🚀 go-pugleaf

intphase@ecn.ab.ca wrote:

>           DISEASED IMMIGRANTS POLLUTE CANADA
>
> It seems the immigration minister Elinor Caplan, is
> entertaining the idea of mandatory testing for AIDS and
> hepatitis (E.J. 21 Sept. 00).  Although there is mandatory
> testing for TB, we do NOT now test for AIDS, except at a
> doctor's discretion.  Considering infection rates for AIDS
> alone in some countries is almost 30%, testing seems obviously
> necessary.  According to the World Health Organization over
> 50% of all perspective immigrants carry some kind of disgusting
> contagious disease, often incurable and often fatal.

The same risks are there for travellers into Canada, exchange students,
temporary students going to Universities (1 or 2 years), illegal
immigrants.  How about those medical mercy flights where dogooders go
get children and bring them over here for surgery or other medical
treatments.  Gonna stop all of those too?

Heck, I just took a flight from Vancouver to Ontario.
For all I know, 8 passengers could have been carrying various illnesses
(having just alighted at Vancouver airport from overseas) and never been
checked for some of the diseases (such as West Nile fever which was
postulated to have perhaps come over via a visitor, at one point, or TB
(someone from Russia and/or sent his friend for testing because he knew
he had it) etc etc.

What are we going to do?
Totally close our borders?  As we all know, that's impossible anyways
because our southern most border cannot be closed with 100% certainty.

Even if we could, other countries would/could retaliate by not allowing
our citizens into their countries.

Is that what you want?

Either Ms Caplan hasn't considered her idea fully through, is a very
stupid woman or this is some political ploy for upcoming election
purposes.

Don't get me wrong, if we're going to start filtering people coming in,
let's do it 100% (that's my point).  But then this whole issue would
degrade eventually into testing everyone currently here, sending some
back to country of origin and possibly cloistering (separating from the
general public, temporary or permanent) anyone who has a communicable
disease. (which means testing everyone here for everything).  Frankly
given the lack of medical resources, right or wrong, I don't think
Canada's health care systems could take the extra stress.

IMO
J