CO, I am re-posting your response.
I work with immigrants to Canada day in, day out. Too many of them seek welfare, bottom line. And the Canadian government has no type of litmus test for entering the country in terms of being able to speak one of the two national languages. True, in Quebec and near Ottawa (right on the border with Quebec), French is spoken. But get outside of East Ontario, the province, Quebec, and the Eastern seaboard, and French is almost never spoken.
My point all along is that the Canadian government, similar to the US, lets in far too many people who can’t speak English. Guess what happens? When these people try to get a job, unless it’s a Chinese speaking company (and there are some south of Vancouver in a city called Richmond, BC, google it please), you’re not going to get very far in life. Granted, your school-aged kids might learn English and French from the school system, but what about the parents?
Up here in British Columbia, there are 3 types of welfare for the general public available through the province: 1. Income Assistance – Employable. This gives you $610 per month. It’s for people who are able to work but can’t find work. 2. Income Assistance – People with Persistent Multiple Barriers, this is about $750 per month. 3. Income Assistance – Persons with Disabilities (PWD). This is about $906 to $946 per month. I know that tens of people are on welfare up here. In fact, there’s a state legislator up here in Surrey who’s doing a publicity stunt saying he’ll live on $610 per month. Well, that’s great and all, but to raise the $610 per month by even 10% for all the people on it, it’d cost the province about $120 million.
I have sympathy and compassion for people who are genuinely disabled, but not for people who refuse to work, say they can’t find work (really? There’s not a fast food restaurant that won’t hire them? Really?), or just find that the welfare system pays them more money than trying to find work.
And don’t forget, their Medical Service Plans (MSP) plans are often free. They also get something called a BC GST (Goods and Service Tax) rebate that comes out to about $100 per month. And if you have two children and you’re low income, you get $296 per month in something called the Child Tax Credit. See why people want to live in Canada, Wayne? It’s a very generous welfare system.
Don’t get me started on the whole 65+ system as well. We have things called Old Age Security (similar to Social Security), Guaranteed Income Supplement, etc. If you live in Canada for the full 40 years, you get $544 per month starting at 65. If you’re absolutely broke, you may also qualify for something called Guaranteed Income Supplement. That can often boost very needy seniors’ income up to about $1000-$1200 per month. In a way, the Canadian government rewards people who have never saved up. Just go broke, and the government will come bail you out.
As for the logging rights of First Nations/aboriginal types, I just get tired of the aboriginals always wanting a handout from the province or feds. They have super high rates of suicide, unemployment, depression, isolation, and very low rates of educational attainment and success. They’re a cash pit for the province – when you invest in these First Nations groups, don’t expect to see any type of return on investment
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