montreal mike

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/1...migration.html

any comments?

seanyg

I love the way Gordon Brown makes it sound like he's being really tough on immigration, but then you remember these rules only apply to people OUTSIDE of the EU, and it's the people from INSIDE the EU that are crowding the country!

I'd be happy for Canada to be equally strict. Well, once we've got PR, obviously

DaveLovesDee

The European Union now consists of 27 countries List and map here, most of whose nationals are allowed to work freely in anouther E.U. country (though how many Brits head to Poland or Bulgaria to work).

Croatia, Macedonia and Turkey are also hoping to join the E.U., bringing the number even higher. If Canada becomes a partner to the E.U. these workers will have the same opportunities here.

seanyg

Gosh I hadn't realised Canada was even considering becoming an EU partner (why on earth would they...??). I can't see them allowing people in freely without having to jump through the same hoops as us guys.

Surely not...?!

Steve_P

Press release issued Friday Oct. 17, 2008
Canada, European Union seek closer economic partnership

Bolded text my emphasis.

BristolUK

I'm not sure that merely becoming a partner as opposed to a full member of the EU will necessarily result in identical rights of movement to and within Canada for EU citizens.

ireland2canada

Hmmm, that would fly in the face of the whole 'only qualified people need apply' approach that Canada goes for. If anything,they are making it more difficult for folks to become a PR, especially with the new measures currently being brought into play. Quite far removed from opening the flood gates.

Although, it would amuse me no end to see the reactions from the holier than thou 'I'm leaving the UK because of all the immigrants' brigade.

MarkG

Somehow I doubt that Canadians would be too happy if a couple of hundred million Europeans gained the right to move here at will... particularly if there really is a recession coming. Or if all Canadian companies suddenly had to abide by EU rules and provinces had to open their markets to EU competition.

If Harper thought it was such a great idea, he should have been shouting about it before the election, not keeping it quiet until afterwards.

ireland2canada

Oh I agree entirely, see the first part of my post! It would still amuse me, that's all.

fraser46

A lot of the immigrants from Eastern Europe have made a great contribution to all parts of our economy over here in the UK, they work very hard and take on a lot of jobs that are not taken by those born here. We have a lot of home bred dossers over here that live quite nicely on benefits, whilst the migrants from Eastern Europe, Pakistan, India, work hard to better themselves.

MarkG

Looks like it was just more NuLab spin, in any case:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...d-of-spin.html

DaveLovesDee

Good point.

BristolUK

Thank you.

I have a vague recollection that when the last couple of European countries joined the EU their citizens didn't automatically have the same rights as existing EU citizens and that was actually with becoming members, not just some sort of trading arrangement with terms yet to be decided, let alone agreed.

retsujou

This answer makes me sad. I happen to be one of those "EU insinders" which "crowd" your country. I am not Brittish. I pat taxes in the highest tax band and my job creates work for many people here in the United Kingdom, many of those which are Brittish.

While I am a highly skilled specialist that gets payed a lot of money and thus contributes a lot back to the tax funds I am appaled by this statement. There are many from the eastern countries here which do jobs no Brittish citizen likes to do anymore and then work hard, very hard.

Without trying to be a snob or sounding dismissive, but if I had no work and wanted to be a slob I would move to a different country in the EU which has a better social service system than the UK and there are quite a few to choose from.

That set aside, apparently the NHS when it got built relied on the doctors coming out of the Common wealth countries (mainly india) or it would have never gotten to anywhere. They did not seem to crowd you, now did they?

Shawn_ldn

....all those Johnny Foreigners, invading the country and taking over.

Now, irony is this coming up on an immigrate to Canada forum.....