Friday, September 24,
1999 Ottawa has spent $2-million so far on
food, lodging for 600 migrants Thousands
per claimant
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."
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