By Balwant Sanghera

Looking back, it is hard to believe that during the past 60 or so years Canada has changed so much.  This change has been mixed-some positive and some negative. Things were going well for Canada till 10 or 15 years ago. Unfortunately, during the past few years, things haven’t gone well.  Some of the reasons for this have been obvious. Our very lenient laws have encouraged a lot of shady characters to take advantage of these lenient laws and get away with their actions. There is a saying that laws are made for law abiding people. Those who are determined to flaunt them will certainly find ways and means to do so. In this regard our immigration policy during the past few years has also contributed considerably to this problem. 

The previous government’s rather lax immigration policy encouraged a lot of undesirables to enter Canada. Rather than having a well-regulated immigration policy, the previous government opened Canada’s doors wide open. This resulted in an influx of immigrants, international students, visitors, temporary foreign workers and refugees etc. This country was unprepared to meet the needs of people entering Canada in large numbers. Our housing, hospitals, schools and   infrastructure were inadequate and overwhelmed. This caused serious concerns.  The high cost of living, sky high housing prices, unprecedented cost of living, increased crime and related issues became a matter of serious concern.  Finally, our decision makers in Ottawa woke up late last year and brought in some much-needed changes to our out-of-control immigration policy. The newly elected government must be commended for taking this issue seriously.  Its response to the public’s growing concerns has resulted in action to rectify the situation.   

To put Canada back on track, all levels of government, particularly the federal one, need to tighten/strengthen our laws. Also, our immigration policy needs to be reflective of our current situation. There should be an effective screening process before a person is issued the documentation to enter Canada.  Internally, the government should make every effort in weeding out fraudsters and cheaters who are out there to exploit our compassion and hospitality. Our social programs like welfare and pensions also need a major review. In other words, every taxpayer dollar should be spent wisely.  

Finally, we should review our policy of helping other nations and review our foreign aid programs. The money thus saved should be used to help Canadians in need. Take for example, our senior citizens. A lot of them have made an excellent contribution in building this country. According to media reports some of them who are on fixed incomes have a great deal of difficulty in making a decent living.  Similarly, there are countless other well deserving and needy Canadians who could benefit from a helping hand. Helping such needy Canadians should be one of our government’s top priorities.  

Let us not forget that despite all these problems facing Canadians, this country continues to be one of the best, if not the best, country to live in. We have vast reservoirs of fresh water, clean air, beautiful landscape, abundance of natural resources and a lot more. All we need is our political leadership to have the will and the determination to turn things around and make life more affordable, easy and enjoyable for Canadians.  

Balwant Sanghera is a retired School Psychologist and Community Activist.