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2. Government

A. Experiences with government services and suggested changes

	0020		Discrimination is everywhere - newcomers need help, not discrimination. I was in a refugee camp for 6 years. I was tired and needed to heal. I was told that after 3 months of ESL I must get a job or will not receive money. I am still tired and need to heal. When I was sick they cut my money because I stayed home from ESL.
	2402		Let more people come from refugee camps, because they are a hard place to live and Canada is such a big country.
	2321		Coming to Canada as an adult with a family I have to support, I went back to school, hoping to further my education and have a training. Unfortunately I have found the two-year upgrading program too short for me (partly because of my limited English). It would be more beneficial if I could finish the program in three years instead.
	3080		Refugee programs should be more flexible; programs are outdated - change them by giving more information; profile of immigrants and refugees has changed, so the programs should be more compatible with the today's economic reality; counsellors should be better informed about the world geography, world cultures, to help bridge the gap and involve refugees in real Canadian life as soon as possible
	0540		The government should really give people a chance to practise their profession and make a good living.
	1570		More job and culture training. More orientation services about how to live in Canada. Train people to be self sufficient and confident.
	1120		Want Canadian government to help refugees as soon as they can.
	2812		Bring good and honest people to Canada.
	3001		Canadian government should be more picky when getting people to come here.
	3141		The government should trust these people, they're hard working.
	2811		They should be sure the people coming will be able to adjust and are not criminals.
	1691		In an engineering program I took, only 14 people could take it even though over 200 people wanted to come to it. It would help if the government had more programs like this so that people could settle faster. Recognize foreign education and credentials received in other countries. List occupations for each city so that when you are placed in a community you go somewhere where they need your profession.
	0962		Allow people into Canada based on their skills and merit and education. This applies to refugees and immigrants.
	0970		Should be a program for immigrants to educate them how to integrate in Canadian society; to create awareness what government expects from immigrants and what immigrants can expect from government; to improve way of reunion of family - government should make that easy.
	0980		Refugees coming here want to have a job. I think the government should have some kind of plan and agency to help those with skills to get jobs quickly, so they can contribute back to the society. Let them look by themselves, they wouldn't be able to find job.
	1270		Citizenship courses should be free to all applicants - I want to know more about Canada.
	1431		When the Canadian government lets people come it should take care of specific needs of people (people with education and experience should work in their profession) - it's frustrating. If that is not possible, then let them stay where they were.
	1942		No, it's all in the past and I want to move on. But I think that CIC should allow people to work in the first year if they want to. In the first year if you get a job, even part-time, they reduce your allowance. It's really bad.
	1991		This society and its government must understand that these people change and grow, and shouldn't be treated as beginners. Employers often abuse our situation in that way and that's the source of disappointment. The government must be aware of that abuse.
	2410		The process of coming to Canada, even after you have been accepted, is too long. When newcomers come here give them a choice between work and school.
	2561		I think CIC should realize that people who come here are very different with variety of backgrounds, experiences, and education.
	0622		Government (or settlement agency) should pay attention where to send people according to their profession.
	0661		I think government should adjust settlement programs for various cultural and educational background. (He thinks some of the services were unnecessary and waste of money and energy.)
	0663		Immigration Centre and settlement agencies should hire professionals, some advocate people to work with newcomers especially refugees.
	0671		People generally shouldn't be destined to small towns. It only causes trauma.
	0721		About our first destination Canada - the way how they treated us. Especially, the immigration centre made us leave our first destination in Canada. CIC should provide more information for newcomers.
	0820		In Canada, the government, major companies, schools treat poor people bad. Don't really want to help because I am poor, just put them all on one route. Need to change system to help poor people, change constitutions. Poor need more rights in Canada. They are human.
	2910		I hope this study will help and improve life and experiences of refugees coming to Canada. Moreover, I hope government agencies will hire people who would treat refugees and immigrants better.
	0050		I asked about becoming a machinist again (Canada Employment). I was told I would have to pay for the courses. We are not given full information.
	2510		I think the people who work in agencies such as immigration centre should be more sensitive to newcomers. I could feel that they are there not really to help the newcomers.
	0141		The government should become involved in tensions between groups from former Yugoslavia.
	1621		Canadian Government should help refugees who have mixed marriages more.
	2521		Advice to government: to give people more chance to get a job or people with education should be more encouraged, stimulated; educated people should get a chance to prove themselves.
	1651		The bad thing here about refugees is that they don't have an opportunity to contact Immigration Centre in Calgary directly to get solved some of their problems. Catholic Social Services [CCIS] is the only organization which immigrants can contact and some problems show up on this relation. Some people have to wait to get service for a long time and others get their problems solved in short time.
	1711		The amount of money for food and children is small (financial assistance).
	3062		Immigration policy should be to send newcomers to where the jobs are; they'll have to move there anyway.
	1041		It takes too long before you can apply for Canadian citizenship.

B. Advice to government about ESL

	0120		English classes for students who learn faster should be separated from those who need more time. Classes are sometimes wasting time, because they are slow.
	1090		Government should offer more opportunities to learn English, as this is so important.
	0672		Should improve ESL training programs and job training programs. Make destination or be aware of difference between different ethnic groups, because they have different levels of knowledge. They should not be showing to people from Europe (former Yugoslavia) things like: traffic lights, how to use a toothbrush. It makes us feel miserable because all that things had been part of our culture before coming to Canada.
	1762		Poor English classes - only three levels in Red Deer.
	1812		English classes are not enough; we need highest level.
	1090		Government should offer more opportunities to learn English as this is so important.
	3042		Give us language skills to be able to compete.
	2652		ESL program in small cities should be much better.
	1661		English classes in Red Deer for refugees are very poor; we need more.
	2992		The program called "workplace", failing to help people to find a job or to learn something about Canadian society. The government should better organize or improve existing programs especially ESL and job training.
	3051		Give assistance in getting education; give us further ESL to complete here.
	2980		CIC should consult newcomers regarding their needs, especially in terms of working within one's field of expertise; CIC should not cut funding for ESL training.
	1101		Need intensive English classes.
	1242		To organize learning English for professionals (to adjust to the needs of certain profession).
	2971		The government should not cut funding for helping us to learn English, get the job training and help with integration.
	1861		Was pulled out of ESL after only 4 months - I was told I had to work. I was scared so I went to work. But I want to learn more English to make my life here. There should be ESL classes on weekend or evenings for those that have to work but want to learn English.
	0481		English language is the key to being successful in Canada for education, jobs, etc. If people get a hold of the language they should go out and look for work. Some may take much longer than others but it is important for those who need it to keep attending these classes.
	0490		It would be much better if ESL is taught by teachers who learned English as second language as well. Some Canadian born speakers could not offer the same understanding, even though some of them are really good teachers.
	0651		She stressed the necessity of free language training once again.
	0663		Improve ESL training.
	0721		ESL training should be changed and improved.
	2881		Allow people to have more ESL training.
	0030		One year of English is not enough. We need better English courses. Help people get job and even have a plan for part time work - part time study.
	0040		We need to get higher levels of ESL and to be placed in ESL at the level we need, not at a lower level.
	1251		Language training longer.
	1332		Have more access to ESL and how to run a business.
	1362		It would be nice to do something about ESL program, to improve that program. Right now it is not very helpful, all the time I spent in school for ESL I had feeling that I was wasting my time rather than learning something.

C. Positive experiences of government services

	0181		The government helps a lot.
	1725		Canada should give more people the opportunity to come here.
	0890		CCIS has a very good job finding plan for newcomers. It is very good here as people can and do help each other get jobs.
	2872		All the services in Red Deer were very helpful and whole system of the government settlement agencies was well organized.

D. Citizenship, travel and visas

	1672		Waiting for citizenship is too long - we should only wait for one year.
	0900		People shouldn't have to pay to become citizens, we already have to pay a head tax of $1500. Refugees should be exempt from these payments as they've lost everything
	1042		Citizenship: we are so looking forward to becoming citizens and it has become such a long process. We sent our applications the day after being here 3 years. Only because of my wife's employer could we write the test in June. Her name was misspelled on the certificate - now we have to wait.
	0852		It takes too long to get travel document if you want to travel without passport.
	3051		Do not charge us for visas to come to Canada.
	0612		Canadian government make problems to provide tourist visas for our family who want to visit us. We cannot go there because we have to wait for passport.

E. Landing fees, airfares and destining

	1711		Landing fees are not necessary - we have had already too much to pay.
	1222		Coming here is a big loan. (Why we have to pay landing fee? We are not economic immigrants.)
	1541		I have learned CIC indebts people not only for airfare (with extremely high price) but also collects something called "landing fee". This is disgraceful and should be abolished.
	1341		It is very difficult to pay back the loan for airfare to Canada - we should not start to pay till second or third year.
	2251		After a couple of months being here we have got to pay back for the air tickets and landing fee. We should be left alone for at least a year before that.
	2592		I never found out why we were charged for some "overpayment" and we had to pay back $2600 while we were still on financial assistance and sponsored by government When we paid back the amt. We were asked to, we had no money left for living costs. It was not fair at all. At the time we are talking about my job as not secure and permanent. When we asked our counsellor to help us, we received no help at all.
	0701		It would be much easier for refugees if someone could arrange some better ways about returning travel, loans and paying back money for tickets. Even when we send money we are receiving warnings that our account is delinquent and Revenue Canada has not received any money. Nobody has explained to us. Why is that?
	0681		Why did they have to pay $975.00 per ticket for each person at time when they arrived (officially named "promised land")? Why?
	1682		The first day in Canada, from the international airport they took a yellow cab, because nobody waited for them at the airport. The cost of $130.00 is simply added to the airfare on the list for the travel loan. When they complained that it was not possible for them to pay back all money they have been asked, the answer from Immigration Centre was negative. They also complained about the service and help that they received through Immigration Centre and settlement agencies. So far nobody has responded.
	1101		We applied to Vancouver but were sent to Calgary.
	1102		Applied to go to Vancouver but was sent to Calgary.
	0552		I am confused with government's policies regarding educated people. Why do they send them to places like Lethbridge where they can't do anything worthwhile?

F. Information received abroad from Canadian embassy

	1692		The procedure of accepting newcomers should be shorter. The communication between embassies in Europe and Immigration Centre in Canada should function better. The organizations such as CIC should be more informed about the life and needs of newcomers.
	2401		The people in immigration offices in Africa are using hard and sometimes unfair filtering system. I would advice them to be more open, because they are keeping out people who could make it here in Canada.
	1051		Embassy - more helpful and flexible for people who want to come here for visit (especially in Belgrade).
	3051		Give us information about survival in Canada before coming.
	1451		Embassy should provide refugees information about Canada in their language. Have a translator to explain to them the pros and cons about living in Canada.
	2991		The Canadian embassy in Belgrade and the people who worked there did not make us sure about expectations and our future in Canada. They provided no useful information for us.
	0640		People in embassy shouldn't lie about how they will get their citizenship (automatically in 3 years). It takes longer. They also shouldn't tell people they'll get a house and can sponsor their family.
	1381		Consulate officials should tell the truth about Canada.
	1382		Consulates should give truth about life in Canada.
	1383		People at the consulate shouldn't lie and mislead people who need safety and security.
	2292		I was misinformed about Canada and life in Canada.
	0101		Advice to employees in Canadian embassy abroad. They should make more contacts with people, explain to them how Canada is.
	1802		People working in Canadian Embassy should have provided us with more useful information, they should be more informative.
	1701		Before coming we were not told how difficult is was going to be especially for us adults to learn English which would then determine what kind of job we would get.
	2800		The Canadian embassy was very honest about what to expect - they should tell educated people that regaining their profession depends on them and they may have to work in a lower profession for whole life. This should be more clear.

G. Reunification and recommendations regarding sponsorship

	0852		To make it easier for family reunion; to make sponsorship for family members simpler and shorter. Bureaucracy is too slow and not efficient when it comes to sponsorship.
	1902		I hope that the Canadian Immigration would loosen the regulations. I have applied for my children to come to Canada. They were accepted initially, then because they are over 18 now, they are not allowed to join us, although they don't have their own families yet.
	2890		I have applied to sponsor my family to come to Canada 1.5 years ago. I can never get to talk to a real person at phone. I paid the application fees and now no one talks to me. I even paid the air fare but nothing happens. Things are at the Canadian embassy.
	1022		Don't think embassy is doing a good job to sponsor people. Before coming, the Canadian embassy in Bonn, Germany cheated. We were sponsored but it was only a formal setting.

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