DISCUSSION PAPER WRITING

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IDENTIFY WHAT ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN UNDERTAKEN BY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS (NGO'S):

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ARE MAJOR STAKEHOLDERS IN THE PUBLIC POLICY PROCESS. AS PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD, AT THE GRASS-ROOTS LEVEL, THEY ARE OFTEN ON THE CUTTING-EDGE OF “CURRENT POLICIES” AND “ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS.”

THEREFORE, RESEARCHING THE ACTIVITIES AND POLICY POSITIONS OF NGO'S IS FUNDAMENTAL TO PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS.

New immigrant selection process urged by Fraser Institute

By TOM GODFREY, Toronto Sun

October 5, 2005

Canada's immigrant selection process is not working and has to be repaired, an official of the Fraser Institute says.

"The current system used in the selection of immigrants over the last 25 years is seriously flawed," said Herbert Grubel, a senior fellow of the institute and professor emeritus.

Grubel said the faulty selection process has led to the decline of economic performance by new immigrants.

He estimated about $18.3 billion of taxpayers' money has been used to help immigrants who arrived here between 1990 and 2002.

Grubel said a new selection process would reduce the hardships imposed on immigrants who can't find suitable jobs.

He said under the new system, foreigners would be able to enter the country on renewable, temporary work visas if they have valid employment contracts.

Grubel said the temporary visas can lead to landed immigrant status.

The Fraser Institute is an independent public policy group.

QUESTIONS

RENEWABLE TEMPORARY VISA POLICY PROPOSAL

1) HOW WOULD THIS PROPOSAL FOR “RENEWABLE TEMPORARY VISAS” REDUCE THE HARDSHIP ON IMMIGRANTS WHO CAN’T FIND JOBS?

2) WHAT WOULD BE THE BENEFITS OF “GRADATIONAL” STATUS ATTAINMENT? WHAT WOULD/COULD BE THE DOWNSIDE OF THIS ADMISSION CRITERIA?

3) SHOULD IMMIGRANT HAVE TO PROVE THEY BELONG – IN THE MANNER PROPOSED? IF SO, HOW LONG?

4) IS THERE A THEORY-AND-PRACTICE PROBLEM WITH THE FRASER INSTITUTE PROPOSAL? FOR EXAMPLE, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THIS NEW IMMIGRATION POLICY COULD “COST” MORE THAN THE CURRENT SYSTEM OF – “THE DECLINE OF ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE BY NEW IMMIGRANTS”?

5) IS THE DECLINE OF IMMIGRANT ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE ATTRIBUTABLE TO INHIBITING STRUCTURAL FACTORS RATHER THAN A FLAWED SELECTION PROCESS?