The Current Crisis in Windsor
Over the past 3 weeks, about 200 Mexicans claimed refugee status at the Canadian border in Windsor.
The shelters are full, and the city’s resources are capped.
Although most of these economic claimants will be sent back, during the 14-month interim of processing time they are on social assistance. The support is provided on humanitarian grounds to assess legitimate claims.
Windsor Mayor, Eddie Francis, has stated,
We don’t have the means, ability or capacity to deal with this additional cost. We are not able to deal with this potential crisis locally. I don’t believe that Windsor’s residents and taxpayers should have to foot the bill for U.S. immigration policy.
Specifically, Homeland Security measures have been cited as one of the reasons for the recent exodus, with predatory coyotes cited as the other.
To complicate things further, one of the 200 people in Windsor recently gave birth to a child, and another woman has one on the way. Both children will have claims to Canadian citizenship, and strengthen the residency case of the mothers involved.
Mexican refugee claims have skyrocketted in recent years. More than 3,500 Mexicans claimed refugee status in Canada last year alone, already making it the single largest source for our country.
The recent crisis also revives dialogue over use of Mexican agricultural workers, and the refrain that human rights have no borders.
Loonies head South
But Canadians are also crossing the border, in the other direction, armed with a Canadian dollar at parity.
Although some in the manufacturing sector expressed concerns over rising costs for exports to the US, consumers and many economists celebrated the rise.
Appreciation of the looney was based mostly on a faltering American dollar and a robust Canadian economy.
What about the American Invasion?
So why aren’t the Americans invading Mexico, to complete the love triangle?
Oh wait, they already did.
And it’s not like Canada is immune either.
As a young girl, I entered the U.S. legally and lived in Phoenix, Arizona for 39 years. I returned to Canada for a while in my teens then again in my 20’s and finally moved home permanently five years ago. What I am about to say is based upon knowledge and has nothing to do with what you might interpret as being racist comments. I believe that we are all equal. I also believe in integrity! I have seen what an influx of Mexican nationals can do to a community and a country.
Perhaps the Mexican people you have seen have primarily been at the resorts while you have been on holiday. Those are the few out of millions that have been lucky enough to obtain employment. Most live in horrible poverty.
Close to 100,000 illegals, as they are called, cross the Arizona border every MONTH. Only a handful are found and returned. Most are illiterate. Without the proper papers to obtain employment legally, they rely on city/county services, purchase their phoney papers or commit various crimes. (Papers can be bought outside the local grocery store)
Once decent neighbourhoods are quickly decimated. For example, a young Mexican couple with forged papers and paystub will purchase a small house taking advantage of all the discounts and freebies given to Latino people. Within a very short time frame, both set of “parents” move in, then their “brothers and sisters”, then their “cousins” and so on. Most of these family members are illegal. Almost all are collecting food stamps and welfare via forged documents and all are taking advantage of all of the city/county and state services designed to help the disabled, mentally ill, elderly and disadvantaged. These services were designed to take care of the people that so desperately need them. People that are citizens. One of them could possibly be you if an emergency arose.
Imagine owning a home for less than $500 down and the rest of the down payment coming from the government. Imagine not having to repay all or part of your loan. Imagine 20 or more people living in a 2 bedroom 1 bath house. Imagine 90% of the houses in your neighbourhood (over a period of less than 3 years) being sold and 20 plus people moving into each small 1200 square foot home. Imagine all of the old broken down cars (without any insurance) being driven and then piling up on what used to be a lawn. Imagine the amount of trash/drugs/crime now in your neighbourhood.
There is a heavy burden on school systems, city sewer systems, hydro/gas, garbage services and even the postal services. Since these people are not paying any taxes, where do you think the money is coming from? Working people like me and you. Additionally, they can apply for city services to pay for their utilities-even their cable. We are working and would probably not qualify.
Government “food stamps” as they are called pay roughly $135 per person. In a country where the taxes are low and you can purchase a turkey for $.39 a pound, this is a tidy sum of money. In addition there is welfare. Collecting the aforementioned also entitles their children to free breakfast and lunch while at school. Plus government grants will help pay for college. Most other programs to assimilate these illegals into the system are free.
So, here we have an illegal or refugee that in America can (with the help of phoney papers or their “relativesâ€) send their children and themselves to school, obtain food stamps, obtain welfare, have their utilities paid, obtain government subsidized housing and take advantage of all emergency and medical/dental/hospital services.
And they NEVER PAY ANY TAXES!!!!! Any money that is earned from working illegally is immediately sent home to Mexico.
Most insurance companies in the U.S. will only pay 80% of a medical bill. An alarming number of claims are denied. A large portion of Americans do not have any insurance or cannot afford the large monthly payment. Guess who gets all of their medical for free? Guess who doesn’t have to pay the 20% that insurance won’t cover-which could be hundreds of thousands of dollars. Guess who probably won’t file bankruptcy due to medical bills?
Do I feel badly that Mexicans live in poverty in their own country? A country of est. 108,700,891 people. (July 07) Sure. Am I willing to allow them to bankrupt Canada and take away my medical and governmental services? Nope.
Let’s NOT do what the Americans have done. Let’s learn from their unfortunate mistakes. They have let things get completely out of hand. When the President is begging illegals to pay taxes I would say that America has lost its grip on just how big the problem is.
Our laws need to be changed NOW. We cannot support the Mexican people at the cost of our own. We have already seen what it has done to Windsor, ON in just a short time with just a few people. If we allow their unborn children to claim Canadian citizenship it will be akin to the first drop of leaking water in a dam that will quickly burst.
We are decent, tolerant and kind people. We can also be very naïve about our rapidly changing world as we want to continue to hold on to our gracious and peace loving past. We take our time coming to terms with any change and drag our feet. I think that we are beginning to see the costs of our inaction (government and private industry) in all facets of our lives.
I have lived in what might be the future of Canada if we do not act quickly in stemming the influx of illegals into Canada.
I lived for 30 year in Arizona (when it was beautiful) but returned to Canada because of all the illegals. What a mess the State is in. Lets never let it happen to Canada.
Law Is Cool:
I am very upset about this woman’s description of the Mexican people and their living standards. I too am a Canadian whom lived in the states for over 5 years. The state of California. I resided most of that time in the Mojave desert area. As you well know many Mexican people live in California.And my experiences with the Mexican people are far different from this woman, I found the Mexican people to be hard working, family oriented, and generally loving people. Yes they are leaving their countries to come to others to work – are they taking other people’s jobs ? No – they are not – they are taking the jobs that no-one else is willing to do – the jobs that Americans and Canadians think that they are too good or far to educated to lower themselves to do. As far as their homes being full of 20 or more people that is absurd – – Of all the families I had met and had the pleasure of meeting, a few had brought their parents over to live with them, their homes were very well kept and in fact the homes and yards were kept much better than most of the so called ” Real Americans ” Isn’t it funny to have everyone in an uproar over the Mexican people so called invading their precious space, their schools,their health care and whatever else they choose at the time to complain about – but if they can get childcare,yard or housework or any other job not only completed but completed properly with pride and at a fraction of the cost ,they are the first ones to take advantage of that. I have been to Mexico several times ( not the resorts )and I love the people and their cultures and yes the majority live in terrible conditions, do they want better for their families – do they want educations for their children so they can have better lives – of course they do – wouldn’t you? How many Americans or Canadians do you know that would risk taking the chances that the Mexican people have and do to give their families a better way of life ? Is their way of life their fault – no it is not – Many American and Canadian companies are and have been invading the country of Mexico – more each year but do the Mexican people benefit from this -no they do not , the prices of their day to day living costs are going sky high because of the Americans and Canadians that are working and buying there – but what about the people whom do not work at these factories? Who is invading whose space now ? And as far as the woman’s comment about leaving the states because of all the illegals and such , then she should have stayed in the states or moved elsewhere – take a look around Canada -that is what Canada is – we are full of different nationalities – this is part of what makes Canada so special and what makes me proud to be a Canadian.Apparently when a person lives in the states for 39 years they forget not only what it is to be a Canadian,but what is not to be a racist.
Kathy Blackwell
To answer (Miss, Ms., Mrs) Blackwell’s comment. First off I am a U.S. citizen and your wrong. What Michelle said is correct, they live just like that 20 or more to a household. They take jobs away that U.S. citizens will work just not at $25.00 to $50.00(U.S. dollar a day)I know many friends who do not have a college education or who dropped out of high school but will not work construction for $40.00 a day. The illegal Mexicans will. After hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, the construction companies that went in to help clean up and remove debris were paying $125.00 to $150.00 U.S. dollars a day. Then came the illegals(Mexicans) who were willing to risk their lives for $40.00 to $50.00 U.S. dollars a day, because, hey if they get sick removing mold invested lumber they go to our hospitals and get all the medical for free plus the medicine.
I was born in a big city in Texas went to school, learned English, math, science, history ect… and graduated, But When I go to the Grocery store I have to turn the product label around sometimes because its written in Spanish.
Canada do NOT do what we stupid Americans did and try to ignore the problem. It will not go away.
Thank God Canada has two official languages ENGLISH AND FRENCH not Spanish!
My wife and I are seriously thinking about moving to Canada, England or Scotland. Do not let “O Canada!
Our home and native land” turn into CANada-mexICO another words CANICO!
FOR THE ARIZONA GIRL
INMIGRANTS DONT PAY TAXES ,WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT,
WORKING FOR MORE THAN 5 YEARS AT NEW JERSEY, AS A ILLEGAL, EVERY PAY CHECK I RECIVE IM PAYING THE TAXES, AND ICANT RECIVE MY TAXES BACK , LIKE ME THOUSANDS OF INMIGRATS FROM MEXICO PERUVIAN DOMINICASN PAYING TAXES AND WE CANT HAVE THE MONEY BACK, COME ON THATS THE REASON WHY THEY WANT US HERE IN THE USA……
I would like to express what I think about this issue. There are people from all over the world in each country. I am mexican and I live in Mexico and I have University Education. I can speak 5 languages
and thanks God. I never lived abroad ,because it has not been necessary. I have been on Vacation in the States and I see your country has a lot of needs too. and I have also met a lot of Americans that they do not even have finished highschool and I know a lot women that work as prostitutes in Mexico mainly in Tourist Destinations
For Michelle, you are sooo wrong !!! I feel sorry for you. You are so hateful to another human being. First of all Michelle, you lived too long in the USA. Maybe wrong area. YOU MUST BE MIDDLE AGE LADY, after you lived so long, I can’t believe people can be sooo ignorant !!!!!!!!!
For David, if you want to invade some other country, YES DAVID,INVADE ! Guess what, there is a lot of Mexicans in England and Scotland and have been there for quite a while. Who knows David since Canada has two official languages one more (Spanish) it’s OK !
I agree with Kathy and Carlos !!!
I’ve been to Canada several times and Canadians
are very respectful, generous and compassionate
people. In Mexico Canadians are treated like gold. Because they good and decent people.
Is that right ???? USA citizens claim that undocumented workers take jobs from citizens, and
they (UW)get paid lower wages. However, USA citizens claim that these same people DON’T PAY TAXES !!!! You mean these places of employment don’t pay taxes ??? Of course they do.
The only place the undocumented workers get a little bit more money, it’s the construction business. They mostly work for packing companies, and the whole world knows how these companies do business. Some of them work for fast food companies for the minimum wage. A lot of them
come to pick lettuce and other seasonal produce.
Have you seen any USA citizens picking lettuce lately ?
Some of the USA citizen claim that they would do
the job if the wages were higher. Well, guess what ! USA citizen gets hired, but they don’t last more than three weeks let alone a month. So the undocumented worker gets hired.
I’m a USA citizen, 5th generation Hispanic and
the truth will set us all free. I call it as I see it, and I see a lot of racism towards the undocumented worker, just because they don’t have the means to defend themselves.
The guy who is worry about the mexicans in Canada, should`t be worry, cause the chinese are doing that job. So instead of learning spanish you will have to learn chinese.
I was looking into moving to Canada because of the over population of Mexicans here illegally. So then I find out that it is becoming a problem there too. What has this world come to? I want my children to go to a good school. I think that it’s wrong that our tax dollars… not theirs… are teaching them how to speak English. No child left behind? Well, my children are left behind. The classes are getting bigger and the school system is in crisis. We should make it a law that if you are born here from illegal parents then you are illegal! Learn how to speak English before kindergarden.
The taxes they have taken out of their pay checks sits because the government can not spend it! It just sits there doing nothing while they get free health care, good schooling, public aid, food stamps, computer classes for free and so many more things that I don’t even know about. I wish I can get free computer classes and that my children can learn a new language for free. Americans do not work the jobs that Mexicans fill. Call it lazy Americans… whatever you want. But if the Mexicans weren’t filling the jobs we would be filling them ourselves.
High school students can’t find work because the jobs are already filled with people that ARE NOT SAPOSE TO OBE HERE!!!
I say go home… stop wasting our money and our time! I wish I could get free things like they do, but I can’t because all the money that my business makes MUST be claimed or I am in BIG trouble if I get audited. They can’t get audited! What a relief for them. If things get rough for them they go home and then come back when the coast is clear.
We enable them when we put signs up in their language, but what about people who speak other languages? They don’t count? Oh, that’s right they are not mexican. I find it disgusting that if you talk to people about this you are considered a racist. I’m not! I’m just upset that it is so hard for people who are citizens to get work, food, education and so forth. I have moved too many times to get away from these problems. And it seems to follow me. There is no escape! They ruin the towns that they invade because they don’t own it. I just want my children to have the best because that is my right as a U.S. citizen! My family came here LEGALLY and so did my husbands. We did not own slaves, we worked hard for what we have and we don’t take it for granted! Let’s send them back home and build a wall! I hope Canada doesn’t let their country get ruined because of this problem! Send them back before it’s too late!!!
They want to take over America because they feel that we stole it from them. That is what one Hispanic told me. I wonder what the rest of them are thinking.
The U.S. has turned into a country of reverse discrimination… I think that it is unfair that my children might not get into the collage of their choice because they are WHITE! What are these law makers doing? Probably going golfing.
It’s sad that a lot of North Americans, especially those who claim being “whiteâ€, think they have more rights over those who are “not whiteâ€. I pray that one day, they will pick up a non-biased history book, that tells history like it happened.
The European man, moved to America, and by America I mean the continent, not the country like they choose to call it. The European man, as vicious as he is, enslaved people, modernly enslaves people, and will continue enslaving people. He is crafty, and he has his ways. The wealthy American, the powerful and noxious American, in an effort to control the rest, poisons the average American with ignorance through incompetent schooling. The average American, the ignorant American, is too lost to understand the magnitude of the problem. The ignorant misled American, channels his frustrations and converts them into hatred.
The rich and powerful American puppeteers his surroundings for amusement, his not only happy with what he’s made of the land he has claimed to be his, but develops financial crises in other countries, forcing those countries citizens to immigrate to where it is financially better, forcing those people to fall into his monopolized deadly trap.
In response to those who are worried about illegal aliens taking advantage of their countries pitiful benefits, you should know that, yes I agree that they forge identity documents in order to get jobs, but as illegal aliens they cannot get food stamps, or actually use their deserving scholarships or any governmental benefit for that matter. They can however assist elementary, middle and high school, but let’s be honest for a second here, they do pay taxes, even if it is against their will, as they get automatically deducted when they get their pay-check. By the way, did you know that there is no law in the United States that obligates anyone to pay income tax?
I do agree however, that they live in overcrowded areas, and they make the neighborhoods look “badâ€. But that is a whole different issue. You are too within your rights to have your whole family and friends living in your house if you so one day decide to do.
With respect to the language, well instead of complaining so much, why don’t you take advantage of it and learn another language. Leave the laziness aside, you will see that who knows, it might turn out to be beneficial.
With love and affection, Alejandro.
Yo creo que algún dÃa deberemos acostumbrarnos a convivir unos con otros en algún punto pues si ves al mundo que conocemos desde la luna, el continente es solo un pedazo de tierra y ya no existe tal estrecho que lo unió con los demás pedazos que hay en este diminuto planeta en algún momento de lo que me conozco como existencia…
—-I TRIED TO SAY THAT…—–
I think that we should try to get along with each other at some point in time of what i know as existance, becouse if you see the world that we all know from the moon… the continent is just a piece of land and the straight that once got together this piece of land with the other ones in this tiny planet does not exist anymore…
IF YOU DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE FIRST PARAGRAPH ITS BECOUSE…
you should try to learn more about the people that were here before you and even before they spoke the lenguage wich it was written in, well just if you want to live free around this “piece of land” and just if you want to take advantage of the opportunities that those places are offering
and by what i see, the comment posted by LAWISCOOL, in response to Michelle’s comment, is in agreement with her, sadly.
Law is Cool:
I’m confused… because after Michelle’s comment, LAWISCOOL appears to have commented on the blog titled “I was resident†dated January 25th. And this comment is either supportive of what she says or is being sarcastic.
Law is Cool:
Post reading the article and the blogs to follow I couldn’t help but notice the high level of ignorance that exists. This ignorance is applied to people not because of their capability to learn rather it is how the Governmnet keeps control, how we speak, what we learn and what we “believe.” An example of what people may believe is that Mexicans are the reason as to why their children arn’t getting an education. In reference to Julies comment about the educational
system, I am a amused becasue she said that she wishes that her children could get an education like the “Mexicans.” If the Mexicans are getting their education in the same system as her children, why is it that her children are not recieving equall education? (since they attend the same school, isn’t implied that they are recieving the same education) Maybe perhaps the willingness to learn is difference?
“Mexicans” should definatly not be blammed for the systems put in place by United States of America. Just like Bush was able to “keep the Terrorists away,” he could keep the Mexicans away if that is what the government truly wanted.
I am more affraid as a born Canadian to have Americans invaid this country with ignorant views as apose to the Mexican families that are willing to work and recieve an education. Canada is the last country to come to if you are trying to get away from a culture. The culture is rich here and is an important part of being Canadian.
I also feel that Law is cool commented, under the horizontal line which I think was meant to be sarcastic or in agreement with Michelle.
example:
____________________________________________
Law Is Cool:
Fortunately Canada uses a very different philosophy when dealing with immigration. No MinuteMen here and we intend to keep it that way.
All the Best,
Sarah C
Law is Cool:
come on guys we all are equal what makes us different is our education. everywhere u go u r going to find good and bad people. if thas your problem, but if is your color go to another planet maybe u find one color.
answer for all comments, i spend 4 years in USA and i was making very good money $5,500 a month wich was good for me back then when i was 21ys. old and was getting my bachelor degree now i am back to my home town wich i love, “Mexico” and feel very well , just like i feel back when i was in USA , now i have a Master degree in Computer S. and while you read these message i could be reading your personal email information and credit card details, i am not like that just mention it to let USA people know that we are not just a bunch of wet backs trying to get your jobs, we have big companies, big houses and lot of money, not every body but many people live’s better that what you can imagine, just think how many pounds of drugs we export every single day, not me but a lot of Mexicans , these is for people in USA not for Canadian people wich i respect o lot, becouse they respect every one no matter your skin color or amount of income…. if your pc is slow and you think have a virus maybe is becouse your Ip address shows your location, means that you are in USA and that may be me hahah….. congratulation USA hope you find a lot of oil in Irak
supermercado de walmart, yes you heard it right, supermercado de walmart i just heard it on the news walmart is opening spanish speaking only stores here in AZ and TX with all spanish products (DVDs CDs food clothing etc) and if this idea goes well they will open more. i really dont care if they wana live here in the US but seriously this is the USA and we all speak English here if you wana come here you need to learn it, not the other way around i have lived here in arizona all my life in the same neighborhood since the day i was born. and i have watched it turn from a very nice city into “little mexico”, i cant go into a store here or anywhere anymore without seeing mexican flags and colors everywhere and everything being in spanish forcing me to fumble my way through a language i was not brought up speaking just to find out which isle the cerial is on. seriously if you want to be a citizen of this country and live here, act like it.
“Warning: Comments must be approved by editors before appearing on the site. Comments that are racist, sexist, homophobic, etc. or otherwise offensive will be deleted without notice.”
…except in this thread.
Law is Cool: Yes, this thread appears to be getting out of line, and is currently in discussion by the admin team for editing.