Friday, September 24, 1999

Marina Jimenez
National Post, with files from The Vancouver Sun

The initial cost of providing shelter, T-shirts, takeout Chinese noodles and steamed salmon to the 600 Chinese migrants who washed up on the B.C. coast this summer exceeds $2-million, according to the federal government's first detailed breakdown.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada has spent $1.9-million so far hosting the four boatloads of Chinese migrants -- an average of about $3,100 per claimant -- while the Department of National Defence spent an estimated $404,048 receiving the first boat of 123 Chinese migrants, the only figures available to date.

The figures were released yesterday to the National Post under the federal Access to Information Act.

"One-third of the costs incurred so far have been to feed and detain the migrants," said Lorna Tessier, spokeswoman for Immigration Canada. "Detention is necessary to ensure the integrity of the refugee determination process."

Immigration officials released a breakdown of the $781,204 the department spent to receive the first group of Chinese migrants, who arrived July 20 aboard a freighter off Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island.

The bill covered:

- $12,985 for supplies, including coveralls, sandals and T-shirts, and "comfort kits" with soap, a toothbrush, deodorant and shampoo.

- $13,050 for communication, including the installation of phone lines, and $4,000 in immigration officials' cellphone calls;

- $104,884 for meals and accommodation, including about $42,000 on meals from Ming's Restaurant, a popular Victoria eatery; portable toilets, trailers and hotel rooms for immigration officials.

- $184,798 on detention facilities.

- $165,000 on vessel costs, including moorage fees, towing and cleaning, but excluding the cost of disposing of the ship.

- $35,500 on other costs, including hiring commissionaires as security guards.

- $32,231 on interpreters.

- $168,353 on salaries, including overtime.

Henry Cho, the owner of Ming's Restaurant, said the flood of migrant ships has been excellent for business.

"This is the biggest takeout order I've done for so many consecutive days," said Mr. Cho, who has hired four additional kitchen workers to help prepare the daily rations of rice porridge, juice, sauteed calamari, chicken, vegetables and steamed rice.

Every day, he drives the food over to the migrants to ensure it arrives safely.

Although some migrants initially complained about his fried pork and noodles, Mr. Cho said he has had nothing but compliments from Immigration Canada staff.

Yesterday, however, was his final day as chef to the migrants, after they were moved to a prison in Prince George.

This summer's influx of Chinese migrants has caused a notable economic boom in British Columbia, with restaurants, bus companies, hotels and legal aid lawyers all experiencing a sudden and dramatic increase in demand for their services.

The Legal Services Society estimates the legal aid for the Chinese migrants will add an additional $670,000 to its annual $4.2-million immigration budget.

The RCMP says it has incurred hundreds of hours in overtime costs for officers, as well as for the emergency response team that boarded the vessels, the Inkster police boat and crew and the use of police helicopters.

The Defence Department has housed all of the migrants during their first few weeks in Canada at CFB Esquimalt, where they have slept in a gymnasium. According to records released under the Access to Information Act, the department spent about $215,218 on the first group of migrants for transportation, trailer rentals and facility costs.

The rest of its $404,048 total bill covered the salaries of military personnel.

Detaining refugee claimants is much more expensive than releasing them, even when compared to the $613 monthly social assistance they are entitled to receive.

Many migrants from the first three ships are now detained in B.C. correctional facilities, at the cost of about $200 per person per day.

And dozens of children are in group homes provided by the ministry for children and families at a cost of about $8,200 per child per month.

Ms. Tessier said that the department is now arguing before an immigration adjudicator to detain all the migrants, because they are considered flight risks. So far, 38 claimants have failed to appear for their refugee hearings.

"This is the largest smuggling scheme ever experienced by Canada," said Ms. Tessier.

"We conclude that if they're willing to take such risks to get to Canada, then it's a reasonable conclusion that they won't appear for their hearing."

Leon Benoit, the Reform party's immigration critic, said the cost of "warehousing" claimants is unacceptably high. He believes the hearing process should be expedited.

"We have to have hearings more quickly, and then act on the results immediately and deport claimants if they are found not to be refugees," he said. "That would reduce the cost dramatically."