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Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watnot!watdragon!brkirby
From: brkirby@watdragon.UUCP
Newsgroups: can.politics
Subject: Re: definitions of culture
Message-ID: <2382@watdragon.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 2-Mar-87 20:23:25 EST
Article-I.D.: watdrago.2382
Posted: Mon Mar  2 20:23:25 1987
Date-Received: Tue, 3-Mar-87 01:41:36 EST
References: <192@fornax.uucp> <396@cognos.UUCP> <836@watmum.UUCP>
Reply-To: brkirby@watdragon.UUCP (Bruce Kirby)
Distribution: can
Organization: U. of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 44

In article <836@watmum.UUCP> rgatkinson@watmum.UUCP (Robert Atkinson) writes:
>In article <396@cognos.UUCP> glee@cognos.UUCP (Godfrey Lee) writes:
>>. An obvious difference between U.S. and Canada was demonstrated recently
>>  by the border refugee problems between U.S. and Canada. If the U.S. has as
>>  liberal and non-political refugee policy as Canada, these people would not
>>  be flooding from U.S. into Canada!
>
>Perhaps you have a point, by my understanding of the situation is somewhat
>different. ...
> After all, if you claim
>refugee status at the border then you get to stay in the country **at their 
>expense** (read: on welfare) until an immigration hearing.  And these usually
>take on the order of months or a few years.  What have you got to lose?
>At best you get to stay.  At worst you get to live free for a while
>before going back south again.

The reason for the flood of immigrants claiming refugee status is primarily
the result of a new american law which makes employers responsible for
ensuring that their employees are legal workers.  Besides resulting in
discrimination against Latin Americans,  this has threatened the jobs of
many illegal aliens in the U.S.

The refugees have been arriving in Canada because of a difference in
refugee policies.  In the U.S.,  there is discrimination based on the
refugees country of origin.  While those from "Soviet Bloc" countries are
virtually assured of acceptance,  it is virtually impossible for those from
Guatamala,  and a number of other "American Bloc" latin american countries,
to legally enter the U.S.

In Canada,  anyone from a "refugee producing" country can enter and is
supported until they receive a hearing.  Rather than merely coming to live
off welfare,  many are truly fearful of their lives in their home country,
and come to Canada to live and work.  They are able to get jobs,  (as opposed
to being on welfare) and many do get jobs,  while waiting for their
hearing.

	Bruce Kirby
-----------------------
     "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent
    revolution inevitable."
             --John F. Kennedy
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CSNET:	brkirby@waterloo.csnet
UUCP: 	{decvax|utzoo|ihnp4|allegra}!watmath!watdragon!brkirby