Saturday, April 12, 2008

Neocons loving them foreigners


Neocon Marketing 101: Hide the intent of your policies by claiming they do the opposite and give them names, slogans if you like so you can win popular support. They call it framing and it is expertly explained by the The Harper Index A great site to keep track of the Neocon con and should be a prerequisite for every Canadian that is concerned about the corporate, right wing, takeover of our country that is now being implemented by Harper and his rebranded Reform Party.

As Canadians we are all aware of the numerous examples from the US. Ignoring the marketing of lies that went into Iraq, it was the social and environmental policies where the Neocons really got creative. In education "No child left behind" left more children behind, in environment, they assigned a former oil Industry lobbyist as head of the environmental protection agency who opened the national parks to the lumber industry, increased the burning of fossil fuels (coal which apparently will be clean someday), discouraged the publishing of the causes of global warming. introduced funding for hydrogen fuel cells of the future, in a direct effort to kill electric cars and the California "zero emissions" initiative (see the documentary) and so on.

Well our Neocons are using the same playbook and Harper is much better at delivery than Bush. (see previous post) The latest example is Harper's sweeping changes to the Immigration Act that claims to address the backlog of 900,000 applicants caused by failed Liberal management. However instead of fixing the problem by adding more resources and improving the procedures, Harper installs a so called fast track program, that in reality ignores the backlog, imits immigration and sets up a two tier system of permanent and temporary visas.

Despite all our self righteous proclamations to be the world's example of multiculturalism, the old reform party "fear of immigrants taking all the jobs" gambit got Preston Manning, his votes in Ontario. Even though the marketing of this new immigration act will be completely different (more neoconservative as opposed to outright racist, if you will) it will allow Harper and his xenophobes reformists to selectively reduce the number of permanent immigrants into Canada

From The Harper Index:

"Immigration advocates charge that the legislation is really intended to provide a quick source of cheap labour, both skilled and unskilled, for the oil industry in Alberta, as well as for the hospitality industry in western Canada. They are outraged at the effects the changes will likely have, encouraging queue-jumping and preferential treatment for those the government, or big companies, want in while keeping out many ordinary applicants who apply legitimately, in addition to humanitarian and compassion-based cases.

The immigration changes are likely to support a growing reliance on guest or migrant workers across Canada. "The effects of these changes have been particularly pronounced in turbo-charged Alberta," writes Canadian Labour Congress human rights director Karl Flecker. In fiscal year 2006-07, 31,000 applications for temporary foreign workers were processed in Alberta - with an additional 9,000 outstanding - compared with 12,000 during the previous year.

"Significantly, the number of temporary workers has now, for the first time ever, eclipsed the number of permanent immigrants who gained entry into the province. Nationally in 2007, over 236,000 employer applications for guest workers were made. Clearly a shift is taking place in labour market planning," says Flecker. He feels the government has failed to "build into their Temporary Foreign Worker Program, effective compliance, monitoring and enforcement mechanisms that will assure that Canadian employers respect the rights of the guest workers they invite into the country, as well as the rights of any Canadian workers they may displace."

Complaints from workers have grown with the program's use. In 2007, the Alberta Federation of Labour launched a project to address their issues and was soon taking more than 50 calls a week from desperate migrant workers looking for assistance, according to Flecker."

And the marketing begins with the flurry of activity and press releases listed on the Government website last week showing how much Harper and his xenophobes ex-Reform Party hacks appreciate Canada's ethnic communities and their votes:

  • Government of Canada announces support for the Canadian Ukrainian Immigrant Aid Society to help newcomers settle in the community

  • The Government of Canada is Proud to Participate in Taoist Tai Chi Society of Canada's Festival of Health and Longevity

  • Government of Canada announces support for newcomer youth in the Peel region

  • Government of Canada Committed to Health of Young Canadians of African and Caribbean Origin

  • Canada and Manitoba developing letter of understanding for temporary foreign workers


  • Yep, Harper loves them foreigners. He just doesn't want so many of them to, you know, be here permanently.

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