Immigration or racism?

If, as some CBC listeners have urged in their phone in responses, the Canadian government offered greater incentives to Canadian citizens to have larger families, rather than, say, increasing immigration quotas from an already huge 250,000 per year, would their actions be considered racist?

Wouldn't it be a statement to Canadians that although we need more people to sustain our economy and our tax base of working age citizens, we would rather have the population remain the same ethnic mix it is currently. In other words, let's have more Canadian kids rather than have to import foreigners.

It makes more sense to me to increase the numbers of qualified immigrants who would be ready to go to work right now and therefore to pay taxes right away, than to pay money to people to have babies which will have a higher cost to our taxpayers in terms of health care as they are birthed and negotiate childhood and incur education costs too.

There are qualified medical people: doctors, nurses, as well as teachers, who cannot get a job here and are wasting their skills in menial jobs, who would be able to make a greater contribution to Canada if they were allowed to practice the profession for which they were trained wherever they grew up before they emigrated.

The risk the government takes in accepting an immigrant under the current rules is that a qualified immigrant can sponsor an unqualified immigrant, usually an aging and ailing parent, who immediately seeks out a medical clinic and avails themselves of free (or at least, subsidized) health care. So why not let the qualified ones get a good-paying job in their chosen profession, earn a good salary and pay more taxes?

Tuesday July 17

The Canadian census figures from 2006 have now been released and the radio talk shows, media etc. are now analyzing them.

They speak with a tone of surprise that Kelowna, in the Okanagan valley, is the oldest city on average in Canada.

Hardly surprising when it has been known for decades that the Okanagan with its terrific climate and great scenery is one of the best places in Canada to retire.
So folks from across Canada, now with the money to choose where to retire, have chosen to move to the Okanagan to live out the rest of their days. Of course they chose Kelowna of the three communities because of the superior medical facilities here.

Since they have driven up the property prices, young families can't afford property here, so the average age rises. Pretty obvious, huh?

And these guys on the radio are talking as if it's now a big surprise!
Governments! Idiots!

We've all seen it coming for generations.

My Great, Grandfather bought land here in the early years of the last century and his children grew orchards there.

Summer's Here in the Okanagan

and I'm 48 days from Ironman Canada - my fourth ironman triathlon.
So I'm runnin', riding and swimmin' like a fiend. Nice work if you can get it.

My training log is here.

http://www.okbizpromotions.com/2007IMC.html

for anyone who wants to see the details of my training, how much this and that and where, etc.

I live in a lovely part of the world so it is a joy to train here and so hard to resist the urge to get out on the bike or hit the lake oin a sunny afternoon.

This is what I live for.