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I was the lawyer invited to this interview, and after reading some comments celebrating the end of the PEQ, I feel the need to clarify a few things. The people affected by this are not “abusing the system.” this was the program for people that came here legally and are working. To qualify for the PEQ, they had to be working full time, they pay taxes, they speak the language. They’re fixing our roads, keeping hospitals running, welding, machining, doing the jobs most of us take for granted every single day. The hard truth is that Canadians have stopped having enough children, and we simply don’t have enough young people with the skills to fill these roles. Yes, we absolutely should invest more in education and trade programs for our youth — my employer clients are begging young people to become mechanics, welders, skilled workers, often in the regions. Most don’t take those jobs, and even when they do, training takes two to three years. Our industries need people now, or parts of the economy will stall, and that affects all of us as Quebecers and Canadians. These workers are not asking for charity. They are already on the front lines keeping key sectors alive. Ending programs like the PEQ doesn’t punish “illegals” or “free riders”; it punishes people who are already integrated, working, and contributing to the society we all share. Also, all they are asking is for the new rules to not be applied to them retroactively, only for those coming new into the country, otherwise it is rug pulling those already here that played by the rules, and when the government does it to us we don't like, on principle of fairness, whatever you think of the numbers, too high too low, doesn't matters, it is the least we can all get behind as humans.

No doubt about it, Canada is for Canadians. If you wanted to, you could deport millions of immigrants, but let's be real about the cost. The Canadian economy, its pensions, its farms, and its health sector all rely on immigrants to pay taxes and fill jobs. It's not some big conspiracy about population replacement; it's just about the economy. You can't have one without the other. Canadians aren't the only ones dealing with this. In Asia and Africa, it's a different kind of immigrant, the ones with money who buy up land and property, driving locals out of the market. They're not given an ear either, because money talks. It’s always been about the money and the power, and Canadians should understand that perspective too. The culture or religion of a few bad apples shouldn’t be used to tarnish every immigrant. We do need to do a better job screening people, but it’s not fair to paint everyone with the same brush. In the U.S., Indian immigrants are top earners and incredibly successful, but people still complain that they’re "taking their jobs." So, if an Indian person is a failure, they're a problem. If they're a success, they're still a problem. They can't win. This old colonial mindset is alive and well. It's tough for some people to process that a person of color can outsmart them and rise up by their own bootstrap. But when those same folks go to Asia or Africa, suddenly they feel that old nostalgia and are much more comfortable with the social hierarchy there. It would be ideal if no one had to leave their home country for a better life. When we have more justice in the world for everyone, maybe we won't have to keep having these conversations.

I am so happy people are starting to speak up. Sadly, I am changing. I am becoming angry. Angry at immigrants and the system. Am I becoming racist? Or just so lost at how things seem so wrong. My main upset is for my teen son. Turned 16 after Christmas. So excited about looking for a part-time job, earning some money, getting experiences and (unbeknownst to him ) expanding his social circle. This excitement came from me. LIke all us Canadians who remember our first part-time jobs (mine was at a McDonalds), I regaled my son in stories of that first part-time job. How much I learned from it, and the so many benefits it would have for me as I got older. He listened, and couldn't wait to turn 16. Also, like most parents, I raised him on the benefits of working hard in school, getting good grades, learning, getting involved, etc. Do these things son, and you will have a good future. He listened. Honours student all his life. Played on school teams. Performed in talent shows, Volunteered his time, etc., etc. Not a bad resume for a first time teen seeking a job. It is now heading into September. He has applied at all the traditional teen job hotspots, (all the fast food joints, grocery stores, drug stores, etc). Dozens of resumes, online and in-person applications. Not a single response. Then I walk into the local Burger King. Not a single Caucasian, Black, Hispanic, Indigenous, or Far Eastern employee. All East Indian (or Pakistani). Suddenly I am really noticing this trend everywhere, especially in the franchise fast food industry; especially upsetting when I even see it in a Harvey's (even more Canadian than Timmies). It's either East Indians or Arabs. I don't know for how long I have been hearing about diversity and fair hiring practices (which I have always supported); but to see this trend makes me furious. Are the owners of these franchise exempt from fair hiring practices? Are they not taught we are a diverse country? This is wrong. I want to finish with two sad situations which we should all be concerned about. When my eldest was looking for part-time work after the pandemic, he walked into a Mr. Submarine. He asked if he could leave his resume or fill out an application. The Arab cashier told him in broken English they were not hiring. As he was walking out, a young Arab man walked in. He approached the same cashier and asked for an application. She gave him one. WTF. My last comment, is the most concerning of all. My 16 year old, who works so hard at school, and at everything he does, recently commented, after yet another non-reply after handing out a slew of resumes, "Dad... what's the use of working so hard if I can't even get a job at McDonalds." I wonder how many other Canadian teens are feeling the same way. Not just white teens. Black, Hispanic, Indigenous and East Asian teens. Seems the broken English East Indian and Arab teens and young adults aren't asking themselves that. How long until my son thinks I am just spewing BS about this hard work thing? This is not about racism. This is about fair hiring practices, especially in more and more franchises; however, I do find myself listening to more and more of these videos, and find myself developing sucb negative feelings towards these two cultures. This is not Canadian. To be thinking this way, especially, is not Canadian. What do we do? Speak up, and we are racist. Stay quiet, and our teen kids move into adulthood without job experience, money put away, or just having a life experience that any of us over 30 (no matter our race) experienced. Something has to change; but I haven't a clue how to do that.

Job fair are filled with foreigners. 1/4 of the booth are organizations that help immigrants getting jobs.

it's great that people are pointing out about visas but why no data analysis about country basic problems? if we sort those out, we would be rather thinking whose visa we need to grant and whom to reject?\n1. why no question on regulations on digitalization? In MNC there are SLA for server down, 404 not found etc. while it's been years we moved to digitalization but yet no proper regulations.\n2. lets be honest unemployment and inflation is beyond our control.\n3. No termination rule in govt. job despite there are n number of jobless personnel available to fill the sacked officer/employee immediately, the service quality the responsibility towards job is 0.\n4. corporate retires people at 65 because at this age their stamina and decision making capabilities are no sound, fair enough but then 65 + aged people are making decisions about government and countries, how is that even logical? Either corporate is lying or we need to set upper age bar in politics too.\nturn country into self sustaining community asap that's future and survival strategy.

Another issue not mentioned here is the discrimination highly skilled professionals face when it comes career advancement.\nI know some very good professionals (different fields) that already left or are planning to leave Germany because they are tired to deliver more than 100% at work and always being overlooked for promotions or salary raises, while the native employees receive all these by doing the bare minimum. Or being offered jobs below one’s expertise and ending up doing the work for a native manager that qualifies mostly by nationality.\nAll this DE&I is all talk and targeted to a specific minority, while the other forms of discrimination are ignored and the majority of managed roles are filled by natives (who’s wok is done by not-good-enough immigrants).\nAt some point you get tired….\nYes, the public services work fairly good, but this country seems zombified….

It's time for Canada to deport these people they are the reason that the country is in a housing crisis, a major strain on our already strained health care, the reason Canadian students struggle to find employment, not to mention how difficult it has made it for some canadian university students to have access to the relevant classes because they fill up with foreign students. This ends up cost the Canadian students more money and time to complete their degree, it's not fair and as a parent of a Canadian university student I am beyond frustrated with the state ofbthis country because of the overwhelming amount of immigrants here, and to say that they are adding value to this country by filling jobs and growing the economy by putting the money they earn back into our economy is naive and false because the jobs they fill now require 8 employees to the same job 4 employees were able to handle before these immigrants came along and as for the money they earn, while that gets sent directly back to the country they originated from. Also not to mention the crime rate increase as well as the increase of scams. They are offended by the truth but to bad, the truth hurts and life long ( not 5 or 6 months) tax paying Canadian's are the ones hurting the most. The majority of these people are not escaping from war torn countries. Get out Go home because canadian's want theirs back!!

I was an international Student....15 years ago. I paid about 30k in tuition A YEAR.. I was NOT allowed to work off campus, i was allowed to work ON campus for a maximum of 10 hours A WEEK...in order for me to maintain my Visa status i had to maintain a GPA over 3.5 AND i had to be enrolled in an accredited institution. Our international student department had a quota of how many students they could recruit from every country... Rent was affordable, jobs were aplenty and when it came time for an Internship companies would come do hiring fairs and fight to get students to want to work for them. Now they get about 60k applicants a year that are willing to work for free and taking away from actual citizens.\nAfter 8 years of working and grinding and stressing i earned the right to get a Permanent residence...i had to commit 3 years out of 5 to stay here and work here and pay taxes for me to become a Canadian ...it was the proudest day of my life. I was filled with a sense of achievement that has been shat on by these students. \nIf you or anyone would actually like to talk about how it should be feel free to reach out.\nI will tell you this for free...if a Canadian Citizen did this in my country .. they'd be on the first flight home.

@polymatter: \nI have enjoyed your videos for a long time. You do great job in explaining the finer details.\nThis video particularly hits hard to me as I am Indian living in USA on a H1B visa. I did my masters here in US and have been working for past 5 yrs, in total 7 years. My company just initiated my i140 application which will take around 3 yrs to complete then the wait for GC will start for 15yrs (for Indians only). During this time we are at the employers mercy. We do get high salaries. But we are in a perpetually limbo. Its hard to find a spouse, start a family or invest in property as your future here is uncertain. \n\nThe H1B lottery system was introduced to keep the selection fair, as there are limited number of applications accepted each year. Hence it is a gamble for immigrants wanting to come here to study and work. The chance of getting H1B is almost 50/50. H1B visa is a temporary work visa, it was designed to be applicable for 3-4yrs until one gets the GC. But because of GC country backlog folks are on it for 15-20yrs.\n\nThe Greencard country limits were introduced in 2009 as the US government felt they needed diversity in the country. They were scared that US will be filled with Indians and Chinese immigrants. Hence the country caps on each country on GC. So if one is born in Nepal, Sri Lanka or Pakistan they get their GC within 1-3 yrs. Where as Indians need to wait 15-20yrs. But here is the wired part, they only consider the country of birth NOT citizenship. Ex: My friend was born in Oman and was raised in India, he is Indian and has Indian citizenship. He got his GC in 1 yr. \n\nThese H1B policies are not a priority to the US government as H1B folks do not have voting rights. They do not have any incentives to change the legacy policies. And we as immigrants in US have no voice except to sit back and pray we get lucky. \n \nThanks for shining a light on this issue. Appreciate it!!

the elite want immigration because people wont work for low wages anymore so instead of paying fair wages they bring people to fill the jobs that dont know how low the wages are to fill and keep getting record profits this just makes the rich richer and the poor poorer at a time of high inflation when wages should be going up

*I guess no one is mentioning the most absurd fact here: THESE PEOPLE ARE FROM VENEZUELA!!!?? Venezuela is 2700 MILES and TEN COUNTRIES AWAY from El Paso! That means that 100% of these people are not asylum seekers nor refugees, they are economic migrants and have ZERO right to even attempt entry in to America legal or otherwise, as they have traversed across 10 SAFE COUNTRIES where their asylum needs were met. And starting off the first seconds of your entry in to a host country by molesting its National sovereignty and disregarding its laws makes you a scum fuck who doesn’t deserve to be here. If you really needed asylum, you would go to the next safe country. The moment you are safe and choose to go further, is the moment you are no longer a refugee or asylum seeker, but a greedy selfish chooser pretending to be a beggar. The irony is, america takes in MORE LEGAL MIGRANTS THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY ON EARTH AS IT IS. The only people who benefit from our failing immigration system/border are the elites who get an unending supply of cheap labor to throw in to whatever thresher they need filled, and the illegal aliens themselves who just want money and don’t care whose society they have to stomp on to get it. And all it costs is basic rule of law, functional governance, a loss of fairness on the part of legal immigrants, clogged up systems for genuine refugees, and the native working class of America have to compete with foreigners for low skilled jobs and their taxes get siphoned off with every illegal migrant that enters the nation. Somehow no one in politics has the stomach to do mass deportation nor border defense, hmm I wonder why? (Looks over at elites’ thresher) If you are from Venezuela and claiming to be seeking asylum at America’s border, WHILE STANDING IN MEXICO where you could seek asylum and choose not to, then you’re a liar and a piece of shit. These hordes of fighting age men raping my country make Trump look better and better by the moment. Sincerely, a left winger whose tired of this fuckery.*