Immigration policies should be such to benefit host country and not immigrants: Harper

Immigration policies have become a sort of national issue and no politician or political party can escape reserving comments on it for fear of losing vote bank. So much so that even distorted facts are being spread to create panic.

Last week, the Liberal Party's own newspaper, the Globe and Mail, praised prime minister Stephen Harper’s views on immigration that immigration must, first and foremost, benefit the host country, rather than the immigrants.

Those against immigration are upset to see Government spending as much as $18 billion on welfare cases for “lazy laggards” from around the world. Lazy laggards, as some immigrants are unable to get decent job for a while after immigrating. They feel that this money could be used for more productive purposes as free university tuition, public transit, medical and health care etc. they also say that Government has no reason to waste money on people who are unable to find jobs for themselves.

Immigrants entering Canada should be the ones that the country needs and can benefit from.

They also decry the stand taken by the Liberals, which they feel is guided by the fact that the bulk of their votes comes from these immigrants that cost Canada about $18 billion a year. Conservatives feel that the Liberals are afraid of losing their main voter base and are living in a la-la-land when it comes to immigration.

As the debate is gathering steam, it appears that immigration system in Canada could be up there for an overhaul on the lines of changes in UK.