John Ivison: Visa bungle tests Canada, Mexico friendship
Posted: August 06, 2009, 7:04 PM by Ron Nurwisah
...Mr. Calderon is understood to be deeply unhappy at the Canadian government’s decision to demand that Mexican nationals travelling to Canada now require visas — a move aimed at stopping the growing number of fraudulent refugee claims by Mexicans.
Mr. Calderon is understood to be....by who?? Ivison! Not even an "anonymous" source is quoted for that line. It's just Ivison's opinion.
....Sources suggest that when Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon left Mexico City on 20 April, having discussed the issue with his Mexican counterpart, it was agreed to set up a working group to study the refugee problem.
What sources?? Oh, here it is:
...“It was a bucket of cold water,” said one Mexican official. “It was very, very badly received in Mexico.”
ONE Mexican official?? Not a "high ranking" official? Is someone just making things up? Who knows anymore with the way the media is making stuff up lately.
...But the ham-fisted way in which the issue has been handled has caused harm that may be irreparable to our relations with a country that has been one of our closest friends.
“There isn’t a good atmosphere for Harper in Mexico right now,” said the Mexican official.
Ham-fisted, irreparable?? Is that your OPINION Ivison? Can you be anymore "sky is falling" in this opinion piece?
THE Mexican official??? Is this the same guy or a new guy? After all the media making up stories, it could be the official greeter at Walmart who just happens to be Mexican, or maybe it's the cleaning lady at a Banff hotel? Who knows and who trusts journalists anymore anyways.
...But the Mexican official said he has already heard anecdotal evidence of Mexican businessmen by-passing Canada because they cannot afford to hand over their passports to the Canadian embassy for two weeks in order to receive a visa.
It seems apparent that Mr. Kenney pushed this misguided policy, either to pander to the Conservative base or to build his own right-wing credentials for a future leadership bid.
Whatever the reason, his claim that there were no other options does not hold water. The policy should be reversed and Mr. Harper should invite Mr. Calderon back to Harrington Lake at the first opportunity.
Even the Mexican official has only heard something, maybe. Misguided policy? In Ivison's opinion, he has no proof, except from that Mexican official who has maybe heard something about it.
And the media wonders why people are not buying their newspapers anymore? Here is a clear reason that revenues are falling. Journalists like Ivison think we are stupid, and can be lead into believing anything as long as they mention something from an "unnamed" source!
Maybe Ivison should look for the "unnamed" Liberal source of the wafergate non-scandal instead of making up his own Mexigate!
