Readers React: Are the opponents of undocumented immigration in Canada bigots too?

To the editor: Canadian Parliament member Pablo Rodriguez visited Orange County in large part to discourage immigrants in the U.S. without authorization from illegally entering Canada. Other Canadian officials are sending the message that people immigrating illegally will be arrested and probably deported. (“Worried about Trump-stoked exodus of immigrants, Canada discourages illegal crossings,” Jan. 29)

It is now apparent that our northern neighbors have become frightened that the relatively small numbers of undocumented immigrants might swell to levels proportionately equal to ours.

Canada’s population is about 37 million. The last thing it wants is the arrival of more than 1 million unskilled, uneducated foreigners who cannot speak English fluently.

Does that make Canada a racist society, or is it just trying to protect its way of life?

Lee O’Connor, Huntington Beach

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To the editor: Rodriguez said about his country: “You can’t just come to Canada and cross the border and stay there the rest of your life. … We want to have an honest, transparent conversation. Canada is a very open country, but there are rules.”

Why is it that if a U.S. legislator said the same thing about the United States, he or she risks being called a racist?

The article speaks about Carlos Hernandez, who moved his family to Canada after living in the United States for years, some of that time illegally. Hernandez, a certified carpenter, said he earns double what he made in the U.S.

Now why is that? Could it be because he does not have to compete with undocumented immigrants who will work for $12 an hour?

Orrin Turbow, Oxnard

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To the editor: Canada fears an influx of immigrants fleeing President Trump. They should be super-intelligent and build a wall on their southern border and demand that the United States pay for it.

It’s a perfectly reasonable plan, so I’m sure our stable genius and his stable of geniuses in Congress will earmark a few tens of billions of dollars for this contingency. It’s what neighbors do.

Kevin Wilby, La Crescenta

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