According to Barbados’ Nation News, the Canadian government intends to revoke the citizenship of at least 1,800 Vincentians and other Caribbean immigrants who allegedly used fraudulent means to become Canadians.
Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said, “Sadly, there is an industry of what we call unscrupulous agents operating around the world who sell advice on how to take advantage of Canada to break our laws,” explaining that most of the targeted individuals were counseled by “crooked immigration consultants” on how to concoct fake proof of residency in Canada. He added that “there are some people – thankfully, I think a small minority – who are prepared to pay big money in order to falsely obtain Canadian citizenship.” By launching this enforcement action, Kenney said Ottawa is “sending the message that Canadian citizenship is not for sale.”
In a recent exposé, The Toronto Star, under the caption, “SVG – Is this Caribbean Idyll the Worst Place in the World to be a Woman,” said that the majority of Vincentians flocking to Canada, seeking refugee status, are women, who, it appears, are “fleeing domestic violence.” The paper said that while Hungary, China, Namibia, Colombia and Mexico are among the top 10 countries from which refugee claims to Canada are made, “one of the world’s tiniest nations has started appearing on the list, a place many Canadians couldn’t find on a map: St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”
The Star said that, last year, 710 Vincentians sought asylum in Canada, up from only 179 in 2001, and that, over the past decade, it adds up to more than 4,500 refugee claimants — “or 4.3 per cent of the tiny Caribbean archipelago’s population. “Proportionally, it’s as if the entire populations of Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador were to flee Canada,” the paper said.
“Last year, this ‘Jewel of the Caribbean’ ranked 8th in the world for refugee claims to Canada, surpassing India (population 1.2 billion) and Pakistan (population 187 million). The population of St. Vincent and the Grenadines? An estimated 104,000,” it added.
Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, who is also Minister of Legal Affairs, has cautioned that increasing claims for asylum in Canada could result in that country revisiting its immigration policy with Kingstown. “What will change is that if Vincentians continue to make these false claims, the whole country will suffer, because Canada will require visas, which they don’t require at the moment.”
For original article, see http://www.nationnews.com/articles/view/canada-to-revoke-citizenship/
[...] Canada to Revoke Citizenship to Vincentians (repeatingislands.com) LD_AddCustomAttr("AdOpt", "1"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Origin", "other"); LD_AddCustomAttr("theme_bg", "f7f3ee"); LD_AddCustomAttr("theme_border", "e9e0d1"); LD_AddCustomAttr("theme_text", "333333"); LD_AddCustomAttr("theme_link", "5e191a"); LD_AddCustomAttr("theme_url", "dac490"); LD_AddCustomAttr("LangId", "1"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Autotag", "politics"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Autotag", "business"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Autotag", "technology"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Tag", "canada"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Tag", "history"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Tag", "immigration"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Tag", "multi-culti"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Tag", "politics"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Tag", "race"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Tag", "refugees"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Tag", "toronto"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Tag", "vancouver"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Tag", "black"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Tag", "canada"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Tag", "immigration"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Tag", "immigration-to-canada"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Tag", "montreal"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Tag", "toronto"); LD_AddSlot("wpcom_below_post"); LD_GetBids(); Share this news:FacebookDiggRedditStumbleUponTwitterPrintEmailLike this:LikeBe the first to like this post. This entry was posted in Canada, History, Immigration, Multi-Culti, Politics, Race, Refugees, Toronto, Vancouver and tagged Black, Canada, Immigration, Immigration to Canada, Montreal, Toronto. [...]
By: Canada’s Black Population « ELLIOT LAKE News & Views on December 19, 2011
at 3:33 pm
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/releases/2012/2012-09-11.asp
A key reason why the Government has imposed visa requirements on St. Lucia and St. Vincent is unreliable travel documents. In particular, criminals from these countries can legally change their names and acquire new passports. In some instances, people who were removed from Canada as security risks later returned using different passports. In the cases of Namibia, Botswana and Swaziland, human trafficking, especially of minors, and fraudulent documents are significant concerns.
By: Jackson on September 12, 2012
at 2:46 pm
wow
By: Honeysha Campbell on December 21, 2011
at 10:22 am
For a link of the true news release and not the crap modified here, go to this link direct from the Citizenship & Immigration Canada released back in July.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/releases/2011/2011-07-27.asp
Or try typing into Google “Canada to revoke citizenship”
By: Vincentian Canadian on December 21, 2011
at 12:08 pm
It was only a matter of time before this happen. I often wonder why immigrations lawyers etc. have to mislead vulnerable vincentians to believe that this is alright.The Canadian government is not stupid, and like the Prime Minister said, this will hurt relationships with Canada and will also hurt the innocent – Peter will pay for Paul.
By: Ann-Marie on December 21, 2011
at 1:28 pm
Why does it have to be a problem if someone feels comfortable ina country and wants to live there,once the person is not involved in any illegal stuff and is not a burden to the state?as far as I know the Caribbean does not have alot to offer to their populance,in St Vincent and the Grenadines there aren’t many jobs here is so much poverty and selfishness among the people,its a dog eat dog situation there,the people who are well off do not care about the less fortunate,so if someone gets the opportunity to live,work or go to school in Canada whats the big deal.Everyone is looking for golden opportunties especially for their children so what? I agree with the lady who says SVG is full of violence against our womenfolk,every week there is a killing based mostly on domestic despute,women have no where to turn to,there is no shelter to protect them,the police will tell you its a domestic problem go home and sort it out,the next thing you know is that the woman is dead,it has happened in the past and it is still happenning so what do we do?do we take the law into our own hands as some of our women have already done?those who have done so are incaserated some of them are on remand for as long as 3 years and have their children outside suffering,homes and families have been uprooted due to this,The Prime Minister is talking about about the situation as if he does not know what is going on in SVG,he is aware of all the violence against women,he knows about all the rape cases,the unsolved murders,the negligence of the policemen when it comes to a woman reporting a beating by her husband or boyfriend,what is he doing about all this?why is he so defensive ?he prefers to turn a deaf ear or blind eye and see our women and children suffer? come on Mr Prime minister have a heart ,you have a wife and daughters too,just remember that..The Canadian government should use empathy and help our women,its not all of the refugee claims are fraud,there are many genuine cases which need to be granted status,the women are skilled and can help to contribute to furter development of your country,and their children need to be given a fair chance and an opportunity to live comfortable.Your country is well known for your high concerns about women and children;PLEASE GIVE OUR WOMEN AND CHILDREN A CHANCE TO PROVE THEIR WORTH.THE GOOD LORD WILL BLESS YOU FOR THIS.
By: timaca on December 21, 2011
at 1:34 pm
Timaca I really do agree with what u said I couldn’t put it ant better ?
By: nik on December 21, 2011
at 7:04 pm
I agree with the majority of what you have said because you made some salient points that many has overlooked. While there are some cons to the entire situation, the pros are more so the stronghold of the argument. If it has to come down to visa implementation, I have no problem with that. It is done for many countries already and so what? at least it will impose some restrictions, but the good thing about it is that it can help sort the genuine cases of where help is more so needed. And one positive thing that can come about because of this is where the Canadian authorities or some humanitarian organisation would heed the cries ,or take a keen interest in the cases of vilolence against women in our country and implement some initiatives or at least start getting the wheels rolling. Yes am aware of the cons of the more so fraudalaunt cases and the dire consequences involved not only for the country as a whole but for the innocent hardworking, citizens of SVG, but with all things the bad must be exposed for the good to be realized and harnessed!
By: Gailene on December 23, 2011
at 7:37 am
Well said Timaca, there is nothing there for our young people, i went to SVG and there are so many kids having kids if i can put it that way because i guess they have nothing else to do. The government needs to to more so the young people can do better for themselves. So, with that said they come to north America hoping for something better, who can blame them. The prime misiter look like a crook himself.
By: dyanie on September 11, 2012
at 8:14 pm
I agree.. not all the cases are fraudulent. I used to watch my mother being beaten too death right in my presence when i was just a child. I was completely traumatise and now have issues with trusting men or letting them get too close to me. A lot of the Vincentian men are ignorant and uneducated so they use fear instead of love to keep their women. my mother was a victim years ago and had to flee to Canada. she didn’t apply for refugee but got married to a man she fell in love with. the prime minister is fully aware of his citizens situation but he is as you stated turning a deaf ear and a blind eye to this. it is unfortunate that our citizens chose to flee to Canada instead because their government now has to deal with something that isn’t their cause but i hope they can truly look to the humane side of themselves and investigate most cases. woman are being beaten and killed in stvincent rapidly and unfortunately it is still on the rise.
By: Nadia on September 12, 2012
at 10:18 am
Nadia I quote “The prime minister is fully aware of his citizens situation but he is as you stated turning a deaf ear and a blind eye to this. ” well since you make that statement now he decided it is time someone put a stop to the fraudulent accusation that some Vincentian are making to obtain Canadian permanent resident status/ Citizenship. Bear in mind that this has a negative impact on our tourism industry. I will like to congratulate your mother for taking a stands and getting out of what could have been a tragic situation. However the people who are filing false claim is making it difficult for those who are speaking the truth. Even when the opportunity is given to them, they don’t make good use of it. Some of them rather sit around and live off the Canadian government & not work or educate themselves. They rather sport the life they are living on social network. To the other people who disagree with the Prime Minister for doing what he was elected to do which includes protecting the truth about St. Vincent and the grenadines. May be if so many of you didn’t went to Canada & spreading lies he wouldn’t have to defend our blessed island reputation.
By: Kenny on September 13, 2012
at 3:36 pm
Yes there is domestic violence against woman in st vincent as in any other country but it is not half as bad as the vencentian ladies make it seem.The ladies who do those thing are ladies just look for an easy way out they don’t want to work at all,all they want to do is sit around home all day and waste time .So these ladies come to canada with the advice of some stupid person they create these false allegation of domestic violence.My country ST Vincent is a paradise and these ladies are spoiling the reputation of my beloved country
By: kwaanza phillips on December 21, 2011
at 5:00 pm
agreed
By: Jennifer on December 28, 2011
at 12:46 pm
Some of these women brought on the situation on themselves. Another thing they have no reports or claims to substantiate their reports. Telling lies. Tell them to Leave the Prime Minister alone. His/our Country has a reputation to maintain and a dignity to uphold. He’s correct in his thinking an his idealogies are honest. Give him a chnce Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
By: Jennifer on December 28, 2011
at 12:50 pm
That is an ignorant thing to say! Educate yourself! Abuse is never the victims fault! And it is far more difficult to leave an abusive situation than most people assume! No women ever bring abuse on themselves!
By: Tasher on September 17, 2012
at 12:02 pm
Timaca, thank you for your contribution however, there is an alternative route which requires a certain level of education and experience and I, even you, know that the majority of the claimants would not qualify.
There is a case where a person tried to obtain status using the common law relationship method but later filed using abuse of a former partner 10 years prior to the sour common law relationship. This is an abuse of the good natured Canadian system.
By: pelan on December 21, 2011
at 5:15 pm
This discussion is interesting. Timaca I hear you but I think you are more emotional than factual, you stated “every week there is a killing in SVG based on domestic violence”!! WOW! where did you get that information from? There are 52 weeks in the year…This year we have had about 20 homicides…and all are not related to domestic violence…SVG actually has a much lower homicide rate than many other CARICOM countries! e.g check St Kitts.”they have more than 30 with a population of approx 37000! that would be equivalent to SVG having like 80″!!! …..however every homicide is one too many and ideally we would certainly love that there be zero…but we live in a real world. Is the domestic violence situation in SVG really any worse than other Caribbean countries?…I really dont know…it would require some research and even data that is recorded often does not relfect the true story. I know that Vincentians try to stay in Canada and use many ways of doing so including engaging “dubious immigration consultants” who really are just trying to make money however they can. It quite often involves the use of false information…The Canadians are aware of it too. However if the trend continues they may seriously consider putting in place Visa requirements for Vincies wanting to go to Canada. Who will or should be blamed for such an eventuality?…I do hope that all concerned get aware of the consequences of their actions.
I must admit though that we need to check why SVG has such a proportionately high amount of assylum seekers in Canada. Is there a “ring” of advisors targetting vulnerable vincies?..really dont know…
Best wishes to all for a more productive, healthy and prosperous 2012. Let us all do some introspection and see what we can do at an individual, family and community level to prepare ourselves to confront the many challenges that lie ahead…and try not to blame others for what quite often are our own actions!! God bless!
By: Doug S on December 29, 2011
at 10:57 am
I fully agree that a lot of these women are only using the system. I know one woman with four children and for a single woman to have made it to Canada without the other parent she must have said that she is not with this man and maybe claiming domestic violence. The interesting thing is that she and this man never stopped communicating with each other. The man recently scammed another women by pretending that he cared about her and got the woman to bring him to Canada. This woman paid for his airline ticket which he never refunded, took him to visit his children who lived in another state, put him up in a hotel while he was there. The man lied to immigration while coming through customs by telling them that he had no idea where his children were. Immigration was able to check his phone and find out that he has been in touch with his family all the while. He took gifts from this other woman telling her that he would be back but he went back to St. Vincent and continued to carry on his wanton way of life with women and alcohol. I am a Vincentian too but when people take advantage of the system like this I feel no sympathy for them, Vincentian or otherwise.
By: Sandra Williams on July 5, 2012
at 10:58 pm
THIS IS GOOD NEWS.IF NOTHING WRONG WITH YOUR COUNTRY KEEP YOUR ASS THERE.A LOT OF VINCY PEOPLE GOING CANADA AND LIVING OFF THE GOVERNMENT.WELFARE IS FOR THOSE THAT ARE DISABLED NOT TO BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF!!
By: Jason on September 11, 2012
at 3:38 pm
That’s how some people paint a bad picture on our beautiful St.Vincent making others think we are at the bottom of the food chain…com on people we live in paradise in SVG…treat out nationality with some pride please
By: terry on September 11, 2012
at 5:03 pm
That’s how some people paint a bad picture on our beautiful St.Vincent making others think we are at the bottom of the food chain…com on people we live in paradise in SVG…treat our nationality with some pride please.
By: terry on September 11, 2012
at 5:03 pm
What!!! Please when you guys say st Vincent is land of paradise ,before it was but not now,there is no damn job without someone hooking you up ,when you go to the prime minister as a woman he rather you perform some sexual favour for him before he can help you,what does at Vincent have to offer anybody now ,not one damn thing
By: Tish on September 11, 2012
at 7:19 pm
Tish, Its not just SVG that has a issue with jobs its a global issue. For you to single out the PM due to “allegations” go around the world there are a lot of corruption in governments. Even in Grenada and Dominica are experiencing political issues. Vincentians has more access to education than when I was growing up in the late 90s early 00s. With the eduction its up to them not the government to do something positive to do. You can lead a horse to the water but you cannot force it to drink. Everywhere in the world is experiencing economic stagnation but you would not know this because you pride yourself being caught up in the negativity. We are not entitled to success individually we must earn them. We need to stop looking at governments for hand outs and help ourselves
By: Phil on September 11, 2012
at 10:52 pm
The thing is he is set nice home nice job he doesn’t care about anyone else he doesn’t want anyone else to be able to come back to SVG and get him out of office it is a power struggle the more he controls the people of SVG the longer he can set the rules and bend the rules. The island will be destulate no one for him to control but the ones he took away their right to live their lives. Can you say communist. Hmmm
By: nellek on September 12, 2012
at 7:57 am
ladies this is not a political issue,the problems lie with the people themselves,we all know the situation that the world is facing,we had a GOLDEN SPOON in our mouths and we spit it out ,we are too greedy ,envious of each other ,so this is the out come of all our senseless acts,we get deported and we refused to go ,and if we do go we are back in less than a month ,and then we run our mouths as to how we obtain a new passport to return,sometimes we don’t even know who we are talking to about this ,and words spread like wild fire,so if MY SVG has nothing to offer us and we come to canada where there is plenty WHY ARE WE ABUSING IT?WE SHOULD LET IT LAST DON’T YOU THINK ? so we have ourselves to blame and no one else,CIC is just doing what any other country will or is doing
By: maxine on September 12, 2012
at 8:35 pm
To Phil,why must you be so ignorant in ignoring what’s right I front of your face,st Vincent is going down because ,Jamaicans and other Caribbean countries coming to st Vincent and pretending to be Vincentians ,so it’s not only true Vincentians that are applying for refugee ,and how do you think other Caribbean countries were able to get a vincy passport,because the government issue it to them,st Vincent is so currupted now,and yes the prime minister does request sexual favours from young girl for hand out as you say because what else is ther to do in st Vincent nada…
By: Tish on September 13, 2012
at 9:42 am
Furthermore we’re not talking about other countries we’re talking about st Vincent,and the education is there but the jobs are limited to people who have hook up to get the jobs,there’s not much you can do in stvincent ,health care sucks as well ,Ralph only care about himself and his people ,not the lower class people of st Vincent..
By: Tish on September 13, 2012
at 11:49 am
Tish, I got an F on my advance accounting final, should I blame Ralph too? We as people need to stop sitting down and point the finger at everything that goes wrong in our lives. When are we going to accept responsibility for “our” actions. Frankly I am tired of people blaming who ever is in charge for how there life going. That’s equivalent to how the republicans are painting Obama. What other race you see trying to fight each other down. I was born and raised in saint Vincent and molded with the expectation that NOBODY owes me anything in life. Not to get side tracked. Did Ralph send these people to Canada under false pretense? Last time I checked they left in their own accord (willingly). As I pointed out previously, saint Vincent is not the only country in the world where the unemployed outnumber available jobs. Do you know that the government do offer jobs to some young adult via the YES program, the past is not much but it’s better than nothing. Some of this young adults have skills and trade where they came go into business for themselves, we all can’t teach our work in the bank. It all have to do with the up bringing we all had as children. My mother didn’t have much but she sacrifice day in and out for my two younger brother and myself. She never once sat down and complained our gossip about how Mitchell, Eustace, or Ralph corrupt and all 3 had their favorites. So if these young people just wants to sit on the block and smoke and drink and pay the blame game their parents and society failed them. I can’t help someone who refuse to help themself. you want to talk about ignorance, fail to remove the obstacle blocking your eyes to see that SVG can’t survive or provide of the GDP alone, we have become heavily dependent on tourism. What these individuals did painted a bad image of SVG. Before you even raise your finger to lay blame our call me ignorant let me ask you this, what have you contributed to SVG moving forward?
By: Phil on September 13, 2012
at 1:11 pm
It is nice to see some dialogue coming out of this but for those of us who know better what we should be looking at is trying to determine what we can do to try and help our island.
It’s really sad that it has come to this. I always thought of Vincentians as one of the most honest, hard working people in the world. I have been living in Canada for over 27 years and the last time I went back to St. Vincent (2010) I realized how much people have changed; I should say everything has changed. The innocence from which St. Vincent achieved its beauty is gone; vincentians have become cold and heartless. You may not want to accept this but it is a fact that vincie men have never been able to appreciate their own women. You have always seen us as the child bearers, housekeeper/cleaner, cook/maid, etc. but never as a lover, a partner, your friend, your equal. You run around from one woman to the next having all these children which most of the times have to be supported by the woman’s familiy if she is not able to take care of them. This is the reason that vincentian women continue to run away from St. Vincent. if you took care of us, love us, treat us like your queeen, your princess, your best friend and your lover there would be no reason for us to want to leave your side. No one runs away from anything that’s good.
While visiting St. Vincent I decided to go for a walk by myself after 6 p.m. and my mom was quite worried and informed me that St. Vincent is not the same place that it was 20 years ago. At the time, I felt that my mom was just being overly cautious and I was a bit frustrated that at the age of 50 that my mom was still trying to shelter me but now I can understand why. I recently spoke to someone who lives there and they were telling me about a friend of his who had stabbed his girlfriend to death but the way it was communicated to me was that the stress that the guy was under from the woman’s cheating had resulted in him stabbing her and she died. I was shocked at the casual way in which my friend conveyed the information and even more astonished when he said, that the man may get a couple months in jail. I thought months for killing someone? That sort of blew me away, that a woman’s life or anyone’s life for that matter could be that insignificant. In North America, he most likely would receive a life sentence. If you are not going to punish crime, then it become a big problem. St. Vincent is too small for it to become rampant with crimes.
By: Daniel Murphy on September 13, 2012
at 12:10 pm
Why do Vincentians migrate? According to this article:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/vc.html
“Success of the economy hinges upon seasonal variations in agriculture, tourism, and construction activity as well as remittance inflows”.
Now think about it. How is agriculture and tourism doing? Bear in mind the construction industry depends on the other three.
Had it not been for remittances from England, Canada and the US, we would have been in the same boat as Haiti and Nicaragua. St Vincent ranks very close to the bottom in most economic indices. We constantly rank 190 something or 200+ of the 203 or so countries in the world.
Do we really believe the Canadian authorities don’t know that? Forget about the domestic violence nonsense! It is just a smoke screen. If they would make economic hardship and lack of opportunity legitimate claims to apply for Canadian residence, then perhaps people would not have to lie!
It is a sad day. Canada was a country that had a fairly liberal immigration policy towards St Vincent and it helped many. Now it has now become indifferent. No surprise there however. The Bajans and Trinidadians have been doing it for years. You notice how happy the bajans are to bring you this report?
Well, no more “O Canada” for me. You all can take that and shove it.
By: katzsper jon on September 14, 2012
at 11:14 am
To Phil , when I come back and open my own business I’ll let you know ,in the mean time what you doing for SVG..
By: Tish on September 14, 2012
at 7:12 pm
Tish, You and I have the same plan to open a business, So far I have donated to my old primary school and community where I grew up. I try to encourage motivate the young men not just to sit down and wait but to try and do the simple things that they are good at to put food on their table and money in their pocket. We can depend on Banana anymore and need to look else where for a source of income thats where tourism comes in. The situation with Canada is going to hurt the tourism industry because the country is being painting in a completely negative tone. There are alot of people who never heard of St. Vincent and The Grenadines but reading about this untimely issue would not even considering visiting. Like it or not the Country is going to be come more dependant on foreign money . For those who still choose to come and visit may or may not have been expose to the stigma For the last 10 years I have resided in the United States and I make an annual trip back to SVG to see what difference I can make in someone’s life.
By: Phil on September 15, 2012
at 6:34 pm