| | |  Editorials | Issues | July 2009 
Canada: Visa Ruling has no Ulterior Motives
 Thérese Margolis - The News
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July 23, 2009
 |  | The Canadian Embassy wants to dispel a growing cycle of myths and misinformation that is being disseminated through the press and other sources in Mexico.
-Ambassador Guillermo Rishchynski |  | | |
The only reason Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government imposed new visa requirements on Mexican tourists visiting Canada was to ensure the integrity of the nation's refugee program, Canadian Ambassador Guillermo Rishchynski said this week.
"The decision was made by Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney strictly on the grounds that Canada's refugee program, which is the most liberal in the world, was being flooded by applications from Mexicans," Rishchynski said at a press conference inside his chancellery, trying to dismiss claims that there were ulterior political or crime-related motives to the new travel restrictions.
"The Canadian Embassy wants to dispel a growing cycle of myths and misinformation that is being disseminated through the press and other sources in Mexico."
Rishchynski went on to say that while his government deeply regrets any inconvenience the new measure might have created for Mexican tourists heading to Canada, the decision was not made arbitrarily or with the intention of curtailing the entry of any specific persons or groups.
Under the new regulation imposed Tuesday, July 14, all Mexicans, including tourists, entering Canada must now have a valid visa issued by the Canadian Embassy.
"The process is simple and straightforward," Rishchynski said. "As long as someone fulfills the requirements, their visa will be issued."
In the last five working days, he said, the embassy issued more than 5,300 tourist, student and temporary worker visas to Mexicans wanting to go to Canada.
Only a small percentage of applicants have been rejected, he added, although he refused to provide any specific figures.
Visa requirements for all potential visitors to Canada are clearly stated in Spanish, English and French on the embassy's webpage www.canada.org.mx, the ambassador said.
Rishchynski also noted that the only legitimate form for applying for a visa was also available for downloading on that page.
"The form is available in English and French only, which are the official languages of Canada," he said.
The ambassador particularly stressed that there was no need to consult or contract an intermediary person to process the visas, and that anyone claiming to have extra-official powers to speed up the process was misrepresenting themselves.
"Another myth we want to dispel is that applicants for tourist visas have to present health certificates or proof of a non-criminal record," Rishchynski said.
"Those requirements exist, but only for people who are planning to immigrate to Canada." |
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