tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19216099.post115351201341112689..comments2024-02-16T06:03:12.489-06:00Comments on BrummellBlog: Letter to the Editor: Globe and MailTheBrummellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08973380652057861796noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19216099.post-37786843537741718322012-02-20T20:03:19.443-06:002012-02-20T20:03:19.443-06:00ps: Mr. M, Brummell, 2 'M's and 2 'L&#...ps: Mr. M, Brummell, 2 'M's and 2 'L'sRuthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15071441044971853467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19216099.post-398166177653872842012-02-20T20:01:27.995-06:002012-02-20T20:01:27.995-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.Ruthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15071441044971853467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19216099.post-46213173457376201962012-02-20T20:01:15.023-06:002012-02-20T20:01:15.023-06:00Hi Martin, Very interesting points made by all. Pe...Hi Martin, Very interesting points made by all. Perhaps you could wait 12 or even 24 hours before responding to people who write to you. Although your rudeness on your own blog is (of course) completely up to you, it is not necessary and perhaps a more creative way to express your anger would be more...polite, entertaining, interesting, engaging...<br />Oh and please write again to the G&M. Love to hear your well thought out arguments (minus the expletives).<br />RuthRuthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15071441044971853467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19216099.post-8205453143569622302012-01-26T14:48:57.791-06:002012-01-26T14:48:57.791-06:00PM, you are (in a respectful and polite way, at le...PM, you are (in a respectful and polite way, at least towards me) using population-level statistics to make inferences about individuals. I'd like to see some references for those stats - "a large number" - and some perspective on what "a large number" really means. 1%? 10%? 99%?<br /><br />Regardless, I fail to see the direct link between a fraction of a group and a group in another country at another time. Yes, I agree it is likely that Lebanese-Canadians can be found in Lebanon, but I need to see much stronger evidence, at the level of specific individuals, before I'm willing to agree that a person who committed immigration fraud is the same person who was rescued from a country during a time of strife and turmoil.<br /><br />My name calling, insults, and other forms of general rudeness neither add nor subtract from my position.TheBrummellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08973380652057861796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19216099.post-18501592166955913012012-01-26T12:47:52.411-06:002012-01-26T12:47:52.411-06:00The reasons for my post are clear. It is an estab...The reasons for my post are clear. It is an established fact that a large number of Lebanese-Canadians have committed immigration fraud by resettling in Lebanon while awaiting the decision on their permanent residency or immigration status. <br /><br />It would be natural to conclude that a large number of these fraudulent immigrants were the ones who had to be rescued by the Canadian government during the war.<br /><br />I have no bias against any specific group of immigrants to Canada as long as they play by the rules. It is obvious from the above article that a large number of Lebanese immigrants to Canada did not play by the rules; in fact, they actively violated the rules and gained their Canadian citizenship by way of fraud.<br /><br />I must only add that personal insults will get you nowhere, and do not speak to your maturity or intelligence.PMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19216099.post-25018820029645566222011-12-10T12:10:19.272-06:002011-12-10T12:10:19.272-06:00Peter, your comment is confusing.
Why would I wan...Peter, your comment is confusing.<br /><br />Why would I want to delete a blog post? The reasons to do so are a very short list, and a government decision is not on it.<br /><br />At no point did I defend illegal actions - in fact, I was defending government actions (spending taxpayer money, basically) against the apparent complaints of Mr. Malakhov.<br /><br />Peter, your comments suggest a certain level of prejudice against Lebanese and against Lebanese-Canadians. Please take your implied bigotry and your stupidity elsewhere.TheBrummellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08973380652057861796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19216099.post-1656417390308509052011-12-09T13:10:45.623-06:002011-12-09T13:10:45.623-06:00Still defending Lebanese immigrants, huh? It may ...Still defending Lebanese immigrants, huh? It may be time to delete your blog post.<br /><br />http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/harpers-nominee-to-replace-disgraced-integrity-czar-draws-fire/article2265600/<br /><br />"Ottawa to strip fraudsters of citizenship <br /><br />Immigration Minister Jason Kenney is preparing to crack down on thousands of people who obtained their Canadian citizenship or permanent resident’s status illegally. <br /><br />Postmedia’s Tobi Cohen reports the government is planning to go after 4,700 people who improperly obtained their citizenship or access to the country. <br /><br />Ms. Cohen says the bulk of the citizenship fraud cases are said to be linked to immigration consultant Nizar Zakka as well as Halifax immigration consultant Hassan Al-Awaid, who was charged in March with more than 50 citizenship fraud-related offences. <br /><br />Mr. Zakka, she says, is suspected of providing would-be Lebanese immigrants with false evidence – indicating that they were living in Quebec when they were not – to support their applications for permanent residency. "Peter Mnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19216099.post-75478549359427732952010-03-13T14:56:59.669-06:002010-03-13T14:56:59.669-06:00We have to agree to disagree on this topic, and I ...We have to agree to disagree on this topic, and I certainly prefer it done in a civilized manner.<br /><br />You choose not to see any difference between born and naturalized citizens; to me, the difference is clear. In my opinion, a person who obtains Canadian passport without renouncing their original citizenship does not qualify as a bona fide Canadian citizen. <br /><br />Which, by the way, is by no means limited to Lebanese-Canadians. I would have even sympathized with their plight, if only they did not accuse Canadian government of abandoning them, while they were the ones who abandoned Canada in the first place by resettling in Lebanon. <br /><br />This is what prompted me to write my letter, which, I agree, was too emotional and not well thought through.P.Malakhovnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19216099.post-49591773064899817512010-02-14T19:43:02.408-06:002010-02-14T19:43:02.408-06:00Mr. Malakhov,
Thank you for your reply. I mainta...Mr. Malakhov,<br /><br />Thank you for your reply. I maintain my earlier point, though I would be willing to revisit my insults against you.<br /><br />We may just have to disagree, as I still feel that citizenship, dual or otherwise, is not something that can be revoked except under the most extreme of circumstances. Returning to the country of one's birth to live, after having lived in Canada for sufficient time and satisfying the other conditions to acheive Canadian citizenship, does in no way qualify as extreme circumstances.<br /><br />The passage of time has cooled my ardour, Mr. Malakhov, so I no longer wish to shout obscenities at you. But I continue to disagree wholehartedly with your argument regarding the rights and priviledges of Canadian citizenship.TheBrummellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08973380652057861796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19216099.post-58601658047215671112010-02-13T23:12:58.721-06:002010-02-13T23:12:58.721-06:00Mr. Brummel:
It is only recently that I became awa...Mr. Brummel:<br />It is only recently that I became aware of your blog post. Usually, I would not stoop to the level of argument that you are presenting here. Name-calling and profanity do not show the strength of your position. <br /><br />I am no bigot, Mr. Brummell. I have nothing against Lebanese people, or any other people, for that matter. I welcome immigrants and refugees who come to this country in good faith, with the goal of becoming Canadian. I support Canadian immigration policy as long as it is not being abused. In fact, I am an immigrant myself, having landed in this country just over 10 years ago.<br /><br />I do not, however, accept the institution of dual (or multiple) citizenship, and I do not like people who take advantage of the system. And evacuation of so-called Canadians from Lebanon was a prime example of the latter. <br /><br />Citizenship, in my opinion, is not a right – It is a privilege that comes with certain obligations. Citizens are expected to have ties to their home country, which commonly includes maintaining residence, paying taxes, participating in the civic process, and sharing their country’s culture. It is safe to assume that large majority of Lebanese-Canadians residing in Lebanon failed to demonstrate any of these commitments. <br /><br />These people, Mr. Brummell, are Canadian in name only, and only when it is convenient for them. They have lost ties to Canada when they elected to return to their home country (Lebanon) for permanent residence. They used their Canadian passports as means of transportation, a free pass out of a conflict zone. It is only fair, then, that Canadian taxpayers should not be responsible for the cost of their evacuation. That was the point of my letter.P. Malakhovnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19216099.post-1153753977278196562006-07-24T09:12:00.000-06:002006-07-24T09:12:00.000-06:00Way to go on this post man. I don't know, maybe it...Way to go on this post man. I don't know, maybe it's because I've been reading a lot of fundamentalist literature lately, but I'm starting to think that ignorance is on the rise again (perhaps solely due to Southern U.S. birth-rates in the 80's...). You should read "The End of Faith" by Sam Harris: ignorance is scary...Carlohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00153076425887492166noreply@blogger.com