My Candidacy in Calgary Southeast -- A Modest Success
Written by Paul Fromm
Friday, 06 May 2011 07:07
*My Candidacy in Calgary Southeast -- A Modest Success*

The votes are all counted, the suspense is over. The election results are in
from Calgary Southeast. I had challenged Immigration Minister Jason Kenney
and run as a candidate for the Western Block Party. I got 190 votes and
Kenney was re-elected.

First, I never expected to win. Calgary Southeast is solidly conservative --
as in Consdervative Party -- and, with the exception a few areas, Albertans
votes like lemmings. However, every few decades they change directions and
lemming-like back another party, as they did provincially in 1971,
abandoning 36 years of Social Credit and slamming in a a new Progressive
Conservative whopping majority under Peter Lougheed. There was no sign that
federally 2011 was going to be one of those change of direction years.

Secondly, while I ran all-out, I knew I faced a number of disadvantages:

1. The Western Block Party had no local organization or base in Calgary
Southeast.
2. The Western Block Party is not yet well known in Alberta.
3. I was not well known in Calgary Southeast.
4. We had really only four weeks to organize. Both Doug Christie and I had
thought that the Liberals would not be suicidal enough to force an election
when the polls showed them badly behind and their leader very unpopular.
However, we underestimated the attraction of suicide to Canada's once
"natural governing party." I thought we'd have a year to organize in the
riding.

Thirdly, my real goal all along was to raise the immigration issue -- a
hard-line, Canada First moratorium on immigration approach -- hopefully, to
engage and embarass Jason Kenney and, secondly, to inform a lot of people at
the cost of 25 cents on the dollar to our supporters. Due to Canada's
election financing laws, donations up to $400 to a federal party or
candidate result in a tax credit of 75%; larger donations result in a
slightly smaller credit. Thus, someone who can afford a $100 donation can
actually give $400.

A key to advertising success is repetition. One message once, no matter how
brilliant, is not enough. My donors' generosity allowed me to hit every
household in Calgary Southeast with four separate one minute immigration
reform messages. As well, many voters got my election literature and some
will have seen the modest press coverage.

The campaign was a success. Over 110,000 people were exposed to the
immigration reform message. We attracted some new recruits and supporters.

On the negative side, I was unable to attract the hoped-for publicity that
would have given the issue greater legs. The anti-democratic policies of
Pattison Outdoor Signs prevented me from buying advertising on some Calgary
buses and similar policies rejected my paid advertising in a giveaway
puiblication called *Coffee News*.

Despite a number of press releases, the sleepy Calgary mass media showed no
interest in what could have been a dramatic story: "Immigration Critic
Challenges Immigration Minister." The media decided that they knew the
results in advance and didn't even try to present an interesting story of
conflict.

Furthermore, there were no all-candidate debates which would have sparked
interest and "confrontation" and publicity. Kenney wisely but
undemocratically spent much of his time in Brampton, Ontario while ignoring
any sort of debate in his own riding.

Some people might wonder why the immigration reform message did not attract
more votes. The fact is many voters will agree with us on the issue but have
a larger concern. One thing I was told repeatedly was that the biggest
danger was a minority government where the Liberals would defeat the Tories
and then form some sort of coalition and Canada would, thus, be ruled either
by the NDP or the Bloc Quebecois. Others feared "wasting" their votes on a
small and not well known party.

I count the past month's investment on time and money an educational
success.

Politicians seldom "lead" on issues. They wait until there's a body of
opinion and then seek to get in front of that parade. We're just now at the
stage of beginning to stimulate that body of opinion. Polls show large
numbers of Canadians are upset at both the numbers and makeup of the all-out
invasion being orchestrated by our political class.

Columnist Salim Mansur (*Toronto Sun*, April 23, 2011) wrote an article
entitled "Immigration's the elephant in the room." He noted: "The consensus
of the elite -- political players, the media, the government bureaucracy
federally and provincially, immigration lawyers and other interest groups --
is that immigration is beneficial. ... Anyone questioning this consensus is
muzzled by the fear of being publicly labelled a bigot." The hand of
establishment muzzling of debate on immigration in Calgary Southeast was
clear.

The Tories were successful at targetting their message: a different message
for different groups. While Jason Kenney was off shmnoozing Sikhs in
Brampton and promising heaven knows what further liberalisation, the folks
back home were kept scared of a leftist "coalition."

The *Calgary Sun* (April 23, 2011) ran an extraordinary expose of one
Walford Uriah Steers . He's a 39 year old Jamaican career criminal, with 73
criminal convictions in this country, who'd been ordered deported. He snuck
back in and was recently incarcerated (an unusual move in this looney tunes
land) pending deportation. The *Sun* revealed that there are at least 41,000
deperadoes who've been ordered deported and who have just disappearedl; that
is, are still here and have gone underground.

Their amazing conclusion: "What Steer represents is just the latest dash of
reality in a recipe for disaster that has been pressure-cooking since the
Liberals under Jean Chretien steered clear of stirring this ugly pot. We're
hopeful Steer's case will now blow off the lid, and spew all the ingredients
that went into this mess so they can be examined by those with stronger
political will. Like the Conservatives, for example, who vow if re-elected
with a majority to stop the abuses of our immigration system. The Liberals
and the NDP, meanwhile, think they can rehabilitate scorpions, and turn
seasoned criminals into social workers."

Conclusion: If you're worried about the immigration mess like Mr. Fromm,
vote Tory,. When they get their majority, they'll clean things up.

That very much remains to be seen. They had a chance with the Tamil Tiger
smuggling operations last year and the year before. The Tories stamped their
feet, growled and looked tough, but still let the whole lot in.

While I'd like to believe a Harper majority might do great things, I doubt
it. Are they willing to anger their new-found Third World friends with any
form of real reform? But it's not just the abuses, it's the whole
replacement scheme all three federal parties seem wedded to. Is there any
hint that the Conservatives would massively reduce immigration at a time of
high unemployment. If there is, I haven't seen it.
 
I Need My Granny!
Written by Paul Fromm
Monday, 02 May 2011 04:32
*I N**eed My Granny!*


While still pressing for accelerated access to old age benefits for elderly
immigrants, immigrant communities have lately gone apoplectic over a
piffling cut to geriatric immigration: "Vancouver's Asian community is
furious over allegations *Immigration Canada *is planning to *dramatically
reduce* [5% in fact] the number of visas issued this year for family
reunification. The reduction in visas in 2011 cuts to the heart of Asian
and South Asian families, who especially cherish the contribution of elders
to family life. ... *Charan Gill *of* Progressive Intercultural Community
Services* was incensed at the apparent *drastic reduction *in the numbers of
parents being allowed to emigrate from India. 'Already we have so many
families waiting five, six years to bring parents over. Now, people will
die before they see their family in Canada,' said Gill. [You'll all be
sorry when I'm dead!] *Thomas Tam*, chief executive officer of *SUCCESS
immigrant services*, called the reduced visa numbers 'a big surprise and so
disappointing — everyone is angry. Traditionally for Asian immigrants, the
reunion with grandparents is very important. Parents rely on them for
childcare and our community looks after grandparents. They are not a
financial burden.'" (*Montreal** Gazette*, February 10, 2011)

Now, is that really true? "According to a report released in October by the
*Canadian Institute for Health Information*, Canadians over the age of 65
account for less than 14 per cent of the Canadian population, but consume
nearly 44 per cent of all health-care dollars spent by provincial and
territorial governments. Brought down to the level of the individual, in
2008, the latest available year for data broken down by age group,
provincial and territorial governments spent an average of $10,742 per
Canadian age 65 and older, compared to $2,097 on those between age one and
64. Those 80 years and [older] required the most spending, at $18,160 each
– more than three times what was spent on seniors younger than age 70 ($5,
828.) The government can’t ignore this reality, especially as the
proportion of seniors in the Canadian population is expected to reach 20 per
cent by 2026. And as *Kelli Fraser*, a spokesperson for *Citizenship and
Immigration* *Canada* points out, even with the reduced visa targets, the
government 'will maintain what is probably the most generous family
reunification programme for parents and grandparents in the world.' (*
Montreal** Gazette*, April 3, 2011)

While it's admittedly touching to see newcomers demand free childcare from
aged relatives overseas, the cost to taxpayers is unjustifiable where the
beneficiary has contributed nothing toward end of life maintenance costs --
either their own or others'. And speaking of financial burdens: "A
2005 *Fraser
Institute* report said ... often, their sponsors renege on their financial
responsibility to them and government must step in. [The family may or may
not actually renege -- it could be one of many established scams; witness
the plethora of 'refugees' who arrive here with relatives’ phone number in
hand. *Relatives are supposed to sponsor family members, but, come as a
'refugee', and the credulous Canadian taxpayer picks up the freight.* 'Renege'
on sponsorship of a family member -- same result]. The report said that
'the relationships break down in about 10 per cent of cases, often because .
. . family members have a falling out, and the immigrants sometimes end up
on social assistance.' Citing figures from then-Ontario social services
minister *Sandra Pupatello*, the report says that in Ontario alone, there
were 7,500 fiscally abandoned immigrants on welfare rolls and that
'newcomers who are supposed to be supported by their family members account
for about $70 million a year in social assistance.'" (*Calgary** Herald*,
February 20, 2011)

[This article appears in the April, 2011 issue of the *CANADIAN IMMIGRATION
HOTLINE*. Published monthly, the *CANADIAN IMMIGRATION HOTLINE* is available
by subscription for $30 per year. You can subscribe by sending a cheque or
VISA number and expiry date to *CANADIAN IMMIGRATION HOTLINE*, P.O. Box 332,
Rexdale, ON., M9W 5L3.]
 
Why Should Mr. Singh Get More then Mr. Watson?
Written by Paul Fromm
Sunday, 01 May 2011 03:02

 
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