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New Canadian Politics Thread

You sound like a real asshole right now.
I think we like to think of ourselves as being amazing and welcoming everyone. It's a really nice thought. Issue is I speak with CEO/VPs daily. You really have no chance without speaking English(Things I hear...). We have a Province in our country forcing people to learn the language within 6 months (I don't agree and hate that). Really, there should obviously be stronger language tests. It's not unfair. Not offensive, just the way it should be. And I have countless stories of hiring people with 0 experience and helping them out. But they spoke English.
Quebec;s language test is hilariously too hard (People from France have failed). Other provinces are way too easy.
 
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OK, so today I interviewed ANOTHER person who brought an interpreter to the "Interview". They couldn't speak one word of English.
Our country for everyone's sake really needs a tough language test. It's getting ridiculous. This has happened several times lately. WTF is the criteria for being chosen into the country? A person who speaks no english isn't going to fill our job quotas.
"A person who speaks no english isn't going to fill our job quotas."

How well would you do on a tough language test?
 
There are two language tests for English, the TOEFL & IELTS tests. They're both difficult and anyone who writes it is given a number grade that goes towards their points for qualifying to immigrate.

Functionally....if someone got in via the point system without having strong language marks, its because they have a flying fuckton of education and labour market points. You can learn enough English to function in the workplace in 6-12 months, you can't become an engineer in 6-12 months.

The only other regularly viable pathway to citizenship is family sponsorship
 
JB has posted long enough here for us to not jump to conclusion that his stand is one of prejudice; besides the thought that English skills must be mandatory is not unique.

I think I am qualified to weigh in on this since my family and I were once admitted without knowing how to say hello in English (ok that's an exaggeration, but we didn't know the language beyond greetings):

  1. English is one of the easiest languages to learn with such simple grammar. If someone must learn the language, they can learn it within a few months. It is hardly beneficial for Canada to give up potential citizens who are skilled in key areas just because they don't know the language at first.
  2. Related to #1, the principle of hiring for potential vs. current skills: I am not sure what you are hiring for, but many times I have hired people who I think have the underlying skills to be excellent at the job, vs. those who have the skills but perhaps have hit their ceilings/ have habits that are hard to break down. While English may be a core competency for many jobs, for others it is not. For those, I'd rather hire a person who possesses rare knowledge, and give him some time to learn the language, vs. someone who is excellent in English but just doesn't have the potential.
  3. Many jobs do not require you to know the language. I just had someone over to fix up the exterior of my house. He did not speak much English, and what he did speak was so difficult to understand. I am glad he was admitted. He did an excellent job for a fair price.
  4. If you dismiss one individual due to their lack of language skills, you are potentially robbing the country of generations of talent. If the government dismisses an individual due to lack of English skills, they potentially lose on whatever their offspring become. 2nd generation Canadians are often quite successful.
  5. Also remember, even if someone does not end up learning the language, most still contribute to society one way or another; they still pay their fair share of taxes.
  6. Canada is competing with many other nations in attracting talent. You put up barriers like language that can be overcome within just a few months of living in an English-speaking society, you become people's 2nd/3rd choice.
 
JB has posted long enough here for us to not jump to conclusion that his stand is one of prejudice; besides the thought that English skills must be mandatory is not unique.

I think I am qualified to weigh in on this since my family and I were once admitted without knowing how to say hello in English (ok that's an exaggeration, but we didn't know the language beyond greetings):

  1. English is one of the easiest languages to learn with such simple grammar. If someone must learn the language, they can learn it within a few months. It is hardly beneficial for Canada to give up potential citizens who are skilled in key areas just because they don't know the language at first.
  2. Related to #1, the principle of hiring for potential vs. current skills: I am not sure what you are hiring for, but many times I have hired people who I think have the underlying skills to be excellent at the job, vs. those who have the skills but perhaps have hit their ceilings/ have habits that are hard to break down. While English may be a core competency for many jobs, for others it is not. For those, I'd rather hire a person who possesses rare knowledge, and give him some time to learn the language, vs. someone who is excellent in English but just doesn't have the potential.
  3. Many jobs do not require you to know the language. I just had someone over to fix up the exterior of my house. He did not speak much English, and what he did speak was so difficult to understand. I am glad he was admitted. He did an excellent job for a fair price.
  4. If you dismiss one individual due to their lack of language skills, you are potentially robbing the country of generations of talent. If the government dismisses an individual due to lack of English skills, they potentially lose on whatever their offspring become. 2nd generation Canadians are often quite successful.
  5. Also remember, even if someone does not end up learning the language, most still contribute to society one way or another; they still pay their fair share of taxes.
  6. Canada is competing with many other nations in attracting talent. You put up barriers like language that can be overcome within just a few months of living in an English-speaking society, you become people's 2nd/3rd choice.
Thanks.
I think it's important to remember as well, that I am representing a group of individuals who want individuals who can speak English. They state this is due to Health and Safety reasons (That's what I am advised), so I am handcuffed and cannot bring them aboard. I have great stories I won't bore people with of helping many people get jobs. With lack of English, it is difficult though, as my examples of finding creative ways to get good people deserving of a chance did speak English.
It's true in theory, we should give all individuals deserving of a chance a shot. The issue is, if I told people what execs say in 2022 about what they want (I am a headhunter) they would be shocked. I had a client ask me to find out 2 weeks ago if a woman planned on getting pregnant as they didn't want someone who one day might go on mat leave(I declined and had 9 K riding on it). They also hold the "Canadian experience" to the extreme to the point I am suspicious on what they really want. I once had a big construction company tell me they wanted a 35 year-old Portuguese man who had 10 years of experience and liked to have beers after work (Like WTF?).
Stuff like this is why we hear more than ever about newcomers saying they are frustrated and have some regret about coming to Canada.

And before we get all mad remember, I am an anglophone from Quebec. The shit that goes on there, wow. I was rejected non-stop until I arrived in Ontario for not speaking perfect French. I grew up in a society where you must have near perfect language skills. So if I have standards of necessary language requirements, it's still much less than I grew up with (Which is right in Canada). I think all of this is why I have a different perception than many here do in regards to this subject.
 
Your last posting certainly puts things into perspective.

On a fun note, (to keep it light), as a Leaf fan from Quebec who moved to Ontario, do you still stay with the other 2 Leaf fans in Quebec?
If so, say hi to them from all of us.
 
Your last posting certainly puts things into perspective.

On a fun note, (to keep it light), as a Leaf fan from Quebec who moved to Ontario, do you still stay with the other 2 Leaf fans in Quebec?
If so, say hi to them from all of us.
I'm at fault for not explaining more. Maybe I was just tired from the brilliant Edna Garrett thoughts on Twitter.

HAHA. My dad has to be the most famous Leaf fan in Quebec. i posted this years ago, but Montreal Gazette interviewed him about it years ago. I thought it would be a 1 paragraph column but fucker made the front page for Saturday's paper. He came over from England by boat, and over knew soccer, so he randomly picked the Leafs because he liked the sweater and thus my story as a Leaf fan began. (Funny note, my dad lives on the same street as Jack Todd and Todd actually approached him in a grocery store and started ripping the Leafs, as Todd was employed by the gazette at the time and recognized him from the paper).

PressReader.com - Digital Newspaper & Magazine Subscriptions
 
OK, so today I interviewed ANOTHER person who brought an interpreter to the "Interview". They couldn't speak one word of English.
Our country for everyone's sake really needs a tough language test. It's getting ridiculous. This has happened several times lately. WTF is the criteria for being chosen into the country? A person who speaks no english isn't going to fill our job quotas.
There's a candidate out there who will encourage you to "reclaim what was always yours".
 
I'm at fault for not explaining more. Maybe I was just tired from the brilliant Edna Garrett thoughts on Twitter.

HAHA. My dad has to be the most famous Leaf fan in Quebec. i posted this years ago, but Montreal Gazette interviewed him about it years ago. I thought it would be a 1 paragraph column but fucker made the front page for Saturday's paper. He came over from England by boat, and over knew soccer, so he randomly picked the Leafs because he liked the sweater and thus my story as a Leaf fan began. (Funny note, my dad lives on the same street as Jack Todd and Todd actually approached him in a grocery store and started ripping the Leafs, as Todd was employed by the gazette at the time and recognized him from the paper).

PressReader.com - Digital Newspaper & Magazine Subscriptions
Todd was just doing his job as a Montrealer. I'm on record as saying that any Montrealer who cheers for any team in any sport (even sports in which Montreal has no team) that bears the word "Toronto" on their uniforms should have their smoked meat privileges revoked.

Probably the most famous Montrealer/Leafs fan was Cliff Fletcher, who my dad knew peripherally from the hood (and the long forgotten TP Tavern) Fletcher was known as a "jock sniffer"; a guy who never played sports but wanted to hang out with guys who did.
 
On of the CPC’s 10 Quebec MP’s has announced he’s leaving the party and sitting as an independent following the election of Poilievre as leader:





Follow up to this:

The CPC is spamming out mass text messages in Rayes’ riding, giving out his phone number and inviting people to call him and demand his resignation as MP for not being willing to fight “Justin Trudeau’s inflation” and be part of “Pierre Poilievre’s united team”.

 
A lot of the reaction I'm seeing in Canadian conservative quarters of the internet suggest that he's not going to pull that 3-5 from the PPC that is the backbone of his electoral strategy. His team apparently doesn't give a shit about the centrists, feeling that appealing to them has been a failed strategy of both scheer and otoole and the votes he needs are further to the right.

Bold. Strategy. Cotton
 
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