Mach 5, 2003 Features the other press continued from page 19 important and long-standing goals in refugee and immi- gration reform: the creation of an appeals system for refugees whose claims have been denied. Although the proposed legislation negotiated between CIC policymakers and the CCR had originally called for the creation of a new appeals system, that section of the bill was removed when Coderre presented it to parliament in May 2002. At that time, Coderre said the legislation regarding the appeal was not being killed, but merely put on hold. As was reported last spring by The World Monitor, a British publication, the decision to pull the appeal legisla- tion drew harsh criticism from the United Nations’ High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). According to The World Monitor, the UNHCR’s Canadian representa- tive, Judith Kumin, dressed-down Coderre for imple- menting legislation without the checks and balances pro- vided by an appeals process. According to the British journal, Kumin said she was alarmed that refugees whose claims are denied by refugee board panels might not have any protection against deportation while they pursue their cases before the fed- eral court. Also of concern was the fact that the size of the refugee board panels, which hears the cases of refugees and makes decisions on their claims, was reduced from two members to one. The minister said the appeal structure legislation would be put on hold for at least a year. Summers says there have been no further commitments from CIC in that regard, and he and the CCR have become discouraged. “Part of the Act was to be an appeal process, and the minister yanked that at the last minute. We were really quite upset about that,” he said. “We've been having trou- ble with our minister on appeals and we feel really betrayed on that. We've been pushing and pushing, but it’s always just getting further and further away.” http://otherpress.douglas.bc.ca Summers blames the blocking of the appeals policy on anti-immigration and refugee sentiments, which he says still pervade Canadian society despite changes that have occurred in the past half century. “[The federal government] doesn’t want to be criticized for spending money on refugees,” he said. “Irll cost more—though if it’s done properly it shouldn't cost too much—and itil take more time before people are removed. They just don’t want to have to get up in Parliament and see the National Post headlines, ‘Federal government throws another $40-million down the hole on refugees.’ There’s no votes to be gotten helping refugees.” Summers says Canadian legislators have nothing to gain by making the country less accessible to immigrants and refugees and, in the long run, we may be doing ourselves more harm than good. Opposition to Immigration As Canada’s population ages, and population growth con- tinues to stagnate, many immigration advocates have sug- gested that controlled increases to immigration quotas may be the solution. However, there is a growing resist- ance to this strategy. Diane Francis is a columnist for the National Post, a best-selling author, and a fierce critic of Canada’s immi- gration policy. Her latest book, Jmmigration: The Economic Case argues against the need to allow freer immigration. On September 28, the Post ran an excerpt from Francis’ book, which the paper placed under the headline: “Why size doesn’t matter. We don’t need more immigrants to support us as we get older.” “Canada is no longer a gigantic horizontal band of farmland along the US border that requires millions more labourers to till its soil as a means of lifting us into the economic big leagues,” writes Francis. “And Canadians do not need to foster a bigger internal market in order to grow world-class industries and become exporters at world-beaters.” The excerpt has subsequently been made available the website of the Canada First white-supremacist grou explaining “Diane Francis Explodes the Governmen Immigration Myths.” Francis claimed to have taken ste toward having her work removed from the Canada Fi website in reply to an email informing her of the situatic last year. At press time, the excerpt was still featured the main page of the group’s website. Ironically, Francis herself an immigrant, having come to Canada from t United States. Summers disagrees with the arguments made by Fran and others presenting economic arguments agai increased immigration. He says Francis’ facts are wron “There's no evidence that immigrants are an econon drain. In fact, any evidence that I’ve seen is to the co trary,” he said. “Refugees and immigrants coming Canada, within a few years, are generally paying average—taxes and other things on a higher per capi basis than native-born Canadians. We know that the bir rate in Canada is too low to maintain the population th we have, let alone grow. We know we need immigrants In regards to economic arguments made against increa ing the numbers of accepted refugees, Summers sai “The United Nations recognizes millions of people refugees under their definition, and [Canada] took maybe 20,000 last year—it’s a drop in the bucket and can easily absorb more.” “The fakes and the frauds?” he continued. “Sure they’ there... but isn’t it worth letting in the fakes so that we cz make sure we let in the genuine ones too? The expressi is that it’s better to let ten guilty people go than to co vict one innocent person. It should be the same way wi refugees, better to let in ten fakes than turn away one ge uine person.” Planning to attend university? Wednesday, March 12 Drop in at 12:15, 12:45, 1:15, 2:15, 2:45 Get the answers you need. IN \ Douglas College Come to a free Information Session: New Westminster Campus Deli The Associate Degree offers many options for your future. Sit down with us and enjoy a free piece of pizza and refreshments. www.douglas.be.ca Associate Degrees: the SMART route to Chana aon aye you may be closer than you think © page 20