By Dr. Gary Screaton Page
(Niagara At Large is pleased to post what we hope will be the first in a series of articles by Dr. Gary Screaton Page, a Niagara, Ontario resident and a chaplain with the Niagara Regional Police Service who also assists refugees, on the challenges newcomers to Canada face. Stay tune to more articles by Dr. Page on this subject to run on this site on a more or less weekly basis.)
Dr. Gary Screaton Page
There is much criticism of newcomers to Canada. “They take our jobs.” “They work for nothing and pull our wages down.” “They don’t speak the language.” “They drain our economy and are prone to be criminals.”
The findings also apply equally to a special class of immigrants Canada designates as “refugees.” The Canadian Immigration Act defines refugees and persons needing protection as people in or outsideCanadawho have reason to fear returning to their country of nationality or habitual residence. In keeping with its humanitarian tradition and international obligations,Canada provides protection to thousands of refugees every year.
While many Canadians criticize our making room for refugees, and believe they have adverse consequences for our economy, few Canadians can begin to imagine the horrors from which so many newcomers have fled. Consider, for example that women in our country can freely choose the life they will lead. They are free to go to school and to learn. Canadian laws protect women and children from the cruel abuses so commonplace in many other countries. In many countries girls are denied an education, women cannot work outside the home, and female babies are thrown into rivers to drown.
Due to its agreements with, and obligations to, the United Nations, Canada makes room for some of those who manage to escape such cruelty in their homelands. Yet, there are some Canadians who feel there isn’t a place inCanadafor those who reach our shores in search of a better life. “We can’t afford to take in refugees,” they say.
Yet, the truth is refugees don’t take from our economy. Tthey add to it by taking, for instance, the jobs most Canadians don’t want to do: harvesting fruit and field crops. Irrespective, are Canadian hearts not big enough to shelter and protect those who cannot protect themselves? My wife’s family were refugees fromEast Germany.Canadamade a place for them and they have been significant contributors to our country’s economy and its culture.
In a short series of articles, I will share some of the stories of refugees to Canada whom I have come to know as my friends—valuable friends! Perhaps after reading the stories, you will have more room in your heart and a greater willingness to have Canadaput a halt on the new regulations that will make finding safety in Canadamuch more difficult for some of the world’s most persecuted people. After reading them, perhaps you will also welcome the newcomers you meet. Perhaps they may even become your friends!
Dr. Gary Screaton Page is the author of Being the Parent YOU Want to be: 12 Communication Skills for Effective Parenting. He is a Chaplain with the Niagara Regional Police Service. You may reach him at drgary@cogeco.ca.
(Niagara At Large welcomes you to share your views on this post in the comment boxes below. Please remember that we only post comments by people willing to share their own views.)
Niagara At Large 
“Immigrant with seniority”
~common definition of a Canadian
Let’s distinguish clearly between Immigrants and Refugees.
I’m married to an Italian-born Canuck; my father was English-born; my mother’s French ancestors came to Canada ~1640 (there’s a drop of Scottish blood in her too); my name-lineage came to Canada in 1831 from Germany.
OTOH, my United Empire Loyalist ancestors came as Refugees after losing the War of the American Secession [American Revolution], and being ‘politically-cleansed’ from the 13 colonies. (Imagine leaving your family’s land and starting from scratch to build a new farm in the virgin forests and swamps of Niagara.)
The common comment I hear from more-recent immigrants is Not that we shouldn’t accept either Immigrants or Refugees, but that they should follow the Rules as others have done.
-w-
There’s a story about an English immigrant in the past few years, who was nervous about arriving in Edmonton -even though he spoke English & had a similar culture (ok, so it can be debated whether Lymies speak ‘the Queen’s English’ as well as Canucks!). The Canadian Immigration Officer looked at & approved his papers, then said, “Welcome to Canada. Make us better.”
LikeLike
Here’s an invitation from an American organisation, NumbersUSA, which invites Amercians to write their Members of Congress to reduce immigration. This seem to be the sort of “anti-immigrant” opposition that concerns Dr. Page. Hopefully, it’s only an American phenomenon.
Methinks Canadian rules have been much better constructed over the years to encourage immigrants to Canada with compatible education & skills. Howver, these rules still leave room for improvement if we have professionals driving taxi rather than working in their professional field.
-w-
“Tell Your Senators: Stop Mass Immigration from Draining U.S. Social Benefits and Increasing Taxes”
http://www.numbersUSA.com
“Contrary to popular belief, the vast majority of immigrants to the U.S. are not rocket scientists, doctors, or entrepreneurs. In fact, a study by the ‘Center for Immigration Studies’ found that 57% of immigrant households with at least one child use at least one welfare program. Due to the large share of immigrants with low levels of education and their resulting low incomes, many newly arrived immigrants cannot find jobs and take advantage of cash and food assistance, Medicaid, and public and subsidized housing benefits that are supposed to be reserved for low-income Americans.
“The U.S. currently admits more than 1.5 million new immigrants a year and more than a million ILLEGAL aliens sneak in annually. Yet Members of Congress have made calls to INCREASE immigration even more. Congress should reduce non-essential immigration to help to relieve the tax burden caused by a massive number of immigrants on U.S. tax payers. Please send the free fax below to your 2 U.S. Senators, urging them to support policies to reduce immigration to a sensible annual level. Simply click the button below to send your free fax. There is no cost to you.
“PRESS TO SEND THIS NO-COST FAX
“Dear (Your 2 U.S. Senators Will Appear Here),
“Americans simply cannot afford to import more low-skilled immigrant workers! Unemployed Americans need the jobs they take and American taxpayers can no longer afford to pay for their welfare services.
“The federal budget deficit – about $1.1 trillion – can’t afford to pay out Medicaid and food stamp benefits to more poor and low-skilled immigrants that America obviously does not need (especially not when 20 million Americans cannot find a full-time job).
“Despite this, many in Congress are calling for increased immigration and even an amnesty for illegal aliens. This is insane! Increased immigration and an amnesty would cause taxes and America’s deficit to rise.
“I encourage you to help American workers and American taxpayers by working to reduce non-essential immigration.
“Sincerely,
“(Your Name Will Appear Here)
PRESS TO SEND THIS NO-COST FAX”
“NumbersUSA, America’s largest-member immigration-reduction
organization. We are non-profit and non-partisan.
“Copyright © 2012 NumbersUSA .
1601 N Kent St, Suite 1100,
Arlington, VA 22209.
All Rights Reserved.”
LikeLike
This is a thoughtful essay. I recently read the former GG Adrienne Clarkson’s book “Room for all of us”. Then attended a reading by her. She makes the point Lorne White does, that we are all descendants of immigrants, and in some cases refugees (the distinction is taken by this reader) looking for a better life, whether from a war-torn area, from impoverishment, from some tyranny, threat. It is inspiring to read and know what we all share, whether 6th generation or more Canadians, or newcomers.
LikeLike