Go Man

Parents: Canada's Cornerstone Starts To Stress by Berto Volpentesta
For generations of governments the people of Canada, through their Members
of Parliament, have made it know that family is the cornerstone of Canada.
And, there can be no doubt that parents are the cornerstone of the family.
Citizenship and Immigration (CIC), and every incarnation of the Immigration
Department has always said that "family is the cornerstone of Canada" by one
phrase or another. Even the current Minister of Citizenship and
Immigration, Hon. Judy Sgro, repeats the words again. In fact, the
Immigration and Refugee Act incorporates the commitment to the family by
signifying "family reunification" as one of the objectives of the act.
But the crack on this important cornerstone of Canada is appearing rapidly
and it appears that CIC or the politicians wish to sit idle while a wedge
will surely divide this founding stone. Let me explain.
Recently the minister reported to parliament the plan for the coming year as
well as a report on the previous year. In her report the minister states
that the number of people that were admitted into Canada as parents or
grandparents in 2003 was 19,376. In 2004 the report of admissions as parents
and grandparents is 10,233 (to August 2004) and this represented nearly all
of the planned admissions for the year. And, in 2005 the minister plans to
only between 5,500 and 6,800.
The trend is clear, half, half, half each year. The indication is clear
that parents and grandparents are not wanted in Canada. Perhaps this is
because permanent residence and citizens of Canada do not want their parents
or grandparents to come or maybe the parents or grandparents themselves do
not want to come. A simple call to CIC to ask about the number of
sponsorships pending in this group and these questions were erased.
A real and grave situation is pending. The Case Processing Centre in
Mississauga (CPC M) reports that they are backlogged at least one year
before they can approve a sponsorship in this class. Not backlogged because
they cannot do the work, but because they do not have the go ahead (room in
the target). What number pending? Let's say a good source indicates that
there are somewhere around 100 000 applications to sponsor parents or
grandparents pending at the CPC M. Did you say 100 000? Yes.
What does this mean? Simple math indicates that if Canada only wants
between 5,500 and 6,800 in the coming year and if trends continue, it would
be somewhere between 15 - 18 years before they get through.
What? Can this be right? It seems that it is nothing more than a question
of priorities. CIC clearly indicates that the priorities of this government
are not on parents or grandparents. They say that any increase in a target
number to the parents means a decrease somewhere else. They are not even
considering raising the numbers to allow for more parents.
Most likely statistically this is justifiable social policy. But wait a
minute. Canada in all its compassion can allow more than 40,000 people on
various compassionate grounds without regard to statistics or concern as to
whether these people will burden our social policies (or is there some
conspiracy here too), but only allow 5,000 parents.
Do they even consider the intangibles that parents and grandparents
provide? Do they consider the real services provided by this group such as
child care and home care that frees working age Canadians to go to work and
be more productive? Do they consider the value of the considerable cultural
diversification that the group brings? Do they not consider the images and
memories of parents as veterans of our lives? Is it really just a numbers
game?
This is truly an issue that you must bring to the attention of your Member
of Parliament. Left unchecked there is no doubt that in a short few years
parents and grandparents my not be considered part of the Family Class at
all. I urge everyone, contact your Member of Parliament and let them know
that this is unacceptable. Show them this article. Ask them stop the
damage and to repair the cornerstone of Canada, in fact to strengthen it.
As the family goes, so goes Canada.

About The Author
Berto Volpentesta of Canada Immigration Specialists (Sidhu & Volpentesta
Inc.) has been a practicing consultant in Toronto since 1991 and is a
Member, Director and 2nd Vice President of the Association of Immigration
Counsel of Canada and a Member of the Canadian Society of Immigration
Consultants. You can reach him at: (416) 787 0612, (416) 398 8882 or by
email at and www.svcanada.com