FAKE SCHOOLS AND BOGUS STUDENTS

A few years ago, there was an investigation into some Toronto-area schools catering to foreign students, and the authorities discovered that the students ne'er went to class, and they were happy not to. Why? Because they were bogus, all they wanted was a Study Permit to be able to work and stay in Canada for as long as possible...and the school was more than happy to oblige. it seems that the problem never went away...now B.C. "schools" catering to foreign students are under the microscope, It is not a matter of whether they are fake, because they are. It is simply a matter of why CBSA and CIC do little about it. They complain that they do not have the resources for what they call "low priority" cases because they must concentrate on criminals and national security cases. This seems misguided. If a potential criminal or national security threat knows that he or she can get tin easily as a bogus student, wouldn't that be a "security matter"? Also, as far as resources....if CBSA would start detailing fake school owners and deporting bogus students in large numbers, I would bet you that the word would get out pretty quickly around the world that the jig is up. See story:

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/story.html?id=8ee6f9f2-62e7-4766-a296-ea33982d9cc3&k=60899

AMERICANS CHOOSE CANADA

Here is an interesting new phenomenon: after years of a Canadian exodus to the US in search of better pay and lower tax rates, it seems that the brain drain has been stalled...for now. While it is inevitable that bright Canadian professionals and entrepreneurs will seek greener pastures where their enterprising ways will not be taxed to death, and where research grants are generous, and standard of living higher, it seems that, for now, there are more incentives to keep Canadians at home. I suspect that the tough US stance on immigration and the lack of H-1B visas may have something to do with this...See story :

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=2101397c-fe7c-4adf-a2d1-8665cb29ac66&k=0

WILL HE MAKE A REFUGEE CLAIM?

Here is another international scoundrel who chose Canada as a place to hide: a former Minster convicted of corruption in Slovenia was just arrested in Canada. He will now fight deportation, and I would not be surprised if he makes a refugee claim to stall as long as possible. Why should people who are arrested for international criminal convictions be able to use the refugee system? Answer: because Canada is naive....and it would be "un-Canadian" to deny access to the refugee system, even if it is an afterthought! Just watch and see what happens...mark my words...here is a refugee claim in the making....

http://www.chroniclejournal.com/CP_stories.php?id=56358

IMMIGRATION IN THE HOT SEAT OVER "SINGH" AND "KAUR" CONTROVERSY

More fallout from the reported practice by the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi requiring Sikhs whose names are "Singh" and "Kaur" to change it, because they can not be readily identified if everyone has the same name. The conundrum is that, on one hand, people should not be asked to change their name to migrate, but on the other, it is necessary to avoid confusion and protect the public from the potential criminals who Can slip unnoticed using common names. See more in:

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=210171b2-3e4c-4ff3-9006-49109545e891

ONTARIO MINISTER OF CITIZENSHIP OUT THE DOOR....

Minister quits over grants
July 26, 2007
Canadian Press
Ontario Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Mike Colle has resigned after a report from the auditor general slammed the doling out of $32 million in year-end grants to ethnic groups, the Canadian Press has learned.
Auditor General Jim McCarter said he found there was no evidence that Premier Dalton McGuinty's government doled out year-end grants to Liberal friendly ethnic groups.
But he says but the province rushed money out the door without adequate accountability or transparency.
McCarter says the process for awarding the grants was not "open, transparent or accountable."
He says the decisions were made in Colle's office without much consultation with ministry staff.
McCarter says decisions were based on "conversations, not applications."
Although McCarter said he doesn't think the organizations received the money because they donated to the Liberal party, he said the lack of a formal application process left the government open to accusations of "favouritism."
"More could have been done and quite frankly, more should have been done," he said.
Some organizations got cash when they didn't really need the money, McCarter added. The Ontario Cricket Association requested $150,000 but got $1 million, he said.
"You need a better process in place," he said.
McGuinty reluctantly called upon the auditor general to review the year-end grants doled out to multicultural groups by the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration in the wake of mounting criticism.
Opposition critics argued many of the groups had ties to the Liberal party and that no formal application process existed for handing out the grants – the latter of which the Liberals did admit to.
The Liberals initially voted down an opposition motion to have the province's auditor examine how the grants were doled out, adding fuel to the scandal that dominated legislative business for about two weeks.
Instead, the Liberals passed a motion urging the grant beneficiaries to account for their spending and to report back within six months – a deadline that would have been after the Oct. 10 election.
While the Liberals succumbed to the pressure and called for the review, many suggest the timing of the report's release was strategic so as not to dominate debate just prior to the election.

IMMIGRATNTS NOT DOING WELL

More evidence that immigrants are not adapting to the new economic realities is surfacing almost daily. The Chief Economist at TD Canada Trust said that immigrants are becoming a liability for the Canadian economy rather than an asset. This is because Canada is admitting immigrants with the wrong skill set that the economy needs. I have been saying for years that we need radical changes: younger immigrants, not older; priority for those who are readily employable, not for those for whom we feel sorry; involve employers in the selection process and make them commit to hire those immigrants they select; and expect from immigrants that they will work in any available jobs and not become a burden to social services. We need more engineers and technicians and fewer PhDs in Philosophy. See story :

http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/239389

NEW SIMPLIFIED PASSPORT RENEWAL PROGRAM STARTS AUGUST 15, 2007

The Simplified Passport Renewal Program will be available as of August 15, 2007, and is part of a broader effort to modernize Canadian passport services.
It will allow Canadian citizens who meet certain eligibility criteria to renew their passport using a shorter form and without submitting documentary evidence of citizenship, supplementary identification and a guarantor declaration. Under the renewal program, passport applicants will only be required to submit the shorter form along with two new photos, the application fee and their last passport.
Canadians who meet the following eligibility criteria will be able to benefit from this program:

They must be residing in Canada at the time they apply.
They must have resided in Canada at the time of their previous application.
They were 16 years old or over at the time of their previous application.
Their previous passport:
Must have been valid for five years,
Must have been issued after January 31, 2002,
Was never damaged or reported as lost or stolen, and
Must have been issued under their current name.

For mor einformation, please see Passport Canada website:

http://www.ppt.gc.ca/newsroom/news.aspx?lang=e&page=/newsroom/20070608c.aspx