WHEN THE SAINTS COME MARCHING IN . . .

 

Nonwhite invasion
spills over into Canada

 

 

US crackdown on illegal immigration costing Peel taxpayers
The Brampton Guardian Friday, 9 November 2007

By PETER CRISCIONE

BRAMPTON, Ont. — A crackdown on illegal immigrants south of
the border has caused a ripple effect in Peel Region, as taxpayers
have so far doled out more than $70,000 in accommodation bills
for people claiming refugee status in Canada.

Peel Executive Director of Human Services Janet Menard told
councillors Thursday that residents have been footing the bill to
house several dozen families in hotels for the last five months.

More than 60 families, most of them from Central America and the
Caribbean, have settled in Peel as a result of more stringent rules
imposed by the US government with respect to illegal immigration.

"We are seeing significant numbers of immigrants who have been
living illegally in the United States for many years coming to Canada
in fear of deportation from the United States," Menard said.

"Over the past five months we have assisted 68 families and we
currently have 19 families at the Peel Family Shelter and are
supporting 15 additional families in a motel in Mississauga.

"At this point in time we have incurred a cost of about $71,000 in
hotel expenses up until the end of October and that doesn't include
food. So we are tracking the costs and we will speak to the federal
government."

Refugee claims not sitting well with councillors

Menard explained migrants are making their way to the area mainly
from the communities of Niagara Falls and Windsor.

Some are entering Canada and claiming refugee status while others
are either claiming to be visitors or simply entering the country
illegally, Menard said.

Region officials say staff are monitoring the situation closely and have made "informal appeals to the federal government."

"I spoke with someone yesterday in Niagara and they are actually
controlling the volume into Canada at a rate of about 15 to 19 families a day. But we have also heard of other situations of people coming in and declaring themselves as visitors and we also have situations of where people are sneaking into the country, if you will."

The notion that people coming from the US and claiming refugee status in Canada did not sit well with some councillors.

"A lot of them declare refugee status but they have been living in the
US and working in the US for 10 and 15 years. And I don't know if they are claiming refugee status because the States is now persecuting them and that's the refugee status that they are claiming? It's really difficult to understand," said Paul Palleschi, regional councillor for Brampton Wards 2 and 6.

Quarter million migrants pour into country each year

"The difficulty that I have with the influx that is coming in is that really, in fairness, they should stay outside the border of Canada and apply to get in like everybody else. This country is built on immigrants but it's built on legal immigrants, not illegal immigrants. I am a firm believer that we should be tough and that they shouldn't be allowed in until they go through the proper channels."

Menard made these revelations during a presentation to council
concerning the impact of immigration on social services offered by the Region of Peel.

Roughly 250,000 people immigrate to Canada each year with more than half settling in Ontario. Of that number, Peel boasts the second largest number of newcomers after Toronto.

Roughly 24,000 people move to this region every year and the majority are immigrants, according to statistics touted by officials.

A lack of funds coming from the province and Ottawa is putting a strain on Peel's ability to offer services to immigrants.

Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion suggested Peel partner with other municipalities in pressuring Ottawa to deal with the situation.

http://www.bramptonguardian.com/news/article/37395