A factual correction: just because "Kyle Snyder has recently married a Canadian woman" does not lead to "and will gain citizenship". If a citizen of another country marries a Canadian, they are generally entitled to be sponsored by their spouse as a "family class" immigrant to Canada. If their application is approved-- there is an immigration review to determine whether the marriage is bona fide, a medical exam, and the sponsor and sponsoree must meet certain criteria and agree to be financially responsible for their partner for 10 years, even if the marriage ends sooner--the immigrant is accepted into Canada as a "Permanent Resident", roughly equivalent to the American "Resident Alien" status. Permanent residents are subject to deportation to their country of citizenship if they commit serious crimes in Canada, and lack the protected status of an actual Canadian citizen. (Although they are certainly a whole lot better off than going back to kill-or-be-killed Iraq). After three years as a permanent resident, they are eligible to apply for citizenship.

It's a good deal marrying a Canadian (my wife did it), and you can maintain your US or other citizenship if you wish to, but it's not an automatic fast-track to Canadian citizenship--just to legal residency.

Good luck to Kyle Snyder and the other conscientious refugees from this insane conflict. I'd like to see some courageous decisions allowing them refugee or other legal immigrant status, but with our current government it's not likely to happen.

Finally, the suggestion that their presence here is somehow controversial or "touchy" is overblown. It's not a crucial issue to most, just one more manifestation of whether one is pro- or anti-Bush administration. (Since the overwhelming proportion of Canadians fall in the latter camp, the note that "left-leaning politicians" fear to offer public support is odd. Actually, we LIKE to offend Bush and get too few chances these days. The New Democratic Party, the traditional leftist third party, is listed as an official supporter of War Resisters Support Campaign at resist.ca. Don't confuse the Liberal Party with left-leaning, please.)

Bill Cameron

Technically, you are correct, Bill. In fact, once accepted as a landed immigrant (like the green card), a person can work and travel freely in Canada. Not only that, but you have full health care as a landed immigrant even before you become a citizen. I will repeat that for the sake of American citizens who lack health care - prospective Canadian immigrants have full health care befifits even before becoming citizens. Because Canadians think it would be uncivilized to welcome people to their country and not give them health care. That is the difference between Canada and the US.

They speak English, more or less. The climate is nice. They're reasonably middle class. They hate the US and Israel and love Syria, Iran and FSU (and I do mean Former Soviet Union, most of the current government is former KGB and Soviet Army trained ANC military wing). Other than that 40%+ adult HIV incidence and level of criminal violence, it's a pretty nice place for a young radical who wants to run away from it all.

They don't like the US and Israel almost as much as ZA, they too speak English. But it's far more expensive to live there and there are more sheep than people. Harder to get a legal job and residency too. They're unlikely to extradite anyone in any action they perceive as being in support of the US or the Iraq war. Plus they have lots of weird animals you don't see see anywhere else. And Hobbits.

kt's a problem all over the world. the old culture isn't working in the new economy, yet no one wants to give up their culture and adopt wholesale the "colonizer's". it's a problem in iraq for one. a big problem. do they just become "western"? and where do you think bin laden's following comes from? and that's *modern* compared to indigenous peoples? what do they do? run casinos? (hire people to run them - and go on an *alternative* welfare system? (coupon clipping)). run tourist shows? it's very hard. they don't have a *place* in the modern world. so they get high. and you don't have to be indigenous, it happens here, in our inner cities. canada is a big country. you might think 30 million is *small* but it's not - it's only small compared to the U.S. it's big in terms of the usual. it's area is *big* and it has an army and industry and everything else a modern state has, but it, too, needs to find a *place*. and not just "not U.S." - that's not soul satisfying.

I personally don't think that Iraq necessarily should adopt western culture, and if that's an aim in the war, then screw occupation -- turn it into a colony. And then we'd really hear screams of "Imperialism!" everywhere.

My point about Canada's First Nation crisis is that, well, it's been handled poorly. I can think of one reservation I've been to that's been reasonably prosperous, and many more that have been wrecks. However:

• Why should holding onto First Nation culture entail not joining the modern world? Reservations already have guns, TVs, snowmobiles, trucks, and I don't hear anyone saying they should be gotten rid of.
• There should be a way to make reservations work. Why aren't they? How come no-one is doing anything to fix the problem? And if reservations can't work, then why do we maintain the system? It seems to me that reservations are an attempt to keep Natives away from the rest of society, which is a shame.
• How come First Nations both hate the Indian Act and refuse to support anyone trying to change it?

I really wish there were some productive push towards a solution, or resolution, or something.

re: the native issue.

have you read the Kelowna Accord yet? It was signed by Paul Martin, has widespread support amongst native leaders (at least), calls for a massive infusion of money, as well as wholesale change as far as administration goes (native self-rule would be much easier..i.e. "treaty federalism")

all in all a great step forward for natives...so naturally Harper buried the thing...he refuses to implement any of it. In fact just a few weeks ago the Liberals introduced it as a private member's bill, all parties save the conservatives voted for it - but of course they aren't beholden to that vote since no government can be compelled to spend money on a private member's bill.

just one more reason to hate Harper and his cronies...what a prick.