Immigration creates larger environmental footprint

Jun 6, 2012 at 2:32 pm
Comments

If a plumber fixing faucets in his home wanted to move in, Kenan Malik would, no doubt, “illiberally” refuse [“ Author slams ‘illiberal’ immigration policies”, May 31–June 6].

The same principle applies to foreign guest workers. They are here to do a task and they benefit from higher wages, new skills, and new ideas useful back home.

Our immigration policies should be governed by what is in the best interest of the resident population. For a mature, developed country, immigration has become a cost centre.

Economically, we don’t need more workers. Our problem is high unemployment, and we have computers, machines, and robots. Any professional and skilled-labour shortage should be addressed by educating and training our own.

A rising population means a growing environmental footprint and increasing difficulty meeting greenhouse-gas emission-reduction commitments. We could do ourselves and the world a favour by stabilizing our population and increasing our foreign aid. That would benefit far more people than immigration to Canada possibly could.

> Joe Bako / Vancouver

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ehunter
Jun 7, 2012 at 4:30 pm
We do not need more immigrants here undercutting wages I work in health care and over the last 8-10 years there has been a huge spike in immigrant workers (mostly women) and our wages have been going down Why is there never talk of programs for our own people to be trained in skilled jobs instead of looking outside the country
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Gentleman Jack
Jun 16, 2012 at 8:18 am
Well, clearly some people think we need more immigrants here undercutting wages. You must ask yourselves---are they acting in good faith, or are they conducting a form of economic warfare against British Columbians?

How many foreign guest workers in the lower mainland right now? If they were lined up in ranks, would they not appear as an invading army of mercenaries?
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ross smith
Oct 30, 2012 at 9:44 am
Unfortunately wages have either stagnated or have gone down. An example of this is in the printing/bindery industry. I personally have been phoned by headhunters who ask for me to run an entire floor of people and to know all the machinery - for $15/hr. Just running one piece of said machinery would have brought in close to $20/hr 10 years ago.
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