Canada offers refugee claimants up to $2000 to go home

[Aznsilvrboy]

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/crime/article/1221718--canada-offers-failed-refugee-claimants-2-000-to-go-home


“It’s a win-win situation,” said Peter Showler, a law professor at the University of Ottawa.

Failed applicants go back without losing the ability to return and receive some money to re-establish themselves, while the government gets prompt, trouble-free removal, he said.


There are limitations on how the money can be used. The up to $2,000 in assistance can be used to go back to school, start a business or get help to find work.

Well...I don't have a problem with this assuming it would cost Canada much more to continue to process their applications rather than just $2000 for them to go home voluntarily. Thoughts?

[manmanny]

Don't think its bad idea if it works. Its cheaper in long run. And I doubt many will go back.
But already heard the defense that its not worth $2000 if go back and get killed by drug dealers.
I feel its a common line from South American or Mexican claimants.

[sylpherware]

Doesn't really make any sense... I thought being a "refugee" means that you'd get killed back home... Is the government saying that they won't be killed if they have money? Can you get a refugee status simply because you're poor and jobless?


Miroslav Kaleja, 49, a Roma, fled the Czech Republic and made a refugee claim in Canada in 2008. It was rejected; he appealed and lost. Berger, his lawyer, recently told him about the program.

Kaleja said he isn’t inclined to apply even though he is quickly running out of options.

“Who would like to go back to their country to be killed for $2,000,” he said, adding he is certain he would be targetted on his return to the Czech Republic.

“I don’t think it’s worth any amount of money.”

[Tornado F2]

Don't think its bad idea if it works. Its cheaper in long run. And I doubt many will go back.
But already heard the defense that its not worth $2000 if go back and get killed by drug dealers.
I feel its a common line from South American or Mexican claimants.

I wonder how many drug dealers/henchmen use that same excuse to try and avoid being sent back? We certainly don't want any more of that sort living here.

[Cough]

Reminds me of the old joke. A Martian living on Saturn comes out of the bar and has no money for the bus home. So he goes up to a stranger and says "Excuse me can you let me have a buck so I can get home" the stranger says "heres 10 bucks, take ten of your friend home to Mars. We are sick of you immigrants."

It loses something in my attempt to be politically correct and not offend.:D

[sandikosh]

If the government doesn't know what to do with my hard earned money, it should give it back. The government should simply setup offices at the airports and deport the refugees before the plane heads back to the originating country. Make the airlines responsible for bringing in the refugees.

[ishfish]

Doesn't really make any sense... I thought being a "refugee" means that you'd get killed back home... Is the government saying that they won't be killed if they have money? Can you get a refugee status simply because you're poor and jobless?

These are claimants not refugees.

[manmanny]

Doesn't really make any sense... I thought being a "refugee" means that you'd get killed back home... Is the government saying that they won't be killed if they have money? Can you get a refugee status simply because you're poor and jobless?

Where you heard this? May be from No one is illegal organization?

[Piro21]

Do they really expect anyone to believe the 'no effect on your ability to return' line?

[ishfish]

From my quick read you have to fear persecution because you belong to a particular group or have a particular opinion. The fear has to be well-founded.

[sylpherware]

Where you heard this? May be from No one is illegal organization?

Ok, let me clarify:
AFAIK, there are two types of "refugee claimants" - 1. People who fled their home due to legit fear of discrimination and/or persecution, i.e. people who are actually seeking refuge, and 2. people who claim to be refugees because they got caught entering illegally.

IMO, Type 1's are unlikely to take the offer since $2k is unlikely to buy a better life back home since money was not issue for them to come out in the first place, and Type 2's will probably find some way to scam the system and eventually turning it into a business.

It's possible that the intent of this is to weed out the Type 2's, then I'd say it's pretty clever, but there must be extra precaution to cover all the loop-holes.

[mbg]

Doesn't really make any sense... I thought being a "refugee" means that you'd get killed back home... Is the government saying that they won't be killed if they have money? Can you get a refugee status simply because you're poor and jobless?

No, they just know that a lot of refugee claimaints are lying and they'll take the money and the amnesty and get back on the next boat to Ummo Gummo Land.

I'm not normally in favour of rewarding dishonesty, but in this case it's another country that will have to deal with the fallout.

[ishfish]

Ok,

Type Three - those that are just full of it.

[Conquistador]

Reminds me of the old joke. A Martian living on Saturn comes out of the bar and has no money for the bus home. So he goes up to a stranger and says "Excuse me can you let me have a buck so I can get home" the stranger says "heres 10 bucks, take ten of your friend home to Mars. We are sick of you immigrants."

It loses something in my attempt to be politically correct and not offend.:D

Actually, I think he'd only be able to take nine of his friends with him. Otherwise he's a buck short. :razz:

[Tornado F2]

From my quick read you have to fear persecution because you belong to a particular group or have a particular opinion. The fear has to be well-founded.

That's a convenient excuse for a lot of overthrown, despised foreign politicians and their associates. I assume our own politicians have reciprocal deals for themselves elsewhere.

No doubt that's part of the reason why Ghaddaffi's, among others, own expensive real eastate in Canada.

[ishfish]

That's a convenient excuse for a lot of overthrown, despised foreign politicians and their associates. I assume our own politicians have reciprocal deals for themselves elsewhere.

No doubt that's part of the reason why Ghaddaffi's, among others, own expensive real eastate in Canada.

Well, I guess there is nothing saying that a refugee cannot be prepared.

[Tornado F2]

Ok, let me clarify:
AFAIK, there are two types of "refugee claimants" - 1. People who fled their home due to legit fear of discrimination and/or persecution, i.e. people who are actually seeking refuge, and 2. people who claim to be refugees because they got caught entering illegally.


It's amazing that every gay person in the Moslem world hasn't come here already using that excuse. Along with millions of normals conveniently claiming to be "gay" - until they're safely in.

Ditto for every other "discriminated" group out there.

Wonder why every "discriminated against" minority group here isn't using a similar argument to move to Switzerland, Germany, Norway, etc?

Where exactly are we to draw the line?

[ishfish]

Wonder why every "discriminated against" minority group here isn't using a similar argument to move to Switzerland, Germany, Norway, etc?



I wonder if there are Canadians seeking refugee status elsewhere?

It is more than just being in a group etc that is discriminated against.

[Tornado F2]

Actually, I think he'd only be able to take nine of his friends with him. Otherwise he's a buck short. :razz:

That was probably the key part of the original joke. Implying that members of that particular group were stupid.

[Simaahoy]

It's amazing that every gay person in the Moslem world hasn't come here already using that excuse. Along with millions of normals conveniently claiming to be "gay" - until they're safely in.

Ditto for every other "discriminated" group out there.

Wonder why every "discriminated against" minority group here isn't using a similar argument to move to Switzerland, Germany, Norway, etc?

Where exactly are we to draw the line?

People do migrate to Europe you know and use that excuse.

[ishfish]

From what i have read fear of persecution usually means a serious chance of physical harm, detention, torture...

[Tornado F2]

I wonder if there are Canadians seeking refugee status elsewhere?

It is more than just being in a group etc that is discriminated against.

I wouldn't be surprised. I'm sure certain groups - Natives for example - could get a positive response in certain countries using that argument, even though a large part of the problem is that they don't want to leave their isolated and untenable communities in the first place. A move to Berne or Geneva, rather than Winnipeg, would definitely have its attractions, mind.

Sadly there is definitely discrimination here in Canada. Largely within the immigrant communities. Often directed at the "Anglos" whose ancestors were already established here, as well as other immigrant groups. Maybe it's now time for white Canadians to leave as refugees elsewhere, using job discrimination, for example, as an argument? Seriously.

The world really is getting messed up these days. But where to draw the "discrimination" line?

As the recently-departed Rodney King so famously asked, "Can't we all just get along?".

Amen to that.

[Tornado F2]

From what i have read fear of persecution usually means a serious chance of physical harm, detention, torture...

That argument could be used by criminals, gays, ex-dictators, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people infected with various diseases, etc. No wonder there's such a backlog of cases to be worked through. Meanwhile the taxpayer gets stuck with the bill. And possibly with increased rates of crime, disease, etc.

While I truly sympathise with genuine refugees, we need a better way to discourage the false claimants from coming here in the first place.

I don't think handing over $2000/visit is going to help much.

How's this for a proposal: Why not make it widely known that all refugee claimants will need to live on Baffin Island for the duration of their stay, up to the point where they are accepted or rejected? While there they are required to put in a honest day's work, building a new northern community, or improving isolated communities currently occupied by Inuit. That seems like a way to weed out legitimate claimants (coming to save their lives, facing no other alternatives) from the illegitimate opportunists and outright crooks. It might even help to cover the processing and welfare costs too.