73% of New Canadians fear for their children lives around water

[RB]

In light of the continuous drowning incidences in Ontario The Star sheds some light on who is vulnerable from research done by Lifesaving Society

Survey found that 79 per cent of newcomers to be in and around water this summer, they are four times more likely to be unable to swim.

It is never too late to learn to swim; I hope there can be some subsidised programs to help new Canadians learn to swim. In my region the cost to swim is $5.10 per visit and you can visit 3 or 4 times per day, amounts to a costly sum at a time when new Canadians are still learning about other kinds of sink or swim.

[August1991]

Maybe the newcomers are Russian:

More than 1,000 Russians have drowned in the past month as heat-weary residents take to the waters to escape sweltering temperatures that stretched into a third week.

But most of the drownings are alcohol-related, a trend that is worrying the country's top officials.

"Russia's Emergencies Ministry is very worried by the current situation. In the last day alone, 49 people drowned, including two children," Vadim Seryogin, a department head at the ministry, said at a news conference Wednesday.

More than 1,200 people drowned across Russia in June alone, with another 233 between July 5 and July 12.

CBC Edited July 16, 2010 by August1991

[Jack Weber]

In light of the continuous drowning incidences in Ontario The Star sheds some light on who is vulnerable from research done by Lifesaving Society

Survey found that 79 per cent of newcomers to be in and around water this summer, they are four times more likely to be unable to swim.

It is never too late to learn to swim; I hope there can be some subsidised programs to help new Canadians learn to swim. In my region the cost to swim is $5.10 per visit and you can visit 3 or 4 times per day, amounts to a costly sum at a time when new Canadians are still learning about other kinds of sink or swim.

Yup...Paid for the lessons for my stepson myself...

Now he can swim...

Edited July 16, 2010 by Jack Weber

[RB]

Maybe the newcomers are Russian:CBC

maybe this drowing is widespread worldwide.

But the survey from The Lifesaving Society’s survey polled 433 Canadian-born adults and 599 Canadian immigrants from the Chinese, South Asian, Southeast Asian and Muslim communities.

you are linking the Russians to Muslims?

[Hydraboss]

I hope there can be some subsidised programs to help new Canadians learn to swim. In my region the cost to swim is $5.10 per visit and you can visit 3 or 4 times per day, amounts to a costly sum at a time when new Canadians are still learning about other kinds of sink or swim.

This IS a joke, right? You want Canadian taxpayers to have their tax dollars (you know, the money they EARNED) to help pay for immigrants to learn to swim???? Have I summarized you correctly? Is there anything else you think we should pay for? Maybe dance lessons? How about bungie jumping? Darts? Water polo (oh wait, they might drown...scrap this one)?

Is there any limit to what you feel we should be responsible for?

[Shakeyhands]

This should be great news for our resident racsists!!!!!!!

And yes, tax payer money should be used if it saves Canadian lives.

[Molly]

http://www.torontoobserver.ca/2010/01/20/community-rally-saves-school-pools/

let's see... taxpayer funded swimming lessons... I've seen a lot of worse ways to spend public money.

However, this survey/'issue' has scored more headlines (and more discussion) than it deserves by a factor of at least 20.

[Argus]

This should be great news for our resident racsists!!!!!!!

And yes, tax payer money should be used if it saves Canadian lives.

Racists? What on earth does racism have to do with this? You know, if you actually had any reasonable or convincing arguments you wouldn't have to resort to demonizing those you are discussing political issues with. Instead of telling everyone how much less moral they are than you are you could actually argue against the ideas themselves.

I see no reason why I should have to pay to have other people learn to swim. It's not that difficult or expensive a task. If you don't want to accomplish it yourself then go ahead and drown. It's no skin off my nose.

[Argus]

http://www.torontoobserver.ca/2010/01/20/community-rally-saves-school-pools/

let's see... taxpayer funded swimming lessons... I've seen a lot of worse ways to spend public money.

Me too, but that is no reason to come up with more unworthy ways to spend money.

[charter.rights]

Me too, but that is no reason to come up with more unworthy ways to spend money.

I agree. Spending $1 billion on the G20 party for Harper's international friends is way more worthy then to help educate and protect our children, right?

Edited July 16, 2010 by charter.rights

[Argus]

I agree. Spending $1 billion on the G20 party for Harper's international friends is way more worthy then to help educate and protect our children, right?

I didn't like the money spent on the G20 either.

And they're not MY children. If they're YOUR children, then you teach them to swim.

[charter.rights]

I didn't like the money spent on the G20 either.

And they're not MY children. If they're YOUR children, then you teach them to swim.

They are OUR children. All Canadians. All worthy of protection under the Charter. All deserving of our governments concern with their welfare. OUR children.

Unless of course you aren't a true Canadian and that would make you "one of them" instead of "one of us".

[Argus]

They are OUR children. All Canadians. All worthy of protection under the Charter. All deserving of our governments concern with their welfare. OUR children.

Canadians seem to have little difficulty finding ways to teach their kids to swim without some big government program. If newcomers aren't up to the task then perhaps Darwinian logic should take hold, hmm?

Unless of course you aren't a true Canadian and that would make you "one of them" instead of "one of us".

I don't think you get to say who's a true Canadian before you even become literate. Maybe some day you'll have that opportunity.

[Smallc]

They are OUR children. All Canadians.

Yes, according to you...they just live in an absolute monarchy....with no land.

[charter.rights]

Yes, according to you...they just live in an absolute monarchy....with no land.

Yes, thats true about not having any land. But wrong about asserting that we live in an absolute monarchy.

[Smallc]

Maybe if they had land, they wouldn't have to spend all of their time in the water.....

Edited July 16, 2010 by Smallc

[charter.rights]

Canadians seem to have little difficulty finding ways to teach their kids to swim without some big government program. If newcomers aren't up to the task then perhaps Darwinian logic should take hold, hmm?

Seat belts and baby seats are mandated by the government because parents didn't have the resources to fully protect their children. That is government's role. To intervene when it becomes a national problem. Children drowning IS a national problem today, so government has the responsibility to find a solution. That does not necessarily mean the government has to provide swimming lessons, but education and promotion of child safety around water might be one step. Then if that doesn't work, we could always mandate swimming lessons and offer subsidy for lower income families.

I don't think you get to say who's a true Canadian before you even become literate. Maybe some day you'll have that opportunity.

I would have to dumb down before I reached your level of intelligence and literacy, so thanks again for the offer, but I prefer to hang around with far more intelligent people.

Edited July 16, 2010 by charter.rights

[charter.rights]

Maybe if they had land, they wouldn't have to spend all their time in the water.....

Maybe if the government spent more time upholding our end of the treaties there would be lots of land to share.

[Argus]

Seat belts and baby seats are mandated by the government because parents didn't have the resources to fully protect their children.

Utter nonsense. They were mandated because some parents were too lazy/stupid to see to basic safety in an automobile. But that situation is quite different. Injuries from traffic accidents were and remain a huge national problem, and the state pays to treat those injuries. Drownings are fairly rare, and cost the state very little beyond the task of recovery.

. Children drowning IS a national problem today,

Not really. There aren't that many of them drowning.

Edited July 16, 2010 by Argus

[ZenOps]

Drownings happen a lot here in Calgary.

There are a few pools in which to learn when its not summertime. But I think winter survival skills are a teensie bit more important. When you lose your first toe to frostbite, you will be wondering why you spent money on swimming lessons.

[Shakeyhands]

Racists? What on earth does racism have to do with this? You know, if you actually had any reasonable or convincing arguments you wouldn't have to resort to demonizing those you are discussing political issues with. Instead of telling everyone how much less moral they are than you are you could actually argue against the ideas themselves.

I see no reason why I should have to pay to have other people learn to swim. It's not that difficult or expensive a task. If you don't want to accomplish it yourself then go ahead and drown. It's no skin off my nose.

I imagine that our resident racsists would have no issue with "New Canadians" drowning, and I stand by that. You know who they are.

I'd rather see our taxes go towards this sort of thing, as opposed to G20 security or sole source contracts etc, a portion of the money spent on either of those things would pay for swimming lessons for ALL Canadians.

[GostHacked]

The lesson here is don't be stupid around water. Teach your kids the dangers of being near water. Teach them to swim. And learn to swim yourself if you don't know how.

[capricorn]

Hydrography

Canada holds vast reserves of water: 7% of the world's fresh water...Canada hosts more than two million lakes

http://www.solarnavigator.net/geography/canada.htm

When you add to this the number of swimming pools primarily located in urban areas, it's obvious that learning to swim is pretty important.

Perhaps this is information prospective immigrants should know before they come here.

[capricorn]

But I think winter survival skills are a teensie bit more important. When you lose your first toe to frostbite, you will be wondering why you spent money on swimming lessons.

Great point Zenops.

[Bonam]

Maybe if they had land, they wouldn't have to spend all their time in the water.....

Haha, nice