Ebola

[parsley]

StatsCan's figures for Africans entering Canada in 2014:

Africa, total
April 7,304
May 10,448
June 14,482
July 17,810
August 17,334

Q for you: will these numbers increase if ebola numbers in Africa continues to increase?

Q for you: If you were an African citizen, and a family member died from ebola, would you lie about exposure, and hop a plane and head for Winnipeg? Pars

[charliep]

I would highlight Ebola is in one very particular region of west Africa. Most of Africa is not impacted at the present.

I suspect the number of tourists and business people entering Africa would dwarf the number of people seeking to become new Canadians. You can add in the number of people moving in and out of Europe from Africa.

Perhaps a bigger issue will be health care workers who risk their lives to help the area being impacted by ebola. Not sure how you would treat these people.

[samhill]

I am curious as to the purpose for emigrants to our country. To increase work force which then keeps wages lower, or to provide demand for housing, which then creates profits for real estate and developers.
As technology and efficiencies in production increase, is there a need for increased population?
I would favour a policy similar to Switzerland, where citizenship is difficult to obtain, and takes years,as well as endorsement from other citizens. In the UAE, you can work there, but if not born an Emerati, you can never become a citizen.
I fear we bear a lot of increased medicare costs with this policy.

[charliep]

parsley

I'll add a question. If you were a Canadian travelling in west Africa and you felt yourself getting sick/were concerned about ebola, would you lie about it so you could have access to the better system here?

I highlight again the challenge of sending front line health care workers/others to the necessary battle with the disease. When everyone else is running away from danger, they are running towards it.

[wmoebis]

I wonder if PM Harper and Ms. Ambrose will fly down there to get a first hand look to assess the situation, we are sending our highly trained staff into.

[mcfarms]

Oh Im all for sending many politicians in for a closer look I can start a list but it would be a long one starting right at the local level and up from there.

[parsley]

Charliep, StatsCan did not distinguish West Africa from Africa so I used the numbers that are available.
btw, the entrants taken from Table 427-00031 defines the number of non-resident travellers entering Canada, monthlly.
With regards to health care workers, none of out best should be entering West Africa. Period. Should they? The necessary equipment and meds can be air dropped to medical centres in WA. Techniques and procedures can be taught via Skype and FB. WA should be viewed and treated a quarantined zone.

There is no need to enter an area that is an ebola hotspot. And no need to appear heroic while acting stupid. Dragging ebola home to Canada is inevitable.

[parsley]

Samhill, I would cut Canadian immigration in half, applied immediately, and refuse to consider any applicants from countries abiding by Sharia law. Pars

[parsley]

Charliep, I personally would not be travelling to WA hotspots under ANY circumstances.Not as a nurse or as a doctor or as a health care work or as an evangelist interested in dying souls. It would be unfair to all Canadians to put them at risk when I return. We have enough technology to help WA virtually. Pars

[rockpile]

Nigeria and Sierra Leone were declared Ebola free over the weekend (21 days of no new reported cases). It is containable, could be eradicated just like polio. And the best way to do it is to attack it at the roots as opposed to reacting after it's out of control. My two bits. My goodness Dear, you are sure becoming paranoid lately - unbecoming of one of Viking blood!