Abstract:
Hong Kong (China)--Emigration and immigration; Canada--Emigration and immigration
Subjects:
Hong Kong (China)--Emigration and immigration; Canada--Emigration and immigration
Subjects Facet:
Hong Kong (China)--Emigration and immigration; Canada--Emigration and immigration
Creator:
薛曉光; Xue, Xiaoguang
Date:
1993-06-22
Date searchable:
1993-06-22
Date searchable:
1993-06-22
Genre:
articles
Genre Facet:
articles
Format:
image/tiff
Language:
Chinese
Language Facet:
Chinese
Relation:
Article from: World Journal（世界日報）
Rights:
Contact UVic Archives for access to the original resource and for reproduction requests (fee for reproductions).This material is made available on this site for research and private study only.
Title-Alternative:
John Higginbotham Talking about How the Canadian Government Views the Immigrants from Hong Kong (Part One)
Description-Abstract:
Keywords: Higginbotham, John; the Canadian Office of the Hong Kong Commissioner
Location(s):
China--Hong Kong; Canada
Location(s) Facet:
China--Hong Kong; Canada
Transcript:
赫根巴登談加國政府對香港移民的看法(上)
工作語言歧視等問題都應重視
前言
加拿大駐港公署專員赫根巴登接受本報系專訪，談香港赴加拿大移民在新環境中面對的困擾，其中包括工作、語言，及偶有的歧視問題。對於如何解決這些問題’他仔細敘述了加拿大政府及民間的做法及態度。
對於三合會份子混入加拿大，他也提到加國政府及香港移民的看法。
【本報系記者薛曉光香港專訪】「加拿大的對香港開放的移民政策，不但提供了香港居民一個選擇新天地的機會，也為加拿大公司開拓中國這個新興市場儲備了大量的人才。」加拿大駐港專員赫根巴登(John Higginbotham )(見圖)在交易廣場的辦公室表示，移民加拿大的香港人，在獲得公民權後，不論是定居加拿大,或者返港工作，對加拿大都有幫助。
二十年前，曾在香港學習中文的赫根巴登敘述香港與加拿大長期而特殊的關係，「在第二次世界大戰時，加拿大因是大英國協的一員,曾在香港派駐數百軍人抵禦日本侵襲；」他繼績說：「到了六〇年代後,香港與加拿大的關係因為移民，更加親近。」
職銜等同於總領事的赫根巴登表示，香港移民人口中，一半移居加拿大；目前已有幾十萬香港人在加拿大找到他們安身立命的新天地。
在過去五年中，香港平均每年有兩萬五千人到三萬人移居加拿大。赫根巴登屢次提及香港人為加拿大帶來了經濟活力，對加拿大貢獻很大。
在稱讚香港人的同時，赫根巴登也技巧的呈現加拿大的長處。「聯合國去年評估加拿大為全世界生活品質最高的國家。」他充滿信心的說：「我們是一個開放、容忍、繁榮、多文化的國家。」
雖然經濟有其規律，有時景氣，有時衰退，但赫根巴登強調：「基本上我們是全世界最先進，繁榮、穩定的國家之一。」
「香港人是非常有經驗的買家,他們喜歡賓士汽車、勞力士表、他們喜歡加拿大。」赫根巴登加一句：「加拿大也歡迎他們。」
香港赴加拿大移民面對的問題，赫根巴登認為與其他國家大多數移民面對的困擾相似，這位來港工作已三年半的專員說：「這些困擾包括找工作，語言，有時因為歧視。」
相對來說,赫根巴登認為移民加拿大港大適應的過程還算順利。「因為香港人從六〇年代中期，就開始在溫哥華’多倫多醞釀一個現代化的中國社區了，使得新移民能夠比較迅速的踏入新生活。」
赫根巴登解釋，加拿大在六〇年代中放寬移民法，當時由於文化大革命，促使了大批香港人移民的決心。「移民加拿大的人數，因不同的原因而起伏，其中包括香港、加拿大雙邊的經濟、 政治情況。」赫根巴登認為目前的移民法規對香港人有利，給香港人更多的機會去加拿大，他說：「或許在某些家庭成員項目移民速度有減緩的現象,但以港人移民的總人數來說，仍然是相當龐大。」 赫根巴登表示，他們注意到在一些移民項目中，人數有減少的現象，但總括來說，他合計今年及今後數年，移民的總人數將與去年相同。至於哪些移民項目人數減少，他不願討論細節。
了解移民是一個複雜的決定過程，赫根巴登設身處地的說：「這是對原居留地及新天地，在政治、經濟、文化、社會反複比較、選擇的過程。而這個過程一直延續到抵達新天地以後。」
為了幫助有意移民的港人了解加拿大的生活，加拿大駐港專員公署經常舉辦座談會介紹加拿大各種情況。在移民獲准後，該公署更與此地加拿大聯誼會等民間組織合作，由其成員給予移民者在加拿大生活一個公正的評估，以便協助新移民了解遷居北美後的環境。
說話簡潔有力的赫根巴登提到加拿大也有各種社團幫助新移民，有的是政府出資，有的是私人贊助，提供語言、技藝各種訓練，及諮詢服務。 (明日續完)
English translation: John Higginbotham Talking about How the Canadian Government Views the Immigrants from Hong Kong (Part One)
The Discriminatory Issues Related to Jobs and Languages should be Noted
Preface
The Officer of the Canadian Commissioner in Hong Kong was interviewed by a journalist from the World Journal. He discussed the problems faced by Hong Kong immigrants to Canada in their new environment, including work, language, and occasional discrimination. He carefully described the practices and attitudes of the Canadian government and the general public and ways to solve these problems.
About the Triad members becoming immigrants to Canada, he talked about the opinions of the Canadian government and the other immigrants from Hong Kong.
Interviewed and reported by Xue Xiaoguang in Hong Kong
Canada' s immigration policy for Hong Kong residents not only provides them with an opportunity to choose a “new world”, but also reserves a large number of talents for Canadian companies to explore China' s emerging market. The Officer of the Canadian Commissioner in Hong Kong, John Higginbotham (pictured), said in his office at the Exchange Square that Hong Kong immigrants to Canada, whether they will live in Canada or return to work in Hong Kong after obtaining their citizenship, can be helpful to Canada.
Higginbotham, who used to study Chinese in Hong Kong about twenty years ago, described the long-term and special relationship between Hong Kong and Canada. "In the Second World War, Canada was a member of the Allies and had sent hundreds of soldiers to Hong Kong to fight against the Japanese invasion." he continued: "After the 1960s, the relationship between Hong Kong and Canada was closer because of immigrants."
Higginbotham’s position equals to the Consulate General of Canada in Hong Kong. He said that almost one half of the Hong Kong population have immigrated to Canada. At present, there have been hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong people who have found new places in Canada to settle down.
In the past five years, Hong Kong has had an average of 25,000 to 30,000 people moving to Canada each year. Higginbotham has repeatedly mentioned that Hongkongers have brought economic vitality to Canada and contributed a lot to Canada.
While praising the Hong Kong immigrants, Higginbotham also skillfully presents Canada' s strengths. "According to the last year’s assessment of the United Nations, Canada is the country with the highest quality of life in the world." He said with confidence: "We are an open, tolerant, prosperous and multicultural country."
Although the economy has its own rules, having booms and recessions from time to time, Higginbotham emphasized: "Basically we are one of the most advanced, prosperous and stable countries in the world."
"Hong Kong people are very experienced buyers. They like Brunswick and Rolex. They like Canada." Higginbotham added: "Canada also welcomes them."
He said that the problems faced by Hong Kong immigrants to Canada are similar to most immigrants from other countries. The officer, who has been in Hong Kong for three and a half years, said: "These problems include finding a job, language problems, and sometimes discrimination."
Comparatively, Higginbotham said that the process of Hong Kong immigrants adjusting to Canadian society is fairly smooth. "Because Hong Kong people began to build a modern Chinese community in Vancouver and Toronto from the middle of the sixties, this helped the new immigrants to start a new life more quickly."
Higginbotham explained that Canada loosened the immigration policies in the sixties, when the Cultural Revolution caused a large number of Hong Kong people to decide to immigrate to Canada. "The number of immigrants to Canada has risen and fallen for different reasons, including the economic and political situation between Hong Kong and Canada." Higginbotham believed that the current immigration regulations are beneficial to Hong Kong people, giving them more opportunities to go to Canada. He said: "Perhaps the increasing rate of some groups such as family members has slowed down, but in terms of the total number of Hong Kong immigrants, it is still quite large." Higginbotham said that they noticed that in some immigration projects, the number of people has decreased, but the total number of Hong Kong immigrants will stay the same this year and in the years to come. As for the number of which immigrant group decreased, he is not willing to discuss the details.
Understanding that immigration is a complicated decision process, Higginbotham put himself in the position of the immigrants, saying: "This is a process of repeated comparison and selection between the original residence and the new place in politics, economy, culture and society. This process will continue until and after the arrival of the new place."
In order to help Hong Kong people who are interested in immigration to understand life in Canada, the Canadian Office of the Hong Kong Commissioner often holds symposiums to introduce situations in Canada. After the immigration application is approved, the Office will cooperate with Canadian non-profit organizations to give the immigrant a fair assessment of his or her life in Canada to help new immigrants understand the environment after moving to North America.
Higginbotham, who speaks succinctly and powerfully, mentioned that there are also various associations in Canada to help new immigrants. Some are funded by the government, and some are privately sponsored, providing various trainings in language, skills, and consulting services. (To continue tomorrow)
