By: Daniel Mason
Part A
Article #1 - Skilled immigrants to be offered 'express entry' to Canada in 2015
Source: CBC News Date: April 22, 2014
Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/skilled-immigrants-to-be-offered-express-entry-to-canada-in-2015-1.2617961
Summary:
The Canadian government is implementing a new system called Express Entry that will help immigrants get into Canada much faster, starting in January 2015. This program is only for those immigrants who are skilled in job sectors where Canada needs labourers. Their skills are matched with the needs that are identified by the province that they would like to move to. Employers, as well as the government can select candidates according to their skill set.
This new system will decrease the entry time into Canada for qualified immigrants. Canada is giving priority to the best immigrants who are likely to succeed in Canada over those who have been waiting for up to 2 years.
Over the last year and a half, the Canadian government has been upgrading it’s immigration program and is investing 14 million dollars over a two year period and approximately 5 million dollars per year to start up this Express Entry system.
There are many who are critical of this new immigration system, including Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe and John McCallum. NDP immigration critic Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe doesn’t believe that this new system is fair and criticizes the Conservative government for going against what they were initially proposing. Liberal immigration critic John McCallum is not confident in this system as he doesn’t believe that the government can process these immigration applications in less than six months time.
Article Analysis:
In this article, it informs the reader of a new Canadian immigration system that will be implemented on January 1, 2015. Under this new system an immigrant who has a certain skill set will be accepted into Canada quicker than one without the skills that are needed. From a personal point of view this system isn’t fair as those who have been waiting for up to 2 years will continue to wait while those who have certain skills can be accepted into Canada within 6 months. This view is also supported by NDP immigration critic Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe.
From an economic perspective, this new immigration system does have advantages. If an immigrant has skills that a province needs and would like to move into that province, they are guaranteed a job. That province is filling a void within the job sector. The immigrant also isn’t hired as a temporary worker. This system will be extremely beneficial to the job market and will also decrease the unemployment rate. Currently, many immigrants come into Canada and find themselves jobless or underpaid at a position they are overqualified for. After this new immigration system comes into effect, it will help match the jobs to an immigrant’s skill set and also boost the economy.
This new immigration system, which will be introduced in the New Year, has both advantages and disadvantages, but personally I believe that it will be beneficial to our Canadian economy.
Article #2 - End child poverty in Canada now: Editorial
Source: The Toronto Star Date: November 21, 2014
Link: http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2014/11/21/end_child_poverty_in_canada_now_editorial.html
Summary:
This editorial gives opinion on a lack of political will to change the current childhood poverty rates. Child poverty rates have increased since last year and haven’t improved since 1989, when the government vowed to eliminate child poverty by the year 2000.
Canada is ranked 24th out of 35 developed countries on child poverty, and Canada is graded a C by UNICEF, while smaller economies, like Sweden are consistently given an A ranking.
Experts state that the federal government should adopt policies