immigration shakeup."
Here in Canada, few noticed the British report or even Britain's "immigration shakeup," though for similar reasons cracks have been appearing in Canada's immigration portfolio too, and a small but growing number of academics, former civil servants and diplomats knowledgeable about Canada's complex and inefficient immigration system are speaking out.
Martin Collacott and James Bissett have reached conclusions similar to the new thinking on immigration now gripping most Western democracies, as did the late Bernard Ostry, while economists and professors emeritus such as Alan Green (Queen's University) and Herbert Grubel (Simon Fraser) are backing them up with far-reaching data and analysis.
Read all of Margret Kopala's article.
See also:
Canada is bringing in skilled immigrants for jobs that don't exist - Martin Collacott
Immigration agreement won't reverse negative trends
Immigration realism at the Toronto Star
Princeton sociologist: "Toronto is becoming increasingly segregated along racial and economic lines"
The Axis Of Amnesty’s Ideology Of Cheap Labor
Economist George J. Borjas analyzes the impact of immigration on American wages
Government immigration ad campaign targets ethnic minorities
From the Toronto Star (Ad blitz touts reforms of immigration system by Tonda MacCharles, April 21, 2008):
Read all of Tonda MacCharles' article.
See also:
Harper defends multiculturalism and wide-open immigration
Ethnic pandering alert - Conservatives set to recognize Komagata Maru incident
Tarek Fatah describes demands made by ethnic delegates at the Liberal convention. Tamils wanted terrorist group delisted
Historian Jack Granatstein is concerned about the influence of ethnic groups on Canadian foreign policy
Pandering to Ukrainians part of Harper strategy
The perils of ethnic pandering: Canadian branch of Pakistani political movement accused of terrorism actively supports the federal Conservatives
The Conservative government has launched a massive, nationwide ethnic media blitz to promote its proposed immigration reforms to wary immigrant communities.
Billed as "public notice" ads, the campaign has just begun in ethnic radio and print media to amplify the message of the big speech Prime Minister Stephen Harper made Friday to a who's who of the Indo-Canadian community.
Several sources said it is a government, not a Conservative party, initiative, and is not "political advertising" but an attempt to get the facts out to new Canadians. The Toronto Star could not determine how much the blitz will cost.
[. . .]
Senior government and department officials believe debate over the proposed changes has become too political. A decision was made to speak directly to immigrant communities – voters the Conservative party is keen to woo.
Conservatives believe that, among second-generation immigrants and more affluent newcomer communities, there is support for a more economically strategic approach to immigration policy.
The Liberals and NDP say many immigrant communities are nervous the reforms will block efforts to reunite families if applicants don't have certain skills or don't meet the government's "priorities."
The advertising campaign stresses three "F's" – a more fair, flexible and fast system. It also argues the backlog is growing, family reunification is being delayed and the government is committed to "fixing this," as Harper said in Toronto.
[. . .]
Read all of Tonda MacCharles' article.
See also:
Harper defends multiculturalism and wide-open immigration
Ethnic pandering alert - Conservatives set to recognize Komagata Maru incident
Tarek Fatah describes demands made by ethnic delegates at the Liberal convention. Tamils wanted terrorist group delisted
Historian Jack Granatstein is concerned about the influence of ethnic groups on Canadian foreign policy
Pandering to Ukrainians part of Harper strategy
The perils of ethnic pandering: Canadian branch of Pakistani political movement accused of terrorism actively supports the federal Conservatives
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