Immigration ? Trying On A New Lifestyle

The lure of riches in a foreign land, the potential of awesome new opportunities, dreams of what might be ? all these sometimes entice people to immigrate to a different country. Being reunited with a loved one or just longing for adventure are also strong reasons for immigrating. Sometimes, rather than being drawn to a new country, one is pushed: religious persecution, starvation when the crops have failed, escaping unbearable family situations. Certainly wars, revolutions and political unrest have caused thousands to try to find a peaceful existence elsewhere. And decades ago, many were forced against their will to live in a new country as slaves or as prisoners.

For all who move on, pulling up roots from their homeland can be traumatic. It truly is not an easy decision to make, and today about 15% of those who leave their native country choose to return, finding that adjusting to a new society is too difficult.

The easiest transitions occur when the immigrants can find a community made up of people from their native home. They can keep a lot of their old customs while integrating the new country?s language, values and culture. Experience seems to indicate that to be happy they need to wholeheartedly try to assimilate the new ways and not begrudge the environment being different. Home is where the heart is! Home needs to be wherever we are!

While planning to remain permanently in the new country, most find work and strive to own a home of their own. They learn the new language (sometimes laughingly) and educate their children in the new ways, without having the children cut the bonds that tie them to their native roots. To honor both countries with love is the goal!

Immigrants have made enormous contributions to the economies and cultures of their new countries, yet these are often made with tremendous difficulty. Newcomers face many challenges in being accepted, and when they arrive from being ?pushed? to the new country, rather than ?longing? for it, the transition is even harder. Sometimes those original dreams just don?t come true.

The immigrants who make a very good living in the new country and are able to send money home to relatives in the native country are usually glad they made the transition. Some are able to establish business links with the businesses back home, helping to ease the problems that are faced there. Other immigrants finally retire and return to their native land for their old age, only to find that it, too, has changed.

Ultimately we each have to learn to cherish where we are. The old saying, ?Where ever I go, I go, too!? still rings true.

Paul Babs is the owner of Citizens Stopshop which tackles all immigration issues. For more information, go to: http://www.yesimmigration.com

 

Illegal Immigration And The Catholic Church

I am a Catholic. I am also, however, against illegal immigration. I believe that we should clamp down harder on illegal immigrants and we should do more to protect our borders. Churches, whether they be Catholic, Protestant, Jewish or other, however, have a different duty, in society, than governments, police departments and citizens. A church's duty is to help people without regard to the person's past or current standing.

After an interview with Cardinal Mahony of the Catholic Church, the Los Angeles Times reported "In an interview on the eve of Ash Wednesday, Mahony said he planned to use the first day of the Lenten season to call on all 288 parishes in the Los Angeles Archdiocese, the nation's largest, to fast, pray and press for humane immigration reform. U.S. Roman Catholic bishops support proposals for a guest-worker program, legalization of undocumented immigrants and more visas for migrants' families.". The Times further reported that "In his most forceful comments to date, Mahony said he would instruct his priests to defy legislation -- if approved by Congress -- that would require churches and other social organizations to ask immigrants for legal documentation before providing assistance and penalize them if they refuse to do so. That provision was included in the immigration bill recently passed by the House of Representatives; a similar proposal is in the version that the Senate Judiciary Committee plans to begin debating this week.".

Cardinal Mahony stated "The whole concept of punishing people who serve immigrants is un-American. If you take this to its logical, ludicrous extreme, every single person who comes up to receive Holy Communion, you have to ask them to show papers. It becomes absurd and the church is not about to get into that. The church is here to serve people.... We're not about to become immigration agents. It just throws more gasoline on the discussion and inflames people."

In a letter to the Times a reader stated "It is time for the Internal Revenue service to look into the Catholic Church's tax-exempt status. It seems as though Cardinal Roger Mahony is getting involved in politics, and I thought that was a no-no."

I disagree with that reader. I don't believe that Cardinal Mahony is engaging in politics. He was not telling his parishioners what stance to take on illegal immigration, he was simply asking (not odering) his parishes to "fast, pray and press for humane immigration reform" and instructing his priests to continue to provide assistance to people without regard for their immigration status.

It is a priest's duty to assist people. To deny a person the sacraments of confession, communion, baptism, last rites, marriage, etc., or to deny financial aid or comfort in times of need, because that person may or may not be here legally or because that person may not be able to prove that he or she is here legally, would be unchristian and against the spirit of the Church. In my opinion, any priest that would deny aid based on immigration status, would not be fit to be called a priest.

Cardinal Mahony also stated that he disagreed with certain new laws and rules being proposed. I disagree with some of his statements, however this country's constitution guarantees freedom of speech, and I believe that he should be able to vocalise his thoughts and feelings, just like the rest of us. His being a Cardinal should not rob him of his right to free speech. He is not, after all, speaking of treason or hate and he is not stating that God told him to make his statements. He is not stating that God will punish those that do not follow his (Cardinal Mahony) wishes.

Cardinal Mahony advocates immigrant rights and I and many others disagree with many of the rights he advocates, however, he is a citizen of this country and no matter what his position or influence, should have the right to speak out on issues that he believes in. Politicians, celebrities, union leaders, billionairs, etc. all are allowed to speak out. Why should church leaders be prevented from speaking out?

Yes, the government should do everything it can in order to stop illegal immigration. No, churches should not be stopped from caring for their flock and they should not be stopped from caring for someone just because he or she may or may not be a citizen or a legal immigrant. The government's duties and the church's duties are not the same.

David G. Hallstrom, Sr. is a retired private investigator and currently publishes several internet directories including http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com a legal and lifestyle resources directory for attorneys, lawyers and the internet public. For more lifestyle information see http://lifestyle.resourcesforattorneys.com, the Lifestyle directory from Resources For Attorneys.

Business Immigration: Good Idea Or Bad?

Canada's Business Immigration Plan is a plan started by the Canadian Government to attract experienced people with money in order to boost the Canadian economy.

Prospective immigrants must have a net worth of at least $800,000 and must make an investment of $400,000 in the Canadian economy.

There are 3 classes of Business Immigrants, each with separate eligibilty requirements.

Investors
The Immigrant Investor Program (IIP) wants to find experienced business persons and their capital to Canada. The Immigrant Investors must demonstrate business experience and a legally obtained minimum net worth of CAN $800,000, and must make an investment of $400,000 in the Canadian economy.

Entrepreneurs
The Entrepreneur Program is searching for experienced business persons who will own and actively manage businesses in Canada that contribute to the economy and create jobs. Entrepreneurs must demonstrate business experience and a minimum legally obtained net worth of CAN $300,000, and are subject to conditions upon arrival in Canada.

Self-employed persons
The Self-Employed Persons Program seeks to attract applicants who have the intention and ability to become self-employed in Canada. Self-employed persons are required to have either (a) relevant experience that will enable them to make a significant contribution to the cultural or athletic life of Canada, or (b) experience in farm management and the intention and ability to purchase and manage a farm in Canada.

The province of Quebec operates its own immigrant investor program. All investors in the Quebec program must both be destined to live in Quebec and selected by Quebec.
Between 1986 to 2000 most Business Immigrants were from Hong Kong, 7,678 or 39.91% of the total number of Business Immigrants.

How effective has this program been in creating jobs and in bringing investment to Canada?
According to Statistics Canada 2000 figures were; full time jobs created 1832, part time jobs created 918.

Canada has an underpopulation problem and has found itself in the same situation as Japan and many European countries. It should actively promote immigration because there is a diminished fertility rate just like in most European countries and Japan.

In Japan things are so bad that only 14% of its population is under the age of 15.

One solution, starnge though it may sound, is to end abortion.
Some observers say that if abortions in Canada halted, the population numbers would be above replacement levels within a year.

At present there are 3 categories of Immigrants to Canada:

Skilled Worker: This category is for professionals and skilled tradespeople with at least one year of continuous work experience.

This class is the most popular class and is also known as the professional class or skilled worker class and the application is assessed based on a point system. An individual should make an application under this class if he/she wishes to come to Canada based on his/her qualifications, work experience and knowledge of the English or French language.
Special provisions apply for immigration to Quebec

Business Class: This category is for managers and business owners with high net worth, and requires an investment in Canada.

This class is also known as the business immigration class. One should make an application under the entrepreneur class and self-employed class if he/she wishes to start a business in Canada. A person should make an application under the investor class if he/she DOES NOT wish to start a business in Canada.

Family Sponsorship: This category is for citizens and permanent residents of Canada who want to sponsor a close family member.

Pierre Trudeau changed Canada's immigration laws and opened wide the country's doors to Africans, Asians and West Indians as part of an attempt to fill its huge, underpopulated hinterland.

The result is that today eighteen percent of the population is now foreign-born compared with about 11 percent in the United States, with little or no debate over whether the effects of such change in culture, demographics and national identity is good or bad.

Only in the last 10 years or so have Calgary, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, with one third of the population, become multicultural polyglots, with the towers of Sikh temples and mosques becoming mainstays of the skylines and cuisines and fashion becoming concoctions of spices and patterns that are in the vanguard of globalization.

One of the advantages of this cultural diversity is that the population has become more like Europe and has become more tolerant of different views than the United States. However, gun-related crimes in the major cities are increasing at an alarming rate.

 Business Immigration, good or bad? by J Schipper