Chinese groups clash with each other over plan to kill wealthy immigrant program
A dynamic group of Chinese-Canadians, including Huang Hebian (above), adamantly oppose other Chinese groups - in both Canada and China - that are launching a class-action lawsuit against Canada for cancelling the controversial investor-class program. Some are citing the Chinese head tax to justify their position. Hebian's group has organized a forum in Richmond for this Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
A group of ethnic Chinese leaders is holding a forum this Saturday, April 5th, at West Richmond Community Centre to make sure Canada’s recently cancelled wealthy-investor immigrant program does not get revived.
This group of ethnic Chinese, spearheaded by Huang Hebian, adamantly disagrees with other Chinese groups – in both Canada and China – who are intent on launching a class-action lawsuit against Canada’s federal government for declaring it will cancel the controversial investor-class program.
The 1:30 p.m. Saturday event — titled “Say No to Immigrant Investors and Entreprenuers and their Agents”– takes issue with the views of another ethnic Chinese group that held an event on March 5 in Richmond in which speakers argued that the program to fast-track rich immigrants should be reinstated.
Huang Hebian speaks at a recent conference.
At the March 5th event, lawyer Sophia Huang was among the many speakers who maintained, mostly in the Chinese language, that it is unethical for Canada to stop the investor program.
The Richmond News reported that Huang challenged the government’s attitude – stating that temporary Chinese migrants came to Canada 125 years ago as railroad builders, and paid a head-tax, which was recently apologized for — but now, she says, they are saying “please don’t come.”
Huang argued: “We are saying, ‘Listen, you need to communicate with us better. We would like to come here, this is our country, not only your country, it’s ours. Our Chinese ancestors built this.’”
Huang also challenged the government’s attitude, stating that Chinese immigrants came to Canada 125 years ago as railroad builders, and paid a head-tax, which was recently apologized for, but now they are saying “please don’t come.”
“We are saying, ‘Listen, you need to communicate with us better. We would like to come here, this is our country, not only your country, it’s ours. Our Chinese ancestors built this.’”
Huang also challenged the government’s attitude, stating that Chinese immigrants came to Canada 125 years ago as railroad builders, and paid a head-tax, which was recently apologized for, but now they are saying “please don’t come.”
“We are saying, ‘Listen, you need to communicate with us better. We would like to come here, this is our country, not only your country, it’s ours. Our Chinese ancestors built this.’”
Huang also challenged the government’s attitude, stating that Chinese immigrants came to Canada 125 years ago as railroad builders, and paid a head-tax, which was recently apologized for, but now they are saying “please don’t come.”
“We are saying, ‘Listen, you need to communicate with us better. We would like to come here, this is our country, not only your country, it’s ours. Our Chinese ancestors built this.’”
Huang also challenged the government’s attitude, stating that Chinese immigrants came to Canada 125 years ago as railroad builders, and paid a head-tax, which was recently apologized for, but now they are saying “please don’t come.”
“We are saying, ‘Listen, you need to communicate with us better. We would like to come here, this is our country, not only your country, it’s ours. Our Chinese ancestors built this.’”
Hebian’s group, which calls itself The Alliance of the Guard of Canadian Values (see below) is not alone in questioning the logic of people like Huang, who cite Canada’s century-old Chinese head tax on migrant workers to argue that wealthy people from China who have no previous connection to Canada somehow now have a moral right to be allowed to come here.
A Gallup poll found 45 million people want to immigrate to Canada. Which leads many to ask, Why should wealthy Chinese now get preference?
Canada’s investor-class program was open to citizens of all the world, even while the waiting list had many people from mainland China.
Just so readers know, the speculation is that the federal government will reinstate the investor immigrant program this year or next. The only change is that it will ask for more of an investment in Canada from the world’s multi-millionaires (which is more like the Australian model).
Here are some details from a news release on what should be a lively event on Saturday in Richmond:
“Say No to Immigrant Investors and Entreprenuers”“向土豪移民及不法中介说不”大型社区座谈会{The event will include a discussion of “unethical agents” who sometimes work with potential immigrant investors.}West Richmond Community Centre meeting at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, April 5th.Recently, the government announced that they intent to terminate the federal Immigrant Investor Program and Federal Entrepreneur Program, eliminate a large and longstanding backlog of applications, and pave the way for new pilot programs that will actually meet Canada’s labour market and economic needs.This new policy is met with general acceptance and understanding among the communities. We recognize the contribution of investor immigrants to our economics, however, under current policy, many investors brought limited contribution to our society.We think the termination of this policy is a reflection of the priority of Canadian interest.Time：April 5, 2014 1:30 p.m. —4:00 p.m.Address：West Richmond Community Centre, 9180 No. 1 Rd., Richmond, BC V7E 6L5(604) 238-8400 / 604-722-9124 /6045441376 / 778-872-4574
E-mail：canadianvalues@yahoo.ca
Here is an excerpt from a recent story in the South China Morning Post:
…. Under the axed scheme, applicants worth at least C$1.6 million received visas for themselves and their immediate family in return for loaning the government C$800,000 interest-free for five years, after which the loan was returned in full.The controversial program has been a key means of migration for rich Hongkongers and mainland Chinese over the past 28 years.Of the 66,434 backlogged visa applications as of July last year, 50,131 had been lodged via Hong Kong. Virtually all are believed to be mainland Chinese.
Here is background on the group formed by Huang Hebian and others:
The Alliance of the Guard of Canadian ValuesThe Alliance of the Guard of Canadian Values is an organization composed of Chinese immigrants. Its main goals are to guard Canadian values, to defend the fundamental principles of democracy, to accelerate the union of different ethnic groups in Canada and to promote multiculturalism.It is the first organization composed mainly of Chinese Canadians, whose major concerns are worldwide human rights and democracy. The Alliance was founded and in 2008 and was officially registered in BC province in 2009. Currently there are about 100 active members.They are teachers, medical doctors, engineers, reporters, shopkeepers, housekeepers, self-employed individuals and people from religious groups.Since the foundation of the Alliance, its members actively participated in various events to guard Canadian values and to protect human rights. For example, in September 2009, the Alliance has organized the First Canadian Tibetan Forum in Vancouver, attended by the political and religious leader, the Dalai Lama of Tibet.…. As for Hebian, he was born in JiangShu Province, China. He graduated from Nanjing University. He worked for China Financial and Economic News as an editor and journalist in Beijing. He has been engaged in Chinese media since he moved to Vancouver in 2004. He works as a radio and TV commentator and also writes a column for many Chinese newspapers. He founded the Alliance of the Guard of Canadian Values in 2009.
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