• 19 September 2003 Press Statement by Prime Minister Dr.Kenny Anthony;

I would like to advise all St. Lucians who wish Landed Immigration Status in Canada to seek the assistance and advice of the OECS High Commission in Ottawa and the Canadian High Commissions in Trinidad and Barbados on the proper procedures for migration to Canada.

How and why we get on this list? Caribbean nationals in 1989 submitted refugee claims as a basis for migrating to remain in Canada. St. Lucia had only two claims but by 1992 St. Lucian claims tripled. In 2003, St. Lucia ranks as second on the list of Caribbean countries in person need of protection. Canada decision to implement visa on Saint Lucia was not made over night. Stats collected by the Canadian Government.

Visa Free to Canada was a privilege not a Right. Some of us abuse that privilege. A person or a country can only that take much.

If one feel at abused whenever a person or country they have the right to protect themselves.

16 February 2012 — Legislation to protect the integrity of Canada’s immigration system was introduced today by Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.

Canadians take great pride in the generosity and compassion of our immigration and refugee programs. But they have no tolerance for those who abuse our generosity and seek to take unfair advantage of our country.

With the Balanced Refugee Reform Act and today’s legislation, the provinces and territories are expected to save in the range of $1.65 billion over five years in social assistance and education costs.

Biometrics will be an important new tool to help protect the safety and security of Canadians by reducing identity fraud and identity theft,” said Minister Kenney. “As fraudsters become more sophisticated, biometrics will improve our ability to keep violent criminals and those who pose a threat to Canada out. In short, biometrics will strengthen the integrity of Canada’s immigration system while helping facilitate legitimate travel.”

These measures would put us in line with international partners such as the United Kingdom, the European Union, Australia, and the United States. This would help prevent known criminals, failed refugee claimants and deportees from using a fake identity to obtain a visa. The use of biometrics would also bolster Canada’s existing measures to facilitate legitimate travel by providing a fast and reliable tool for confirming identity.

All these reforms are aimed at deterring abuse of Canada’s generous immigration and refugee system. With these proposed measures, the integrity of Canada’s immigration programs and the safety and security of Canadians will be protected.

“To maintain the support of Canadians for our generous immigration and refugee systems, we must demonstrate that Canada has a fair, well-managed system that does not tolerate queue jumping,” concluded Minister Kenney.

Jason Kenney, the Canadian minister for Citizenship, Multiculturalism and Immigration, announced 10th September 2012, that his government has begun the process of revoking citizenship granted to 3,100 people who made fraudulent applications for Canadian citizenship.

After receiving the letter from Canadian high commission of Canada I called and advised them that we were a new government and requested an delay in the decisions and for a meeting but the decision was made. It is unfortunate but I believe Canada had to do what was necessary to protect its boarders. Canada is a friend of Saint Lucia and I would like to maintain that friendship – it is unfortunate that this happened.

Which led me to contact the source directly to pose questions which am sure many Saint Lucian wants answered…

Question: Was there any deadline stipulated to Saint Lucian Prime Minister Dr Kenny Anthony when contacted  regarding Visa Implementation?

Did the Canadian Government inform the previous Government of Saint Lucia of these security risks and problems they were experiencing with Saint Lucian nationals? If so when and what steps were actually taken?

Have any CBSA media members or government officials of Canada  stated that Prime Minister Kenny Anthony could have stopped these visa’s from being Implemented  to Saint Lucian nationals

 Answer: It is government policy not to publicize visa impositions until an official announcement is made. This policy is meant to safeguard our immigration and refugee programs against sudden influxes at the border.

But the Government of St. Lucia was notified prior to the public announcement that a visa requirement would be imposed.

There has been an unacceptably high number of asylum claims from St. Lucia with about one and a half percent of the population of the country making asylum claims in Canada over the past five years.

For months the Government of St Lucia has recognized the problem of immigration violations out of St Lucia. These problems have gotten worse, not better.

Question: When did the Canadian Government realize that Saint Lucia was a security risk?

Answer: Visa requirements for countries and territories are regularly reviewed as part of Canada’s visa policy process.

A number of criteria are considered in making a visa policy decision, including immigration violation rates, asylum claims, the integrity of travel documents and the cooperation on removals by the country or territory in question.

Question(s): How long has this decision making process been play and who is involved in this process and did the Prime minister of St Lucia have any say in this? And were there any influences whether it is external or internal that affected the final decision for him?

Were there any terms specified to the new government to stop the implementation of visa’s which Saint Lucian nationals did not comply with?

Was this decision one that could have been prevented, delayed or changed by the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia?

Answer: Canada’s visa policy is based on a country-by-country assessment of established visa review criteria, such as socio-economic profile, immigration issues, travel documents, safety and security issues, border management, human rights and bilateral relations.

Canada regularly reviews its visa requirements toward other countries, and countries are aware that they have a responsibility to satisfy certain conditions to receive a visa exemption.

Question: Where can Saint Lucian nationals get comprehensive information on how to apply for residency to Canada as skilled workers?

Answer: For information on how to apply to immigrate to Canada as a skilled worker, please see our Web Site.

Question: Currently the “Skilled Worker Program” has stalled, when will the Canadian Government be open again to accepting new applications?

Answer: As of 1 July 2012, CIC has temporarily stopped accepting applications for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP). This temporary pause does not apply to those with a qualifying job offer or applying under the PhD stream.

We will likely start accepting applications again in early 2013 when proposed changes to FSWP selection criteria take effect. For more details on the upcoming changes, please see: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/releases/2012/2012-08-17.asp.

Canada is a vast country. The people as colorful as the landscape, has always been a place of freedom for those in need Saint Lucians telling other Saint Lucians to claim refugee status and in the end ends up a waste of time and cost for the Government of Canada free housing legal counsel for immigration hearing, welfare, medical care and return air fare and more, these services are all being billed to the Canadian government  and taxpayer of Canada.

Migration in my interpretation in search of a better life for self and other generations Canada will not Harboring law breakers, criminals in this civil society. Lets not forget the future and our responsibility to impart knowledge, respect and a sense of purpose to West Indian legacy…