Response of the Canadian Immigration Minister to Queries from Canadian Residents with Families Affected by the 2011 typhoon’s Nesat/Nalgae.

Response of the Canadian Immigration Minister to Queries  from Canadian Residents with Families Affected by the 2011 typhoon’s  Nesat/Nalgae.

by Marietta Pangan-Dutkoski

dutkoski@shaw.ca

The following list of questions have been prepared by Marietta Pangan-Dutkoski on behalf of thousands Filipino-Canadians, more than 3M Filipinos in the Philippines, millions of Filipinos all over the world, whose families have been significantly affected by  the recent Typhoons Nesat /Nagae/Babar 2011. This has been presented to the Minister of Canadian Immigration and Multiculturalism and MP(Calgary SouthEast), the Honourable Jason Kenney. 

These questions are intended to provide Filipino Canadians with a clear understanding of the Canadian Government’s response to the recent devastation caused by typhoons Nesat/Nalgae/Babar. This questionnaire will be published on her blog:  IN THE KNOW, and will be submitted for publication in Filipino newspapers, Canadian Newspapers (i.e Calgary Sun, Metro News, Calgary Herald), as well as presented in blogs, Facebook and Twitter.


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In 2009, as Immigration Minister, you authored the  Special Immigration Measures for Typhoon Victims in the Philippines.  Is there a similar program for the recent victims of typhoon/flood Nesat/Nalgae (Pedring/Quiel) in the Philippines which affected 3 Million Filipinos?

 In 2009, the Canadian government immediately responded to help facilitate immigration of victims with families in Canada. What priority are you now giving to applications from Filipino’s for immigration to Canada?

If there are no special measures being undertaken in response to Pedring 2011, what were the circumstances for Ondoy in 2009 that warranted the Special Immigration Measures, and why do they not apply to Pedring 2011, which surpasses Ondoy in terms of damage and number of families affected?

The 2011 twin typhoons Nesat/Nalgae (Pedring/Quiel) hit the Philippines in one week  and flooded more than 1/3 of the county for over a week. What Canadian aid is currently in place or planned to be provided to Filipinos victims?

 In 2009, applicants for Canadian Immigration by those significantly affected by Ondoy were given  priority processing  by the Visa office in Manila. Will this same type of priority be provided if there are Special Immigration Measures drafted for the 2011 victims?

Canada afforded $5M in humanitarian assistance for flood victims in 2009.  What type of aid will Filipinos be hoping to receive from Canada this time?

Now that the world is experiencing climate change, the Philippines is considered a “Vatican of Disasters”. According to PAGASA-DOST scientist  Yumul, by the year 2020, the Philippines will be wetter and drier, and by 2050,  Pedring, Quiel and Ondoy will be the norms.  What  future measures are you considering for Filipinos wanting to emigrate to Canada?

Who would you consider to be suitable candidates for humanitarian compassion among those individuals significantly affected by the Typhoons in 2011? 

 What advice do you have for  Canadian residents with families directly affected by the  2011 flood/typhoon? What are the available avenues for help if they want to  be re-united with their families that were significantly affected by the 2011 floods?

What assistance can the Filipino community in Canada provide to your government to  facilitate the Canadian Government’s response to this calamity?

I would appreciate a response to each question by the end of this month, so that I can submit it for publication in the November 2011 issue of Filipino Community Newspaper.

Thank you very much!

Marietta Pangan-Dutkoski

Contributor/Writer: Diaryo Filipino

Blogs: In the Know, Let’s Pay It Forward, The Main Ingredient, Gastronomic Escapade, Footprints and Caps and Lenses