Canada's immigration system is broken, and Luz's ordeal proves it

Immigration departments worldwide are bureaucratic nightmares

Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre is only partly right when he says “everything feels broken.” When it comes to Canada’s immigration system, everything IS broken .

Last week I got a call from a dear friend who was in tears. Her name is Luz. She, along with her hard-working, resourceful husband, is a refugee from Colombia. We met them at church four years ago and they’ve become a cherished part of our family. They’re not just good people, they are among the best people we have ever known.

The story of why they had to flee Colombia would make a great Hollywood blockbuster, but to write their story could endanger their lives, so for now it must remain under wraps.

Through her tears, Luz explained her predicament. Ten months ago she applied for a refugee travel permit to allow her to leave Canada for Mexico where an old university friend wants to hire Luz, who is an acclaimed architect and talented interior designer.

Her husband’s travel documents arrived 23 days after he applied, but Luz kept waiting. She repeatedly phoned the Immigration Canada telephone number, which is little more than an exercise in futility and frustration. Eventually, she made an emergency travel document application on Feb. 27 because she had a non-refundable flight with WestJet scheduled for Cancun, Mexico, on April 6 to begin this job. Still she has heard nothing.

Her entire family and her husband’s all flew to Cancun to see the couple for the first time in four years, but Luz had to stay in Calgary, her heart broken.

When she finally manages to get someone on the line after dozens of attempts, she is told her application is “being processed.”

“I really need this work,” said Luz, 36, who is studying to improve her English at school and had her background checked before being declared a permanent resident. “I feel like my life is on hold. I almost feel as though this is personal, as though someone has flagged my file to cause me pain.”

On Monday, Luz and I drove to the Harry Hays federal government building in downtown Calgary, something she has done on several occasions, even though nothing ever comes of it.

A staff member at information told us to go over there. That was wrong. The people over there told us to go upstairs. That was wrong. When we got there they told us to go to immigration but that you need an appointment and won’t get to see anyone.

Finally. The correct information but infuriating nonetheless. When we got there we were greeted by a glass wall with an intercom.

I explained through the intercom what was going on and was told by the voice crackling through the plastic slats that if we want to see someone, we need to make an appointment first via telephone — something Luz has tried many times to no avail. Can’t we please just meet with someone, I asked. We’re here now.

No, you have to call Ottawa to make an appointment to see someone in Calgary. How does this make sense?

We call the number, as directed, off the plaque on the wall. Luz has it on speed dial on her cellphone.

We follow all the prompts, punch in her unique client identifier number, then we dial five and are told via a recorded message: “We are currently experiencing a high volume of calls and are unable to transfer you to an agent. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.” It takes five minutes and 35 seconds to get to that message.

“It’s been like this every day for the last five months,” says Luz. Service and help is an illusion.

Several people at the Harry Hays building recommend that we go to the immigration office at Calgary’s international airport (something Luz had already tried). After the frustration at the intercom and on the phone, we drive there. We meet nice people, namely a burly immigration officer who tells us he can’t provide documents and to call that same number to make an appointment.

Unable to help and clearly wanting to, he suggests Luz go to the Colombian consulate and apply to get a Colombian passport. Luz tries to hide the shock that clearly spreads across her face. “I’m a refugee from Colombia,” she declares. “I cannot go there.”

But it’s telling, isn’t it? A Canadian immigration officer telling a desperate person to go to the office of a developing country to get speedy service because he knows you can’t get it here.

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/travel/news/corbella-canada-s-immigration-system-is-broken-and-luz-s-ordeal-proves-it/ar-AA19SmYA

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My other blogs. Main ones below:

http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)

http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM)

http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)

http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)

http://australian-politics.blogspot.com/ (AUSTRALIAN POLITICS)
    
http://awesternheart.blogspot.com.au/ (THE PSYCHOLOGIST)
 
http://jonjayray.com/blogall.html More blogs

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