Uk tp put new citizens on probation

[JRSC00LUDE]

Common sense or intolerance, let's hear your views.

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=322419

[sexualbanana]

Seems kinda vague and subjective.

[Antonito]

Pay taxes? Speak English? What a bunch of Nazi Rednecks!!!

[icecreamvan]

We should put everyone on probation. Especially if you live in the NE.

[3g4u]

I think this is a great idea. The most important thing is preserving culture and heritage. If you dont want to learn english WTF are you moving to ENGLAND for? Kinda like if you dont want to wear a helmet on a motorcycle why are you moving to Canada? Or if you want to wear a dagger to class why move to USA where daggers are illegal in schools? Or if you dont want to show your face while voting maby you should rethink your new home. A one year probabtion is a great idea, it not only lets people know that they must integrate but also shows a positive example for the rest of the western world to follow.

[adam c]

Originally posted by 3g4u
I think this is a great idea. The most important thing is preserving culture and heritage. If you dont want to learn english WTF are you moving to ENGLAND for? Kinda like if you dont want to wear a helmet on a motorcycle why are you moving to Canada? Or if you want to wear a dagger to class why move to USA where daggers are illegal in schools? Or if you dont want to show your face while voting maby you should rethink your new home. A one year probabtion is a great idea, it not only lets people know that they must integrate but also shows a positive example for the rest of the western world to follow.

+1..

[JRSC00LUDE]

Originally posted by 3g4u
If you dont want to learn english WTF are you moving to ENGLAND for?

Is that what they speak there? Could have fooled me?

[3g4u]

Originally posted by JRSC00LUDE


Is that what they speak there? Could have fooled me?

Ya no doubt hey. lol

[TKRIS]

I'm torn on the "speak english" issue.
I can understand the idea that, by learning the language, one would be more likely, and better equipped, to integrate into society.
That said, should intergration be neccessary?
Why can't I keep to myself if I so choose?

I don't think anyone that doesn't speak english* should be admitted to school.
I don't think anyone who doesn't speak english should be eligible for social assistance, welfare, etc.

I don't think we should force people to speak the native language, but I do think we should require it in some instances. Leave it up to them.
Want to go to school? Learn the language classes will be taught in.
Having a tough time finding a job? Learn the language. If you're still having problems, then we'll talk about helping you out.
etc etc etc.

Not something I've given a ton of thought to, so maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see why a gainfully employed, productive member of society should be forced to learn a new language unless it's causing undue problems for the rest of society.

[retro-steve]

Originally posted by TKRIS
I'm torn on the "speak english" issue.
I can understand the idea that, by learning the language, one would be more likely, and better equipped, to integrate into society.
That said, should intergration be neccessary?
Why can't I keep to myself if I so choose?

I don't think anyone that doesn't speak english* should be admitted to school.
I don't think anyone who doesn't speak english should be eligible for social assistance, welfare, etc.

I don't think we should force people to speak the native language, but I do think we should require it in some instances. Leave it up to them.
Want to go to school? Learn the language classes will be taught in.
Having a tough time finding a job? Learn the language. If you're still having problems, then we'll talk about helping you out.
etc etc etc.

Not something I've given a ton of thought to, so maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see why a gainfully employed, productive member of society should be forced to learn a new language unless it's causing undue problems for the rest of society.

Umm maybe because it's the language of the country? Believe it or not, one of the conditions to becoming a Canadian citizen is being proficient in one of the national languages (english or french).

what you basically said is "if you want to live in the country, you don't have to be able to communicate with anyone, but if you want to work or get an education in the country you need to know the language" so work or go to school eh? last time i checked you need a job and education to function in any civilized country.

[Trini]

if you can't speak the national language you will run into trouble living in the country and have a harder time living there.

[01RedDX]

.

[littledan]

hmmmm... this is gonna end up like that children of men movie right?? keep all the immigrants locked in camps. that movie was really creepy.

[iceburns288]

Originally posted by TKRIS
Why can't I keep to myself if I so choose?

You can choose to do that... it's called staying where you are. Shit, I'm embarassed to go to Spain for a week without speaking Spanish, I'd feel very awkward moving there without speaking it at all.

[syeve]

Originally posted by 3g4u
I think this is a great idea. The most important thing is preserving culture and heritage. If you dont want to learn english WTF are you moving to ENGLAND for? Kinda like if you dont want to wear a helmet on a motorcycle why are you moving to Canada? Or if you want to wear a dagger to class why move to USA where daggers are illegal in schools? Or if you dont want to show your face while voting maby you should rethink your new home. A one year probabtion is a great idea, it not only lets people know that they must integrate but also shows a positive example for the rest of the western world to follow.

+2

[TKRIS]

Meh.
I just don't like the idea of forcing people do do something if they can demonstrate the ability to get by without it. A Nicaraguan (for the sake of continuity) machinist, working for a spanish speaking employer, pays the same taxes as an english speaking machinist at the shop down the street.

However, I will conceed that there are arguments, possibly overruling arguments, for the preservation of culture to be made as well.

[Antonito]

In theory, people could go to England and become shut ins and never, ever have to interact with an English speaking person in a meaningful way and everyone would be happy. In theory

In reality, not knowing English creates a situation for severe abuse. Working in construction in Vancouver, I was surrounded by people who couldn't speak a lick of English. Guess who was being paid below minimum wage and treated like slaves by people of their own ethnicity? I know lots of people that go to the immigration offices and find the people from the country they are from, and go "hey, I'm one of you, come with me, I'll give you a job...." and then stick them in shacks, charge them half their pay for rent and make them work 80 hours a week because no one is able to tell them that that isn't the way things are done in Canada. This isn't some isolated case scenario, this is rampant.

The other thing is safety, again this is a construction example, but it applies to other things (traffic, health awareness, etc). I'd be screaming at people not to walk underneath overhead workers or not to use ladders with one good leg or whatever, and they'd give me the old blank stare. There are times when communication is needed to keep everyone safe, end of story.

Lastly, and this is admitedly a selfish reason, but in my opinion no less valid, is simply efficiency. Try to get something done in Richmond, BC, and see how much longer it takes you because no one understands you. That's no way for a country to function.

[ralliart_girl]

Originally posted by TKRIS
That said, should intergration be neccessary?
Why can't I keep to myself if I so choose?

While I do totally understand your of view point, it appears to me that you may be forgetting something. There will be a time when that person will need to speak to someone that may only speak english eg. maybe a police office, you can't even tell a cop if something is wrong.

I was a claims adjuster for a while, and i got claims where people couldn't even tell me what happened in the accident. How am I suppose to fight liablity on there behave? Who am I going to get to fix their car, and provide them with a rental?

[TKRIS]

^ Good points.
However, the safety issue is purely the fault of the employer. The same arguments could be said about hiring a deaf worker in a scenario where you need to listen to do your job safely. It's the employers responsibility to ensure his employees are capable of doing their jobs, and the neglect of that responsibility, as well as the exploitation of his employees, should be harshly punished.

I will, however, completely agree on the matter of simplicity. It's taken me 15 miinutes to buy a pack of smokes in Whitehorn before...

I'll take this time to retract my original arguments.
The negatives outlined above far outweigh the personal infringment issues I originally objected to.

[dino_martini]

I think this is a good idea. Essentially your making sure they have the basic skills to survive in a new country. Makes sense to me.