Abstract:
Chinese--Canada; Race discrimination; Elections Canada; Immigrants--Social conditions
Subjects:
Chinese--Canada; Race discrimination; Elections Canada; Immigrants--Social conditions
Subjects Facet:
Chinese--Canada; Race discrimination; Elections Canada; Immigrants--Social conditions
Creator:
王迅雷; Wang, Xunlei
Date:
2000-11-22
Date searchable:
2000-11-22
Date searchable:
2000-11-22
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:
Chinese Canadians, Use Your Vote to Fight against the “Asian Invasion” Expression
Description-Abstract:
Keywords: Granger, Betty; Canadian Alliance; Day, Stockwell Burt Jr
Location(s):
Canada
Location(s) Facet:
Canada
Transcript:
華人應以積極投票
反對亞洲人入侵諭
今届聯邦大選原本不見火花的移民爭論，突然因聯盟黨候選人格蘭吉的「亞洲人入侵論」而揭起軒然大波，問題癥結不在政綱理論上的反不反移民，而是暴露出一部分加國人，既要移民帶來的利益，卻不願承擔國家對移民所付義務的自保自私心態。分辨其中利弊，華人只有讓自己選票來表明立場。
今届大選各黨除了政綱外，並未對移民事務多加著墨，「未來該如何做」如今成了烫手山芋，各黨都小心為妙。格蘭吉的一番震撼說詞，引出的問題並非是簡單的反不反移民的表面爭執，而是暴露出一股根深柢故的狹隘心態。現在所有政黨，無一敢否認移民對加國的貢獻，包括聯盟黨政綱也承認加國是一移民國家，黨魁戴國衛新推出的「開啟改革之門」移民政綱，實在與自由黨的移民綱要非常接近，但如何接受、接受何類移民，如何承擔移民及難民帶給加國的責任問題上，只是一大堆未了的問題，各黨應對也是差之甚遠。
格蘭吉言談不論是否代表聯盟黨的內情或是個人意見，但在此關鍵時刻發表,不可否認是代表了一部分民意，代表了一部分加拿大人由來已久的狹隘看法。從以往移民政策諮詢至一些政黨移民小組的談論可見，完全反對不接納新移民的加國人實在是少之又少，但有一批加國人只求加國吸納年輕力壯、有高知識技術才能、對加國未來建設有貢獻的新移民，談及對移民及難民帶給國家應承擔的義務，包括社會服務、教育、醫療保健等等，就一味指責新移民對加國帶來的重負，根本心態是只求其利，不願負責。
在地球村新世紀到來之時，加拿大實際上在吸收技術、商業移民方面越來越顯得缺乏競爭力，美國、澳洲及歐盟國都在積極吸納有助國力的新移民，但加國近年來移民數量已大不如九十年代初開始的高峰，每年吸納數量不足廿萬人，遠低於移民部原訂計劃。所以也使一些前幾年攻擊現行移民政策，要求削減移民數的論點毫無根基。但另一套不負責的論調重新出台，形同亞洲人威脅論。
從「亞洲人入侵論」風波清楚可見，政黨在口水之爭中最關心的是選票，格蘭吉透露受聯盟黨中央強迫而退選，以免聯盟黨其他候選人在西岸全面受挫，少數族裔選票的重要性在此際顯現，但很可惜的是華人社區一直冷漠選舉投票，本地許多華人聚居的選區，華人投票率不足一成，即使有旁觀怒罵，也疏於動手投上一票，如果長此以往，各政黨真是高估了移民言談所能在華人社會引起反響的方量。為自己的權益珍惜手中一票，已是華人社會的當務之急。
（本報記者王迅雷）
English translation: Chinese Canadians, Use Your Vote to Fight against the “Asian Invasion” Expression
The debates about immigration in this year’s federal election, which were not intriguing, suddenly caused an uproar due to the "Asian invasion" theory from the Canadian Alliance candidate Betty Granger. The issue is not if the political party chooses to support or oppose the immigration policy. The theory exposes some Canadians’ mentality of self-protection, accepting the benefits brought by the immigrants on one hand and reluctant to let the state carry out its’ duties to immigrants on the other. Knowing this, the Chinese Canadians have to vote for their own position.
Apart from the political platform, the parties in this year' s general election did not add much ink to the immigration issue. "How to do it in the future" has become a hot potato, and all parties are sensitive. Granger’s shocking words are not simply a superficial debate on anti-immigration or not, but show a narrow, deeply rooted mentality. Now a political party can deny the contributions of immigrants to Canada, including the Canadian Alliance. It recognizes that Canada is a country of immigrants. The Party leader Stockwell Burt Day Jr.' s newly launched "Opening the Door to Reform" immigration platform is really close to the immigration program of the Liberal Party. As to how to accept what types of immigrants, how to carry on the responsibilities related to immigrants and refugees to Canada, these are unresolved questions. The answers of the parties are quite different from each other.
No matter whether Granger’s talks represent the internal agreement or personal opinions of the Canadian Alliance party, the fact that it was expressed at this critical moment undeniably shows that it represents a part of public opinion and a long-standing view of some Canadians. From previous consultations about the immigration policy to discussions of immigration groups of certain political parties, it is obvious that there are very few Canadians who totally oppose disallowing new immigrants. However, some Canadians want Canada to only absorb immigrants who are young and strong with high knowledge and skills to contribute to the future development of Canada. When talking about the responsibilities that immigrants and refugees will bring to the state, including social services, education, health care, etc., they tend to simply criticize the new immigrants for adding the burden on Canada. The mentality is to seek only the benefits and refuse to be responsible.
At the dawn of the new century in the global village, Canada seems to increasingly lack competitiveness in absorbing technically skilled and business-minded immigrants. The United States, Australia and the European Union are actively absorbing new immigrants to enhance their national strength. But the number of new immigrants in Canada in recent years has dropped far behind the peak number at the beginning of the 1990s. And the number of annual immigrants to Canada is now generally less than 20,000, far lower than the targets of Immigration Canada. Therefore, some arguments that have attacked the current immigration policy in the past few years and demanded a reduction in the number of immigrants have become baseless. However, another set of irresponsible arguments was re-introduced, such as the theory of the Asian threat.
It is clear from the incident of the "Asian Invasion” theory that political parties are more concerned about the votes rather than the dispute. Granger indicated that she was forced to withdraw from the election by the Canadian Alliance leaders so as to prevent other candidates of the party from encountering opposition on the west coast. The importance of ballots from minority groups shows here. But it is a pity that the Chinese Canadian community has shown indifference to votes and elections. In many local constituencies where Chinese Canadians reside, the turn-out rate of Chinese voters is less than 10%. Even though they are enraged, the people are still negligent to vote. If we continue to do so, the political parties seem overestimate the reaction of the Chinese Canadian community regarding the anti-immigration talks. It is now a top priority for the Chinese Canadian community members to cherish their ballots to vote for their own rights.
(Reported by Wang Xunlei)
