Originally Posted by Sasquatch888

Ha, true. Should have been clearer. I was meaning the UK immigrants responsible for founding a lot of the Canadian companies and institutions that helped form the country and how it looks today (primarily Scots and Irish).

Originally Posted by Hurlabrick

In the interests of fairness, I will admit that the Brits did Canada a big favour in the war of 1812, otherwise we would all be Americans!

Originally Posted by Sasquatch888

Yes and yes. I didn't mention anything about the most economic benefit. Again, you need to read my original post. The point was that even with a more relaxed approach to foreigners coming in, the UK is doing just as well as Canada (you can give and take somethings both countries to better/worse for but the rates of new infections/deaths are both similar and controlled in both countries). The holier than thou posts earlier are baffling.

The effects of continuing with such strict measures will do you a lot more harm, and simply, without the likes of people from the UK (and other countries, to be crystal clear) coming in soon, the impact will be far and wide-ranging (more so than they already are). Therefore, Canada (and other countries) need to put the measures in place to allow that to happen with testing, tracing, isolating where appropriate and open up internationally. Some countries are now doing this, are able to benefit from international travel and take action if infections are reported. And so far it has been working. Canada needs to do this asap.

Oh, and the UK is Canada's third largest trade partner - not that this has anything to do with the economic benefits tourists or the people immigrating from the UK bring. You obviously have no concept of what is happening to the tourism, airline and hospitality industries in Canada, and elsewhere, at the moment. Which, yes, does have an impact on the economy as a whole.

The amount of tourists coming from the UK is second only to the USA. So yeah, I would say you need us. Especially if the land border with Canada's biggest economic contributor remains closed, you will need all the help you can get.

Originally Posted by Sasquatch888

I think some on here are missing the point. Countries cannot be shutdown forever, especially ones that are heavily reliant on immigrants and tourists coming into the country, like Canada. Until a vaccine or suppressive drugs are available, it will come down to how effective your local authorities are at dealing with new cases in the form of tracking, testing and localized isolation. It will have to come to that our else the problems caused by shutting down will out-weigh the ones caused by Covid19. That is what most developed countries are starting to rely on now as they get to a point where they are prepared for localized outbreaks.

The UK has been letting foreign nationals into the country and not closed the boarders, true. They have also carried out double the amount of tests per 1m people than Canada. They also include fairly reliable death figures and include deaths from outside of hospital, not many other countries do - not sure about Canada but sounds like their reporting of deaths is unreliable and slow at best. Despite this, the UK is now on a similar trajectory to Canada in new cases and deaths. The daily numbers themselves are still a bit higher in the UK, but again, the above reasons will go some way to explaining this. Considering the UK has double the population in a fraction of the land mass, with a far more intricate public transport network - I am not sure if Canadians can sit there and point fingers and say how badly the UK are doing - especially when you look at figures in built up areas like Toronto and Montreal - and neither have done well when it comes to care homes. There will be pros and cons of how both have handled things.

However now more than ever what with Covid19 and the state of the oil sands, Canada needs us islanders (you know, the founders of Canada) to come into the country as quickly and as numerous as possible.

To answer the OP - Canada should start easing restrictions once their track, trace and isolate procedures are in place, which should (hopefully) be in the next month or 2. Canadians should be praying for that, as if not, to close boarders for a whole summer will be a disaster for the tourism, airline & hospitality industries and the Canadian economy as a whole.

Lets all hope for some more positive times ahead, eh.

Originally Posted by dbd33

I think Canada can afford to wait before opening up and I think it will. Once the situation in the US is more stable then I expect controls at that border will be relaxed and other borders will follow. Some of this may happen as soon as this autumn but I wouldn't expect significant immigration from the UK this year; if nothing else the climate of employment has changed so that those who would be attractive immigrants can now just as well work remotely from where they are. Not bus boys, obviously, but Canadians can do that sort of work.

Originally Posted by Siouxie

Canada doesn't need people from the UK necessarily, they invite a chosen few to join us here...

My son used to play a game called "Plague"

- He said the only way a country could ensure they didn't become infected was to close their borders.. and thus the game beat the player.. life immitating art, indeed.

Originally Posted by Sasquatch888

Are you kidding? Whether it chooses to open up or not, Canada cannot afford to wait for long. Doing so will costs billions of dollars and jobs. The Canadian economy is built on a continuing flow of immigrants, tourists and a sustainable oil industry. As they don't have any of those at the moment, Canada cannot afford jack-.

At this moment in time, the restrictions for foreign travel and quarantine are due to be lifted 30th June, the border to the US 21st July. Everything else is just guesswork at the end of the day. Your premonitions may well turn out to be true but ultimately your opinions and what you think are meaningless.

Originally Posted by dbd33

It's all over for the tar sands, nothing to do with Covid-19. That was never going to be any more sustainable than the cod fishery.

Originally Posted by Sasquatch888

Ugh, as made clear in a further post. You do - you need us as well as the immigrants from other countries to grow your economy and visit as tourists. You need Americans more, but maybe correctly, as it stands they are not controlling the virus as well and for now the borders remain shut. Other countries have done better.

Both with this and the computer game example, it doesn't take into account the economy. Especially when considered with the use of measures helping to control any outbreaks. You simply cannot afford to close the borders until the virus is not present in the world anymore. Outbreaks will happen until a vaccine is available - which could be next year it sounds like. If it goes on too much longer the economic fallout, unemployment rate, poverty etc etc will outweigh the effects of the virus.

Originally Posted by Sasquatch888

. You simply cannot afford to close the borders until the virus is not present in the world anymore.

Originally Posted by Sasquatch888

Didn't say it was.

Originally Posted by Former Lancastrian

Correct me if I am not mistaken but you have applied for PR status in Canada with a common law wife and have received an ITA. Great you are applying to come to Canada and have been accepted. Now as we elect a democratic Government and employ many professional experts in their fields these are the people who advise the powers that be to make decisions on the country and protect those who currently live in Canada. I have no idea what your expertise is but as you are not in a position to dictate what is currently happening/ should be happening then unfortunately it is what it is regardless if you agree or not on how our Government is currently managing this pandemic. Currently with no vaccine available and remember after 30 years plus no vaccine has been found for HIV.

Originally Posted by dbd33

I don't think anyone is arguing for that. It's just that the current UK government isn't very good at public health. Perhaps you could elect a different one, clean things up there and then see if you're any more attractive as visitors.

Originally Posted by dbd33

Sorry, I misread "a sustainable oil industry" in your post at 5:08 as meaning a sustainable oil industry.

Originally Posted by Sasquatch888

Yes, something that without, Canada's economy and jobs will suffer. I don't know whether it will get back to be sustainable or not, I don't have your crystal ball. The government do seem to be investing a lot into it if it is all over. Hopefully for Canadians sake it will bounce back and they get those pipelines built.