Best Buy - Ozzy vs Beiber http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pxChVDym4o (this is the "extended" version, and certainly not the funniest ad I've ever seen, but when you watch it until the END, Ozzy says "What's a Beiber" and the response made me laugh and bring my level of respect for Justin Beiber up from non-existent to at least above non-existent
Thing is though, helping the impoverished is not the chief reason for immigration.
Quoted Text
Immigrants pay more than $90 billion in taxes every year and receive only $5 billion in welfare. Without their contributions to the public treasury, the economy would suffer enormous losses.
I suspect that "Numbers USA" is sponsored by the right-wing republican support-Big Business-Types.
The problem with the gumball logic, is that if you ignore the tone of what the guy is saying, it comes down to turning your back on 100 million people each year who want to make a better life for themselves, by making the excuse that they could be agents for change in their home countries, when in fact that would likely never happen. They would be against overwhelming odds in their country of origin, and their standard of living would drop to meet the national average, instead of rising to meet the North American national average.
I'm not saying I'm a huge fan of throwing the doors open to immigration, particularly when they don't put enough time into our social programs before drawing on them, as in the case of old age pension. I believe that at one time an immigrant had to live in Canada for only 3 years before collecting Old Age Security. In any case, under the current rules, a sponsored immigrant (eg. married to a Canadian citizen) has to live in Canada for 10 years before eligibility. A non-sponsored immigrant has to live in Canada for 10 years before full eligibility, but can collect a portion of the full benefit for each year they have lived in the country, 10% per year until full rate is reached at 10 years. This rule says nothing of having to work and contribute to the program or economy, it only talks about the amount of time being a resident (I admittedly don't know the rules in the US). Still, immigration is not a bad thing, and if the people who want to come here can be a benefit to our society and economy, and make a better life for themselves at the same time, I'm all for it.
The thing that maybe bothers me most is the statement at the end that says we can only help these people in their own countries. I get the feeling that the point he's trying to make is that we should embrace the current trend of sending manufacturing (and many services) to low cost countries, in the name of helping those poor people better their lot in life. The problem is that they still make a crap wage, and their lot gets no better. The move is purely about corporate greed, and I believe it creates as much poverty in our part of the world as it solves in theirs.
I agree he is a right wing b******. I think his point is somewhat valid, Western countries cannot absorb the worlds poor (regardless of the negative/positive impact on our societies). Poor countries need to create their own economic identities, manage their own population growth, and create their own social stability. External western input is likely going to be seen as never enough or parental.
Personally, I think Canada's immigration policy is currently an embarrassment. As a country we need to ask ourselves, what type of society values do we have and what future society do we want to have in Canada and only let people in who meet those ideals. Incoming candidates need a video like Netherlands has explaining how Canadian society is and what is expected in terms of human rights/religious limitations/social customs etc.
I am tired of hearing about graduate students or individuals from other countries who want citizenship for only cheaper tuition or a backup plan if their home country goes to mess...[well thanks for using us..would have been nice to have given citizenship to someone who wants to be part of Canada]
I agree with both of you. I'm not saying that we should throw the doors wide open by any means, but I'm not entirely against immigration like some people I know (I've never believed in the "immigrants steal our jobs" philosophy. Immigrants get those jobs because they applied for them, and there are enough natural born citizens that don't really try for work, that it seems like an excuse to me. When was the last time you saw someone who was clearly an immigrant standing at the end of an off-ramp or at a set of street lights begging for money? Get a job.) I think the people we let in have to be contributors to society, and not detractors, but there is of course a limit to the number of people we can let in. Remember that every non-aboriginal who lives in North America is descended from immigrants. The principle is sound, but we need to be more choosy, and frankly, we need to be slightly more of a melting pot society. People are welcome to keep their customs and stay true to their heritage, as long as it doesn't conflict with the rules set in place for our society. Conform to society in the country you've chosen as your home, don't expect it to conform to you. Learn to communicate effectively with the people in your community. Welcome to Canada.
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