Oh Canada, ... Why Not Us?

We are hearing all about Bush's meetings with Vincente Fox. But let's not forget another individual who was there - Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. If Bush can praise his steely resolve on lumber, why not on immigration?

Bush praises Harper's 'steely resolve' on softwood

Canada has begun deporting its illegal immigrants with only a few days notice - and the result:

Portugal's ambassador to Canada, João Silveira Carvalho, has publicly told people to avoid trouble and to "stop feeding the myth" in Portugal that you can come to Canada without documents, several community members said

Some estimates hold that 15,000 people are working illegally in southern Ontario's construction and hospitality industries, and the Canada-wide figure is 300,000.

Immigration Canada said there will not be an amnesty. The federal agency said they have a legal duty to remove people who have come to this country without following the proper procedures.

Many in the group deported Sunday say they will try to return to Canada and resume the lives they have built.

"Shame on the Canadian government for deporting people who are working hard. We need those people here," Barata said.

"We have an obligation to the hundreds of thousands of people who play by the rules," Immigration and Citizenship Minister Monte Solberg said Sunday on CTV's Question Period.

In February, Immigration Canada notified the Portuguese embassy in Ottawa that it would continue with the current law and be strict in applying it, Maria Amélia Paiva, the consul-general in Toronto, told the Star's Isabel Teotonio.

And yesterday, Immigration Minister Monte Solberg called the issue a "low priority," indicating that Volpe's approach is dead.

A spokesperson for the Canadian Border Services Agency said she couldn't give figures on the number being deported.

Comments

[Elmo]

Why Not Us?

Because even the Repubs can't agree on a course of action. "Illegal immigration" has been the tacit defacto standard here in California for fifty years. And bandaid after bandaid was applied, and then nothing was done.

Any domestic U.S. plan which does not account for the heart and soul of these immimgrants, will fail. I have lived, worked, and shared life with these human beings since the first grade. They have nothing but my great respect and admiration.

Secure the border? Yes. By all means. Please do. Deport eleven million people? Cutting off one's nose to spite their face. Do not be deceived by MSM taunting you with a Mexican flag. It is a sign of pride, not a sign of conquest. They bleed red, white, and blue like centuries of immigrants before them. They are America.

[Claudia]

The magnitude of the problem does not even compare, Dan. In Canada we have 300,000 illegals for a population of 30 million as opposed to your 12 million for a population of ~ 280 million. Aside for the % difference, 300,000 people are easier to deal with than 12 million.

Secondly, there is the political component. Our illegal immigrants do not influence a huge voting bloc. Hispanics are the largest minority group in the U.S. Both Republicans and Democrats are courting the group. The political component cannot be ignored, and as a matter of fact, clearly explains the current administration's ambivalence towards illegal immigrants. It is simply not a factor here in Canada.

There's also the fact that any illegal immigrantion policy that is too harsh will influence Mexican voters into voting for the current left leaning party in the upcoming presidential election. I don't think I have to explain what the implications of that are. No such danger here in Canada, so we have the leeway in being stricter, and deporting illegals.

I think those are the main issues. There's no question that the U.S. has to defend its borders and its sovereignty. There's a legal immigration process in place which people have to follow. But there has got to be a logical, common-sensical policy that deals with the above realities. Again, it boils down to politicians playing politics, rather than dealing with the issues.

[penny]

Perhaps independents can draft Harper to run for us pres. First he eliminated funding for Palestinians and now this. Sounds like he's more aligned with US voters than most of the politicians we currently have.

[Claudia]

I heart Harper, that's why I voted for him (or his party, rather).

Do you mind if we keep him? :) He's finally making Canada relevant on the world stage.

[.]

Over at Polipundit.com they regularly post DHS arrests / convictions / deportations that never seem to make it into the MSM reports.

Does anyone know the US numbers, how much they've increased annually?

As with Iraq, unless it fits the DNC-Bush-bashing agenda it isn't "news"?

[Shonane]

And yet, the Canadian Prime Minister is against the US requiring passports for our border countries.

I have crossed both the US Canadian and Mexican borders with only a drivers license for day trips. I did enjoy the ease of doing this and appreciated the flexibility of doing so.

However, I was truly just a vistor just going to see sights and spend money and returned to reside and work in my country - US. Yet, I could have easily entered any of these three countries and could have been not a US resident, since all I had to show was a drivers licence. Bogus drivers licenses are easily made I understand. Too bad people doing things illegally will change all of this for everyone.