Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 17, 2013, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE A6 A 6 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 2013 WINNIPEG winnipegfreepress. com A DVOCATES for Manitoba newcomers, critical of former immigration minister Jason Kenney's " tumultuous reign," aren't expecting much difference under his replacement, former diplomat Chris Alexander. " I hope it doesn't usher in any worsening of the situation," said Dr. Mike Dillon, with Canadian Doctors for Refugee Health Care. The city physician helped organize rallies when the federal government last summer cut supplemental health benefits for privately sponsored refugees and refugee claimants. " I hope this is an opportunity for government to have a second look at some of the contentious policies introduced in the last year and under Jason Kenney's leadership... They were fairly illconsidered and done without consultation," said Dillon, who's worked with refugees for more than 20 years. Another longtime refugee advocate called Kenney's " reign" both " tumultuous" and " paradoxical." " On the one hand, he has clearly made Canada more inhospitable to refugee claimants, and the numbers of these have fallen," said Tom Denton, executive director of Hospitality House Refugee Ministry, citing the loss of supplemental health benefits that had been in place more than 50 years as an example. " But on the other hand, he has almost doubled ( from the days of former prime minister Jean Chr�tien) the number of privately sponsored refugees permitted to land here, he has initiated the new Blended Visa Office Referred program for encouraging the additional private sponsoring of refugees with partial government financial support, and he has recently announced an initiative to begin to address the Syrian refugee problem." A " worrisome legacy" of the Kenney years, still to be implemented, is the age reduction from 22 to 18 for allowing children to come as part of the family unit, Denton said. " This will be devastating to some families, whether ( they're) coming as refugees or as ordinary immigrants." Denton said he hopes Alexander rescinds the age reduction before it takes effect. Kenney may have been seen as a " doer" who took action to solve problems, but he was a dividing force rather than a uniting one, Denton said. " Unfortunately, he has had a penchant for surrounding and defending his actions with language that has often been inflammatory and has tended to polarize Canadians and to make immigrants, especially refugee immigrants, into scapegoats," he said. That hasn't helped the building of a tolerant, multicultural society, he said. It has hurt Canada's international reputation, said Dillon, who hopes Alexander can heal it. " Maybe Mr. Harper and his colleagues have started to recognize Canada isn't about an attitude of meanness and insularity." Press releases from Kenney's office usually made reference to " bogus" refugees. " I hope this is ushering in a new phase for some of the language, and that you can get away with saying ' refugee' without it being prefaced by the word ' bogus,' " Dillon said. " It's totally wrong and mean- spirited." " It presupposes and gives an image that immigrants and foreigners are bad people," yet they helped build Canada, said Migrante Manitoba co- ordinator Diwa Marcelino. " Under Minister Kenney, how many hundreds of thousands of temporary foreign workers came into this country instead of immigrants? The temporary- foreign- worker plan has eclipsed the number of immigrants," said Marcelino, who advocates for foreign workers' rights and a path to citizenship for them. Kenney was following in the footsteps of many immigration ministers, Denton said. " To the extent that our immigration policy can be criticized as a ' nationmaintenance' strategy, as opposed to a ' nation- building' one, blame for this cannot be placed at Mr. Kenney's door." Immigration's main purpose for many years has been related to Canada's labour- market strategy, he said. It's needed for the Canadian economy, with its aging population and declining birth rate, to grow, he said. " It was there before him and it continues." carol. sanders@ freepress. mb. ca NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE MATTER OF: The Estate of BRIAN GEORGE MANSON, late of the City of Winnipeg, in Manitoba, Deceased. All claims against the above Estate duly verified by Statutory Declaration must be filed with the undersigned at their offices, 2200 - 201 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3B 3L3, Attention: Michael Sinclair, on or before the 31st day of August, 2013. DATED at Winnipeg, Manitoba, this 9th day of July, 2013. Attention: Michael Sinclair THOMPSON DORFMAN SWEATMAN Barristers and Solicitors 2200 - 201 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, MB R3B 3L3 Solicitors for the Executors * ALL PRICES AND PAYMENTS ARE PLUS FREIGHT AND APPLICABLE TAXES AND FEES. ALL INCENTIVES TO DEALER. PAYMENTS BASED ON 96 MTHS. OAC. SALE ENDS JULY 20TH/ 13. DLR# 0765. 2013 DODGE DURANGO RT 4X4 2013 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN 2013 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN 2013 DODGE AVENGER SE 2013 DODGE JOURNEY SXT 2012 RAM 2500 CREW CAB 4X4 2013 DODGE DART 2013 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LAREDO $ 50 , 995 * OR $ 299 B/ W * $ 50 , 995 * OR $ 288 B/ W * $ 18 , 998 * OR $ 107 B/ W * $ 14 , 998 * OR $ 86 B/ W * $ 24 , 998 * OR $ 140 B/ W * $ 25 , 498 * OR $ 143 B/ W * $ 15 , 995 * OR $ 88 B/ W * $ 34 , 495 * OR $ 195 B/ W * OVER 300 NEW VEHICLES TO SELECT FROM 0% FINANCING On select vehicles oac www. Eastern Chrysler. com 1900 MAIN STREET 204- 339- 2011 S ULTIMATE FAMILY EXPERIENCE ULTIMATE FAMILY EXPERIENCE Legals Immigration advocates expect little will change But hope new minister revisits ' contentious policies' By Carol Sanders ' Maybe Mr. Harper and his colleagues have started to recognize Canada isn't about an attitude of meanness and insularity' - Dr. Mike Dillon ABOVE: Jason Kenney moves from Immigration minister to minister of Employment and Social Development. RIGHT: Chris Alexander is the new minister of Immigration. SEAN KILPATRICK / THE CANADIAN PRESS A_ 06_ Jul- 17- 13_ FP_ 01. indd A6 7/ 16/ 13 9: 18: 03 PM ;