Ben conflates refugees with immigrants.
Immigrants, like myself, come to Canada as we want to and are allowed in if Canada finds it to be beneficial.
Refugees come fleeing persecution in their homelands. We have a treaty and moral obligation to give them refuge. We do not know yet which of these Tamils come as legitimate refugees and which might be economic immigration candidates.
We know that Sri Lanka has won a protracted civil war over Tamil separatists. We might assume that defeated peoples fear for their safety and the benefit of the doubt should lie on their side before we go shipping them back to a doubious fate.

I say again these boat people are queue jumpers. I think last years 67 men that came by ship were the test case and not this ship load. I heard a commentary that each one costs the taxpayer $50,000 per year and sometimes it takes 2 years to determine their refugee status. Sorry, NOT ON MY PENSIONERS DIME!!!

As a retired senior I am really disturbed that the Canadian Gov't even considers allowing this ship into Canadian waters. If these boat people can pay $30,000+ to get on board to come here through the back door why should we the tax payers have to pay for their upkeep. They will get monthly cheques more than our seniors receive,free medical/dental,accomadations and whatever other perks thay get while our seniors try to live month to month on the meager OAS. If these people signed on for $30,000+ based on future earnings then they signed a bad deal.

i aggree with summersoul we dont know what would possess these people to flee there homes in such a fashion...it seems kinda extreme to me!?

With all those black umbrellas all over the boat and dock, one would think that 490 Michael Jacksons had arrived.

The people able to pay that much money because there is danger for their lives.
I came to Canada as a refugee 13 years ago I collected welfare $520/month for 1year and 1 month then I found a job and pay income tax alone $22,000+/year I bought a house 10years ago land transfer tax=$2,500 and property tax = $4,600/year then I bought a car 11years ago I paid Tax+pdi ect=4,000 then I pay for gas, there is gas tax not sure how much. I spent at least $55,000/year on taxable items that means 13% gst+pst and now hst for 12 years = $85,800

With the investment of $6,760(well fare)on my, Canada made $22,000+/yr 12years =4 264,000 + $2,500 + $46,000 + $85,800 = $398, 300

These are real numbers if anyone want to verify I can show my identity.

With the investment of $6,760(well fare)on my, Canada made $22,000+/yr 12years = 264,000 + $2,500 + $46,000 + $85,800 = $398, 300 +

(this is the correct amount since there is no edit option I am posting again)

With the investment of $6,760(well fare)on my, Canada made $22,000+/yr 12years = 264,000 + $2,500 + $46,000 + $85,800 = $398, 300 +

(this is the correct amount since there is no edit option I am posting again)

With the investment of $6,760(well fare)on my, Canada made $22,000+/yr 12years = 264,000 + $2,500 + $46,000 + $85,800 = $398, 300 +

(this is the correct amount since there is no edit option I am posting again)

As usual, people go shooting off their mouths with totally incorrect facts. IN this case, its the age old Refugees get more than seniors argument. FALSE.

If you care to read, go here http://www.snopes.com/politics/immigration/refugees.asp

Or here, http://www.cic.gc.ca/ENGLISH/department/media/facts/aid.asp

I don't mind people being racist, but ignorance is intolerable.

In my opinion, anyone who uses the term "boat people" in their talking out loud voice, probably uses the "N" word too.
And by the way, I highly doubt they enjoyed anything about their eating or sleeping accomodations, someone died on that ship. I guess being allowed to express an opinion,(even when it's ignorant or racist) is one of the many reasons people from all over the world want to live in Canada.

With the investment of $6,760(well fare)on my, Canada made $22,000+/yr 12years = 264,000 + $2,500 + $46,000 + $85,800 = $398, 300 +

(this is the correct amount since there is no edit option I am posting again)

90% of Canadians got here fleeing from some sort of persecution in thier home country, with the exeption of FNs.

Afterall if it was so flippin good in Europe, why the hell did we leave.

I guess that would make a great number of us, "boat people".

I tend to think the vast majority of these people are legitimate refugees. They just had a genocide in that country that was condoned by Canada's Harper government. Anyone that has read up on what has been going on there would understand why these people fled in a rickety boat.

That said we can't be making it easy, or we will see a flood of 'refugees'. Maybe they should have to spend a year on a remote Island off the BC North Coast while they are properly processed. Let them run free on the island with some standard housing and separate the good from the fraud. Apply the rule of law.

IMO we should cancel the proliferation of work visa's. They decrease our standard of living by reducing our need to train our own, and undercutting our standard wage rates... or the corporations wouldn't hire them.

Cut back on the corporate welfare of foreign workers and therefor allow for legitimate refugees is the answer I think.