ARE CANADAS IMMIGRATION LAWS TOO LAX ?
A REVIEW OF CANADIAN IMMIGRATION PROCEDURES IN THE AFTERMATH OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 By Walter Chi Yan TOM One issue that has arisen in the media over the course of the past few weeks is whether or not Canada’s immigration laws are too lax and whether they allow terrorists easy access to Canada as a possible conduit into the United States. I share the observations raised in a recent article written by immigration lawyer Lorne Waldman, and would like to add my personal thoughts in this regard. First and foremost, it is suggested that we must all have realistic expectations of what can and cannot be achieved by the Canadian immigration programme. There are millions of people who cross our borders each year. Open borders is an essential requirement of commerce and trade and for the Canadian tourism industry. We must distinguish between the different categories of persons seeking to enter Canada. At the present time, all persons who seek to immigrate to Canada are required to obtain a securi
