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I think the 2-year policy is a good one in practice - but a lot of people will fall through the cracks. One of the three couples I mentioned earlier split up after only a few months in Canada and the guy (American) remained in Canada and is now living on disability benefits (after having a nervous breakdown) - and probably will for the rest of his life. He said he can't return to the USA as he can't get medical coverage there now due to his condition. I am torn between compassion and wondering how many other people Canadian taxpayers are supporting in similar situations. It's a tough call. I guess as a civilised society we should error on the side of humanity in that one.
On the other hand, I know another girl that married a friend from another country (not the USA) so he could immigrate. She got $10,000 out of the deal. So there definitely is a problem that needs to be fixed.
The situation of the pregnant Scottish lady in the video? Horrendous. Even if she wasn't covered by BC healthcare, the child emerging from her is a Canadian citizen (as is the father) and that should never have happened.
I think the Conservative government is tackling the situation incorrectly. What they should do is improve the screening process abroad, before actually granting permanent residence. A lot of things can happen in two years (abuse, fear of leaving due to losing permanent residence, cheating, etc.) And if the embassies abroad are too dumb then they should fix that instead. It's called being proactive instead of retroactive.
I think the Conservative government is tackling the situation incorrectly. What they should do is improve the screening process abroad, before actually granting permanent residence. A lot of things can happen in two years (abuse, fear of leaving due to losing permanent residence, cheating, etc.) And if the embassies abroad are too dumb then they should fix that instead. It's called being proactive instead of retroactive.
What should they be screening against better? Couldn't a legitimate immigrant be guilty of gaming the system? Especially in cases where it's an arranged marriage, like some Indo-Canadians practice, I'm not sure how you could tell what's a real marriage and what isn't, but I'm not as familiar with the immigration system as you as I'm Canadian born, so I really do want to hear from your perspective here. I agree, however, that the two year rule could be a real problem when we look at things like spousal abuse. It seems like a tricky situation.
What should they be screening against better? Couldn't a legitimate immigrant be guilty of gaming the system? Especially in cases where it's an arranged marriage, like some Indo-Canadians practice, I'm not sure how you could tell what's a real marriage and what isn't, but I'm not as familiar with the immigration system as you as I'm Canadian born, so I really do want to hear from your perspective here. I agree, however, that the two year rule could be a real problem when we look at things like spousal abuse. It seems like a tricky situation.
They can be screening better against the legitimacy of the relationship, they can start there for example. Here's my idea of what should be done:
1.- There are already clauses in effect preventing sponsored immigrants to go on Social Assistance (Welfare). The Sponsor (Canadian Spouse) is responsible for the immigrant's financial situation, which means that if a recently arrived immigrant applies for welfare, the sponsor goes into default and has to pay that money back, this is valid for three years after the immigrant obtains permanent residence.
2.- I'm actually an immigrant in this clause, I'm married to a Canadian (since 2009) and we've been in a relationship since 2007, which is quite a long time. My immigration process was a pain, the embassy here is soooo strict it's not even funny. It got to the point where even after a mountain of evidence, us going to the same school, her knowing all my family and me knowing hers, me being a polyglot with no criminal record and having already lived in Canada and being considered "assimilated to Canadian culture" I still got denied. It was ridiculous, I had to appeal the decision to the IAD (Immigration Appeal Division), which further delayed my immigration process 2 years, and you know what the IAD judge said? "The immigration officer in Mexico was ridiculous, she had no reason to deny you" So I was technically pre-approved before the hearing. And I could've filed a complaint, but I thought of it as pointless at that time.
Now you never hear of Mexicans in arranged marriages, because the screening process is so difficult, but how come you hear about it all the time in places like China, India and several other countries in South-East Asia? Because the screening process is inconsistent, which means that Citizenship and Immigration Canada should retrain the immigration officers and make the screening process more difficult. There are shady "agencies" in several countries where they arrange a fake marriage, stage weddings and several other things. In China there were cases of people photoshopping the faces of the applicants LOL.
Also Canada recognizes a marriage as long as it's lawful in the country where it was performed, which means that a Telephone Nikkah (Marriage over teleconference) is completely legal according to Islam, with the couple never actually meeting each other. Is this fair? Why not require the couple to marry in person and to register the marriage with the province where the sponsor lives (Not required either, so technically, I'm not married in Canada since I married in Mexico, which makes it easier for scammers to leave, and leech of the government while the sponsor pays for it)
There are many things that can be done, I think Harper just came up with this law as a political stunt, but it really doesn't fix anything. Who judges what an appropriate time to stay in a marriage is? Why two years? Why not 50? Hell Kim Kardashian got divorced after a couple of weeks
I think the 2-year policy is a good one in practice - but a lot of people will fall through the cracks. One of the three couples I mentioned earlier split up after only a few months in Canada and the guy (American) remained in Canada and is now living on disability benefits (after having a nervous breakdown) - and probably will for the rest of his life. He said he can't return to the USA as he can't get medical coverage there now due to his condition. I am torn between compassion and wondering how many other people Canadian taxpayers are supporting in similar situations. It's a tough call. I guess as a civilised society we should error on the side of humanity in that one.
On the other hand, I know another girl that married a friend from another country (not the USA) so he could immigrate. She got $10,000 out of the deal. So there definitely is a problem that needs to be fixed.
The situation of the pregnant Scottish lady in the video? Horrendous. Even if she wasn't covered by BC healthcare, the child emerging from her is a Canadian citizen (as is the father) and that should never have happened.
$10,000 only! That's cheap. I heard the going rate in Australia is something like $XXX,XXX.xx
Agreed. My heart went out to the Scottish lady.
The law is colorblind.
I fully support our government's effort to crack down on marriage of convenience to access our universal health care and social benefits. One way is to inform people on the internet - "Don't even try!"
That's her fault! She applied to immigrate from within Canada, which is obviously a lengthier process. Europe enjoys one of the fastest Immigration processing times, if she had just gone home and applied from overseas she would've been long in Canada before the baby was born.
How is it fair for the people that actually got in line and applied from overseas like it should be?
$10,000 only! That's cheap. I heard the going rate in Australia is something like $XXX,XXX.xx
Agreed. My heart went out to the Scottish lady.
The law is colorblind.
I fully support our government's effort to crack down on marriage of convenience to access our universal health care and social benefits. One way is to inform people on the internet - "Don't even try!"
Really? That's cheap? I guess, when you think about it, you are putting yourself at risk for prosecution if you deliberately marry for money so someone can immigrate. I guess I should have charged him more but . . . just kidding!
Last edited by sunshineleith; 03-09-2012 at 06:38 AM..
I am going to be in southern ontario this weekend (Region of Peel) and I was wondering if there were any sports bars that would show the NCAA men's basketball tournament on tv?
I am going to be in southern ontario this weekend (Region of Peel) and I was wondering if there were any sports bars that would show the NCAA men's basketball tournament on tv?
I would say that pretty much any sports bar you walk into in this area will have at least one TV with the tournament on.
I just got home after a nice circle tour of Southern Ontario. We drove up to Collingwood to visit my 86 year old aunt and to see my youngest son's new house in Stayner. Then we drove down to Kingston to pick our new puppy out of a litter of ten red standard poodles. We got what we think was the best one, "I hope". We took off from there and stopped to visit my daughter in Whitby just east of Toronto. Then off for Niagara Falls and home. Our cats were pissed and wouldn't talk to us for a while when we got here. It was a nice little tour, 975km in total. I have to drive back to Kingston on good Friday and pick up our little Diamond Jubilee. She will be 8 weeks old then.
I just got home after a nice circle tour of Southern Ontario. We drove up to Collingwood to visit my 86 year old aunt and to see my youngest son's new house in Stayner. Then we drove down to Kingston to pick our new puppy out of a litter of ten red standard poodles. We got what we think was the best one, "I hope". We took off from there and stopped to visit my daughter in Whitby just east of Toronto. Then off for Niagara Falls and home. Our cats were pissed and wouldn't talk to us for a while when we got here. It was a nice little tour, 975km in total. I have to drive back to Kingston on good Friday and pick up our little Diamond Jubilee. She will be 8 weeks old then.
My cat pi**ed all over my white couch (On purpose, I recognized that mean look when I got home) when I left for a week and I asked a friend to check on it every other day.
Glad to hear you had fun, Southern Ontario is lovely. I lived in Hamilton for a while, not the best place IMO, but I got to see a whole bunch of little towns around the area.
Last edited by sunshineleith; 03-15-2012 at 11:50 AM..
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I heard the going rate in Australia is something like $XXX,XXX.xx
just kidding!
men's basketball tournament
