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Catholic Youth Organization members spent Sunday flagging down cars in Waterioo for their carwash at St. Michael‘s Parish on Hemlock St. Pictured here scrubbing a stationwagon are Brenda Anstett (front), Dawn Barrie and Linda Goczan. The 15â€"yearâ€"old girls were washing cars to raise money for CYO activities. WALTER McLEAN Week by week new Canadian citizens are welcomed at the Citizenship Court, located in Waterloo Post Office. During August, 36 Waterloo area residents beâ€" came Canadian citizens. The Swearing of the Oath of Allegiance takes place in the court room, before Judge Mary Wong or Judge Geraldine Copps. _ It is a solemn ceremony which brings to mind the serious and difficult deciâ€" sions each new citizen has made when choosing to immigrate and become a Canadian. The court is open to the pubâ€" lic. When my parliamentary duties perâ€" mit, I attend the court, to join with famiâ€" ly and friends in saying "welcome." Immigration problems bring a great many people to my riding office in Waâ€" terloo Square with requests for assistanâ€" ce. Over the past year I have become familiar with the immigration process, which, I might add, is very complex, and in some cases very lengthy. . For example, some Waterloo resiâ€" dents with relatives applying from New Delhi, India, and the Caribbean Islands have experienced delays of 1â€"2 years for processing, due to the large numbers of angi:afims. § lication process for immigraâ€" tion nxr ‘"‘landed immigrant stalt‘hs" (not ‘"refugee status") from Vietnam and the People Republic of China takes Ia#et. This is due to a very complicated political process where the Asian goâ€" vernments must give approval, before any prospective immigrant can even begin application procedures with Canaâ€" dian Immigration officials. THEIR GOOD DEED vietnamese officials have temporariâ€" ly suspended the family reâ€"unification program to Canada, and since January 1980, not one application has been apâ€" proved. Unfortunately, immigration to Canada is often a long and frustrating process both for applicants awaiting a decision by Canadan officials, and for relatives waiting in Canada. 1) The Family Class: Any Canadian citizen, or permanent resident who is at least 18 years of age, may sponsor cerâ€" tain close relatives to come to Canada. This includes among others a spouse, deâ€" pendent children under 21, parents and grandparents over 60. The sponsor in Canada initiates proceedings by comâ€" pleting a form promising to provide for lodging, care and maintenance of the apâ€" plicant for up to 10 years. The Immigration Act defines three classes of admissible immigrants: Although, in Canada‘s Immigration system, this class is given top priority, (confirming the government‘s commitâ€" ment to family reâ€"union), one Waterloo resident has now waited over 1 year for his wife to be given permission to imâ€" migrate to join him. 2) Convention Refugees: According to Unim:‘d:d Nations definition, a ‘‘Convenâ€" tion Refugee®‘ is an who, by reaâ€" son of nll-fomdd' m per:cynfion for reasons of race, religion, nationality , membership in a particular social m or political opinion, is outside his country and unwilling to return. Refugees are assessed to evaluate Canada‘s immigration policies The exodus continues. In the past three weeks four imnore of my friends have torn up their roots, packed their meagre possessions and headed off to Alberta ... the western mecca of Canaâ€" That makes a grand total of 11 friends who are now up to their kneecaps in oil and I suppose the number will continue to grow as time passes. It‘s a known fact that Canada‘s econoâ€" mic base has shifted west fromâ€"Ontario and that‘s the prime reason for so many geople leaving this Rrovince and the Cities in rlm s They keep telling me that Alberta proâ€" vides them with a better chance to adâ€" vance their careers, make more money and be a part of Canada‘s future. But I think the real reason, the one they prefer to bury beneath all those dollar signs, is that most of Ontario has already moved to Alberta and they just want to be with their friends! their ability to adapt to Canadian life. As well, the amount of settlement assistanâ€" ce from government and private orâ€" ganizations determines whether they can be admitted to Canada. The Waâ€" terloo area has been one of the most genâ€" erous communities to respond to the plea of the Vietnamese refugees ("the boat people"‘) in the past year. To date approximately 1,700 government and privately sponsored refugees have arâ€" rived in our area. The last thing they tell you prior to boarding a westward heading silver bird is ‘we‘ll keep in touch‘ or ‘we‘ll always be Ontario residents at heart‘ or ‘our feelings about this province (Ontario) But such is not usually the case. A number of my western friends have reâ€" turned for visits and they‘ve gone through more of a metamorphosis than the lowly caterpillar‘ s People planning to immigrate in this class include assisted relatives, reâ€" tirees, entrepreneurs, the selfâ€" employed, and other independent imâ€" An applicant is given points for educaâ€" tion, arranged employment, job exâ€" perience, age, personal suitability, etc. The point system places almost half of the total rating points on employment related factors. In order to even be considered for imâ€" migration to Canada, a minimum number of points must be scored. Securâ€" class is given lower priority than both the "family‘"" and "refugee" classes. It is an area which concerns many of the Waterloo residents contacting me for assistance. migrants applying on their own. They auofienm:)ectwlew:.hydelaysinthe processing of their applications. Except for retirees, these people are assessed by “thebpoint system." This system seeks to bring immigration in line with Canadian hbourm:anfiet needs. I never expected to see them walk bowlegged from the plane sporting cowâ€" boy hats, boots and a western necktie shouting ‘let ‘em freeze in the east‘, but it has happened on occasion. And talk about a western drawl ... I can hardly understand them anymore! I think they‘ve all had major surgery done on their vocal chords and in most cases it seems to be irreversible. â€"I usually end up asking them to write me a letter in order to understand just 3) Independent Immigrants: This That westem exodus STEWART SUTHERLAND Waterioo Chronicle, Maybe singer/song writer Frank Zappa has the right idea. I might do well to move to Alberta, buy a farm and raise dental floss. I hear you can make a buck ~off just about anything in the west these exactly what it is they want to do Saturâ€" The main thing that disturbs me about the western exodus is that people movâ€" ing to Alberta tend to have short meâ€" moriu.lnmmmhualways contributed, willingly or not, to various monetary funds for the soâ€"called "haveâ€" not"‘ provinces. And believe it or not, Alâ€" berta was once a recipient of some of Now the cowboy boot appears to be on the other foot. The present state of afâ€" fairs as it relates to our economy has left Ontario‘s economic base somewhat shakey and it probably won‘t get much better until our friends south of the border get their economy rolling again. It‘s unfortunate, but when businessmen in the United States trip, their counterâ€" parts in Canada fall down because our economy is so dependent on whatever happens in the U.S. Now, when Ontario needs some econoâ€" mic assistance from the west, whether it‘s in the form of cash, new business or reasonable oil prices, the Albertan goâ€" vernment and many residents tend to thumb their noses and say ‘tough prairie dog chip ... we never got much from you in the past, pardner!‘ And a large percentage of those snubâ€" bing the east just ha_fi:en to be exâ€" residents of Ontario: ir memories are so short that I‘m beginning to wondâ€" er if they have been rolling and smoking too much of this year‘s wheat crop‘ The whole situation has left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I‘m disappointed with the Alberta government and seâ€" veral of my friends but also wondering if I‘m not missing out on the pot o0° gold at the end of the Albertan rainbow. ing a ‘‘certified‘‘ position in Canada adds greatly to an independent appliâ€" cant‘s chances of immigrating. A cerâ€" tified, job is one for which an employer has advertised through the Canada Emâ€" ployment Office, and the office has ofâ€" ficially a'grved that no Canadian resiâ€" dent, with suitable qualifications, apâ€" plied for the position. enables more effective labor market â€" From a foreign country, given the level of unemployment in Canada today, such a position can be very difficult to Since 1976 Immigration levels have been.set after close annual consultation with Provincial Governments. Then the Minister of Employment and Immigraâ€" tion, provides an annual forecast of the number of immigrants Canada can comâ€" fortably absorb. This forecast avoids huge variations of numbers (such as 282,000 admitted in 1957, and 70,000 in the early 60‘s), and discriminatory, supports family reunâ€" ion, shows humanitarian concern for reâ€" fugees, and links immigration moveâ€" ment to cmmum and labor market needs. U tely, execution of this policy is often slow and tediously bureaucratic. 1 am pleased to offer asâ€" sistance to explain, and sometimes to speed the process for concerned Waâ€" For 1980, the forecast, including the refugee program, was for 120,000 imâ€" m'granu to come to Canada. anada‘s Immigration is nonâ€" 17, 1980 â€" Page 7