CITIZEN_2015

Yes I hijacked my own thread. I still think foreign buyer tax would work in Toronto or GTA as it did in Vancouver, If I am not mistaken I believe that tomorrow April 27 it is scheduled to have the Ontario budget and it has been long promised that some hopefully effective measures would be announced in that budget to deal with this crisis.

Right immigration policy is the key. Selectivity based on cultural compatibility (Not necessarily regional selection as I know many from certain middle eastern countries like Iran and Turkey, Lebanon, and Morocco who are very compatible with western culture) regardless of skin color, national origin, or race.

Respect is a mutual thing. Some culture or cultures don't have respect for ours and they don't deserve respect. Read about what some refugees have done in Europe or the North African French immigrants in France. It is not a lot of respect when they come here and wish to impose their way of life upon people born here or impose their laws or refuse to assimilate or continue to live their own ways and disregard equality based on gender and respect for other culture and be tolerant. Oh before I am accused of being anti-immigrant, i am an immigrant myself. Yes long time immigrant but nevertheless not born here.

The quoted statement by itself does not indicate racism because he didn't say less black or Arab or Jewish immigration but rather less immigrant which means of all races and to some extend I agree though Selectivity must play a role based on cultural compatibility which will exclude many immigrants from mid east, Africa and Asia. Does that make me racist? i don't believe so.

Using the simple supply and demand principal it makes every sense for the logical minds to promote the foreign buyer tax in GTA. It will adversely affect the demand side at the very least and hence prices as well. It may not be enough by itself alone to cool down the housing market in very hot GTA area at least not enough so the something needs to be done to supply side too. Likely all some or all restrictions on new construction removed and incentives to build new homes and condos.

Yes foreign buyer tax has been very effective in Vancouver. Proof is there. Not sure why people are ignoring facts and figures about Vancouver and why same logic cannot be applied to GTA!!

Nobody opposes free market but if something is not done and soon then there will be a HUGE correction and then everybody loses including likely those have nothing to do with this like cities far away will be dragged down with Toronto already suffering from weak housing market.

The Toronto Real Estate Board on Wednesday said prices climbed 33.2% across the GTA in March from a year earlier to an average of $916,567 and the city seems poised to climb past Vancouver as the most expensive housing market. The critical issue for policymakers, both federally and provincially, is how to cool the GTA and the surrounding GGH without damaging the more delicate parts of the country where housing markets are in recovery mode. The solution to this crisis is NOT another round of Mortgage regulation as this affects the whole country and housing market is already slow in many parts of the country including Western Canada, Easter Ontario, Quebec and Maritime. In fact I think it was even a mistake the last time Federal finance minister imposed new mortgage regulations as it affected the whole country not just the heated markets in Toronto and Vancouver. So what is the best solution? In my view the foreign buyer tax in Greater Vancouver has reduced the massive price gains and slowed sales there, We need a similar tax for GTA so that ONLY the heated area is affected and soaring housing market is best addressed rather than the whole country where twp-third of market exists and is cool already.

I believe it is Assad criminal regime who made the chemical attack and it is shameful. This regime is criminal by nature and have caused so many suffering on innocent people and must all be put on trial for war crimes. I support US bombing of Syrian regime air base today and I hope this would be the beginning of a downfall for the murderous Assad regime. Funny that both Russia and Iran condemned the US attack!!!!! They have been bombing Syria themselves for months now. What a hypycrites.

Today March 8 is a great day. It is International Women's Day. It is a day to recognize and celebrate women’s achievements in equality but also to acknowledge the challenges many women continue to face in their quest for gender equality all over the world to this date. Though women in North America and most of Europe have made significant progress in achieving equality however, significant challenges still remain to overcome so that all women can enjoy equal rights in many parts of the world. Most regretfully to this date violence and discrimination against women continues in certain parts of the world and women are lacking in equality and denied basic human rights. Women must have equal rights to decide on their own will on such matters as what to wear, what to drink, what to study, what sports to play, where to work and what job to do and must have equal pay for equal work and must be entitled to equal heritage and also equal rights to divorce and entitled to decide who to marry. In addition, any form of violence against women must stop and be punishable by the maximum penalty allowed by the law of the land and international communities must take immediate steps to end violence against women all over the world. Congratulations to all women in the world on this great day and let's acknowledge their valuable contributions to the world. In addition to recognize the fact that we are all here because of women since they are the guardian of lives. Let's celebrate international women's day by supporting all women across the globe who are fighting for their rights and equality especially those in oppressive countries who are denied of their basic human rights and subjected to shameful systematic discrimination by the unelected authorities or their own family or the husband or boyfriend who has sworn to protect her. Gender discrimination in 21 century is a shameful practice and must end now.

I don't trust Russia. They have no interest in peace or safety of Syria or its people or anywhere else in the world. They are just after their own interests and they don't care about the deaths and pain they are causing around the world They have proven again and again that they are evil even to their own people. Down with this evil empire. Down with Russia.

How do you make a judgement if they are Muslims if it was you? Do you look at the color of their passport and if they are a citizen of a supposedly Muslim country then you kick them out? Remember that many of these people (some immigrants some refugees) are victims of the very same thing that you wish to kick them out for. They are runaways from the oppressive system that you hate.

Our immigration system needs improvement too as I don't believe we are selective enough and immigrants must be screened out if they are not ALREADY adopted to Canadian values. As for refugees it is NOT our moral or legal obligation to accept those who are ILLEGALLY crossing the border into Canada wishing to jump the line up.

Then a judge can decide case by case.

Actually I was referring more to our immigration system. I don't think it is selective enough. As for refugees which is a different category I don't have major issue with giving refugees to those who can prove their lives are seriously threatened if they return but not for anyone who wishes to deliberately cross the border illegally and only after we take care of our own people first. The sick, the homeless, the poor.

I agree with Trudeau that Diversity is our strength but at the same time I don't agree that every one who walks to our border illegally or claim refugee status should be welcomed. We have to be SELECTIVE on who we are welcoming. As Argus said it very well some time ago, immigration is supposed to serve Canada and benefit Canadians NOT the other way round. We are bringing all these Somalians, Syrians Sudanese, Africans, middle easterners with totally unadoptable culture and load our sick health system and burden more our tax system and our own people are many living below poverty and many homeless and sick waiting for care. What is this?

I am suggesting a health care system that put Canadians first (those who contributed to the system). Our health care system is NOT there to take care of the world!!!!!!!!. And YES I also supportive of a PRIVATE health care system in combination to what we have, so that those who can pay (pay for care instead f flying to US for better care) and the rest who can't pay get an improved care because of decreased strain on our system.

A colleague of mind whose wife is in Health care was saying that the flow of refugees putting real strain on our already sick health care system. Refugees coming here with all kinds of diseases (I am referring to refugees not immigrants who are vigorously screened for health and diseases) and then they need immediate care. They have never been tax payers never contributed to Canadian society in any way but they jump out of the boat and suddenly demand equal health care and then seniors citizens who are born here and have contributed to the tax system for many decades are left in blue or have to wait for long line up and likely die or get worse before it is their turn. What kind of justice system is this? And before someone accuse me of being fascist or anti-immigrant or white supremacist I let know that I am an immigrant myself but work my way up through university and been a tax payer over 20 years so I expect SAME from everyone else who chooses Canada to as the homeland to live.

A history lesson on Iran vs US http://registerguard.com/rg/opinion/35281450-78/u.s.-needs-to-own-history-with-iran.csp With President Trump and the neocon Democrats talking more about military action against Iran, a little history lesson is in order: In 1953, the CIA overthrew Iran’s democratically elected prime minister Mohammed Mosaddeq and installed the shah of Iran, a brutal dictator who ruled with an iron fist until 1979, when he was overthrown by the Islamic Revolution and its leader, the Ayatollah Khomeini. Unhappy at the removal of “our” dictator, the U.S. began heavily arming Saddam Hussein of Iraq, who waged a brutal war against Iran — including extensive use of chemical weapons — from 1980 to 1988. Any discussion of Iran should be in he context of the above history. In particular, we need to concede that the people of Iran are quite justified in not having a high opinion of U.S. foreign policy in their region. I won’t claim that throughout the history cited above, Iran has behaved in exemplary fashion, but for the U.S. to claim that Iran is “destabilizing the region” after what the U.S. has done to Iraq, Iran, Libya, Syria, Afghanistan, etc., is a towering example of the pot calling the kettle black.

Call me a fascist or isis supporter or muslim fanatic or white supremacist or communist (the list of things I have been accused of being in the past!!!!!!!!) or whatever you like but I believe If someone is a proven rapist then I will not shed a single tear for him no matter what may happen to him. I have said it many times I am strong supporter of Capital punishment for violent crimes against women and children especially unconditional death penalty for repeat offenders.

I edited my angry post (calling him sub-human and asking for his immediate deportation) because I read further about the alleged crime (charged not found guilty yet). And then it came to my mind one bad apple out of 35000. What percent of born Canadians may commit similar heinous crime?

Yes it was a decade ago and that victim nation is STILL paying a very high price for that action decades later and likely will for more decades to come.

If Lebanon, Jordan and Syria had a whole bunch of destructive missiles to hit and destroy the heart of Tel Avis they would have never been so frequently attacked and their defenseless people bombarded and its many civilians killed. You may say it was because of terrorist attacks against Israel and I say then kill those terrorists not the innocent defenseless women and children who are the victims of terrorists themselves.

No I give up on you...................

They will be used ONLY if the target country attacks Iran first. So that is why they are defensive to deter such an attack and the target country has a history of attacking the defenseless as why they haven't attack Iran because Iran has DEFENSIVE missiles. And Iran has never attacked any other country in hundreds of years.