Government to start selling Canadian Citizenship again.

[Argus]

Apparently the Conservatives have decided to get involved in the grubby little business of selling citizenship again. They're going to restart the wretched failure that was the 'investor class' immigration program.

Under it, anyone who bought a condo in Vancouver got a free Canadian passport and the right to lifelong health care. Under the new scheme, rich foreigners will have to put $2 million (otherwise known in official parlance as 'a pittance') into a mutual fund and in exchange for this they get some small profits and free Canadian citizenship.

It's a rock bottom bargain compared to what the British are offering. They have decided to auction off a limited number of residency visas to wealthy foreigners and expect to get a billion dollars for just 100 of them (that's an average $10m each for you math challenged). Its not an investment which will earn them money either. It's paid to the Crown and is non-refundable.

But I guess the British just place a much, much, MUCH higher value on being a British citizen than the Canadian government does in being Canadian. Why, the British will even require these foreign rich people to actually live in the UK for five years before they can apply for citizenship! Imagine! Meanwhile, Canadian passports will start being stuffed away into the safe in a variety of Hong Kong and Shanghai mansions and penthouses just in case they're ever needed by people who will likely rarely set foot here.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Ottawa+about+relaunch+multi+millionaire+visa+program/10437853/story.html

[guyser]

... and the right to lifelong health care.

Not sure why that is in there.

Since the idea has not been instituted, the article does say there are some advocating for more dollars to be invested. Maybe they will listen?

[Argus]

Not sure why that is in there.

Since the idea has not been instituted, the article does say there are some advocating for more dollars to be invested. Maybe they will listen?

It's in there because it's true. If one of these so-called Canadians takes sick and comes to Canada we can ultimately pay millions in health care. Or, as we saw with the Lebanese fiasco, we're responsible for getting their asses out of trouble when they stay in their 'real' countries.

[guyser]

It's in there because it's true.

Not it isnt,

There is a residency requirement for all provinces ot access healthcare. Send a student to study in Europe nwithout a letter from OHIP and the student is screwed when they get back

Same as anyone else.

If one of these so-called Canadians takes sick and comes to Canada we can ultimately pay millions in health care.

And then they get billed to pay it back.

[bush_cheney2004]

OMG...only in Canada would "free healthcare" be seen as the ultimate perk to lure emigres who can afford to buy the best health care in the world...and often do.

[The_Squid]

OMG...only in Canada would "free healthcare" be seen as the ultimate perk to lure emigres who can afford to buy the best health care in the world...and often do.

LOL good point... that's a bit of scare-mongering in the OP.

[Moonbox]

OMG...only in Canada would "free healthcare" be seen as the ultimate perk to lure emigres who can afford to buy the best health care in the world...and often do.

These people are obviously interested in foreign citizenship for a reason. It's likely a form of insurance for them. If political/legal problems threaten them, they can flee to Canada and still get cheap healthcare despite most of their assets being frozen at home.

[bush_cheney2004]

These people are obviously interested in foreign citizenship for a reason. It's likely a form of insurance for them. If political/legal problems threaten them, they can flee to Canada and still get cheap healthcare despite most of their assets being frozen at home.

Perhaps, but the perception or reality of "free health care" resonates with Canadians far more than with foreigners with much higher priorities and pressing issues back home. I mean...seriously ? It's all about the "free health care" ?

[Bob Macadoo]

The gov't sees what's going on in Hong Kong and wants to cash in.....again. No worries we'll take their tribute, put them in queue, then dump the queue when we never process them. Gov't at its business friendly finest.

Edited December 5, 2014 by Bob Macadoo

[Moonbox]

Perhaps, but the perception or reality of "free health care" resonates with Canadians far more than with foreigners with much higher priorities and pressing issues back home. I mean...seriously ? It's all about the "free health care" ?

No, it's certainly not all about free healthcare. Anyone that wealthy would have no problem paying for private health insurance in the US on a long-term basis. When making a decision on where to choose as your "Plan B country", it would just be a perk to consider along with all sorts of other things. I'd suspect free healthcare is much more of a consideration for refugee and family-unification aspects of immigration.

[guyser]

OMG...only in Canada would "free healthcare" be seen as the ultimate perk to lure emigres who can afford to buy the best health care in the world...and often do.

Frame it any way you want, wrongly of course, but par for the course.

[bush_cheney2004]

.... I'd suspect free healthcare is much more of a consideration for refugee and family-unification aspects of immigration.

...and I suspect that it is far less important than many Canadians believe it to be. It's great political fodder...these "Canadians of convenience", but I doubt it is a major factor. Other nations without "free health care" have landed more affluent/ not so affluent emigres than Canada.

Is there a billboard at the border advertising this perk ?

[Bob Macadoo]

Is there a billboard at the border advertising this perk ?

No the billboard says "Give us your queue jumpers, your influence peddlers, or your corrupt......we'll hold the door open....mind the tin cup on the way in."

[Icebound]

When things stop growing, they will start to die. And that goes for societies as well.

Today's Canadian society could, arguably, be considered to have been "born", when the European invaders (oops, explorers)... and the native populations... first .interacted.

It "grew" with visionaries such as John A MacDonald, sot that he was... who "built" things.

It "Matured" during the mid 1900's, especially after the Second World War.

It has, essentially, "retired" and started to live off the profits, round about the mid sixties..

Oh, there have been a few spurts of life once in a while, but by and large it simple flat-lined or even decreased a lot of its capability, confidence, and wisdom.

It seems to be getting ready to die.

Where are the thinkers and leaders that have a vision what this country is going to look like 50 years from now?: How will we travel, how will we earn, what will we use for energy? Most importantly, what do we need to do to get there?

If we continue to opt for the Harper model of "here is your tax money ... do what you want"... that is exactly what you will get; everybody doing what they want is defined as: CHAOS. Which degenerates into unrest, then the rise of autocratic strongmen to keep the lid on.

Life and growth comes from companies and labour that actually DO something, BUILD something, provide infrastructure, enhance living.

Right now, we might argue that many of our physical needs are being met. how many toilets and televisions can we use? But how about the way we do the other bits of our well-being? fixing the frauds in the financial system, better representations in our political systems, more justice in our justice systems, the way we do policing, and yes, care of our veterans and others as being discussed in another thread.

A few "entrepreneurs" with foreign money.... which will supposedly provide "jobs".....is hardly the solution that Canada needs. (Such entrepreneurs will be more interested in draining more money out, than they ever put in.... health care is not the ONLY incentive.)

We don't need jobs. We need leadership. (Fixing the financial and political systems just by themselves can provide tons of jobs.)

And it better get here quick because right now the country is just a few years before life-support. If we do not inject a really good growth hormone soon, it will not remain healthy much longer (along with its infected friend to the south).

[On Guard for Thee]

...and I suspect that it is far less important than many Canadians believe it to be. It's great political fodder...these "Canadians of convenience", but I doubt it is a major factor. Other nations without "free health care" have landed more affluent/ not so affluent emigres than Canada.

Is there a billboard at the border advertising this perk ?

Oh, you forgot to put the /sarcasm in this post.

[bush_cheney2004]

....A few "entrepreneurs" with foreign money.... which will supposedly provide "jobs".....is hardly the solution that Canada needs. (Such entrepreneurs will be more interested in draining more money out, than they ever put in.... health care is not the ONLY incentive.)

This is an interesting observation for a different reason...."free" health care services have become the singular and most important distinguishing entitlement to citizens, not emigres, who will do the jobs that some Canadians won't do. GM may leave Ontario starting in 2016 because of high energy and labour costs. East-west bitumen pipelines and new refineries are blocked before they even start. More foreign money is being courted to replace the foreign money that is ready to walk away. No worries.....there is still "free health care".

[Argus]

These people are obviously interested in foreign citizenship for a reason. It's likely a form of insurance for them. If political/legal problems threaten them, they can flee to Canada and still get cheap healthcare despite most of their assets being frozen at home.

And all the rights of citizenship, generally speaking with none of the obligations, or with obligations they avoid since they spend little or no time here. The point is these people have no interest in Canada, really, except as something they can keep in reserve should they need to come here. Why would we accommodate such people and give them citizenship? At the very least, if we're that interested in money let's auction some residency visas off like the British are doing.

[Moonbox]

I don't really have an answer to that. Selling citizenship only cheapens it.

[jacee]

Why would we accommodate such people and give them citizenship? At the very least, if we're that interested in money let's auction some residency visas off like the British are doing.

I think the op was misleading. They do get visas, not immediate citizenship.

.

[Argus]

I think the op was misleading. They do get visas, not immediate citizenship.

.

Not immediate but pretty much guaranteed, jumping over those who have been waiting, and who have been judged admissible due to their skills and who really want to come here. One of the reasons the last program was cancelled was it was discovered almost none of the people in it were living in Canada or had ever lived in Canada. They paid someone to set up a mail drop for them to establish residency and stayed where they were. There's no reason to believe this will be any different.