Desperate Colombians turning to false Mexican passports to enter Canada

Desperate Colombians turning to false Mexican passports to enter Canada: "OTTAWA (CP) - Colombians desperate to leave their war-torn country are attempting to bypass stricter Canadian legislation by claiming refugee status at inland points rather than traditional U.S.-Canada border crossings.
Citizenship and Immigration figures show Colombian claims at airports and other inland points jumped from more than doubled from 2004 to 2005, jumping from 114 to 243.
Border claims dropped by 75 per cent during the same period. Those making it to Canada are using a myriad of strategies to get here, including the use of fake Mexican passports, refugee advocates say.
Mexicans are the only Latin Americans who don't need visas to come here.
Francisco Rico, co-director of a Toronto refugee assistance group says three Colombians have sought assistance at his centre so far this year carrying fraudulent Mexican documents. "

Newcomers held back

Canada's laws, policies pressing issues: report
By Bill Dunphy
The Hamilton Spectator
(Jul 13, 2006)
A newly released report by a Hamilton researcher says Canada's laws and policies are undermining the efforts of newcomers to become self-sufficient and productive citizens.

"Few issues are as pressing," researcher Sarah Wayland says in the report, jointly commissioned by the Law Commission of Canada and the Community Foundation of Canada.

"Immigration ... accounts for more than half our population growth and about three-quarters of our labour market growth."

Most economists believe our economic health is dependent on growth, which is driven by immigration. If immigrants fail to thrive (they are doing worse than previous generations of immigrants) then, the theory goes, so will we.

"The difficulties newcomers face as part of their settlement experience must be recognized as Canadian problems, rather than 'immigrant problems,'" Wayland says. In her report, Wayland urges the private and non-governmental sectors to get involved in finding solutions to these problems, and says they have a key role in providing employment opportunities.


Hamilton Spectator - News