Migrant issues more than just human rights

The arrival of the recent migrant ship raises human rights issues. But as long-time controversy over the nature of rights shows, it is hardly settled by a blanket appeal to human rights.

While it may be true that certain negative rights, like the right to non-interference, belong to any human, it is doubtful whether the same thing can be said for positive rights, like the right to assistance or welfare. You can't kick a homeless person but you don't have to give him money.

No doubt it would be wrong for a Canadian warship to torpedo and sink a migrant ship, and perhaps wrong to turn it peremptorily away, but it doesn't follow that migrants, whether fleeing from persecution elsewhere or not, have a right to assistance and support from Canadian authorities.

Recognizing human rights is consistent with recognizing the separate right of citizens to conduct their own affairs, including the payment of taxes to implement the costly review and placement of illegal migrants, and the impact upon the home labour force.

It is no use to plead the "we are a nation of immigrants" card. Whatever it may have been in the past, most of us today were either born in, or granted legal admission, to Canada. Surely, we disregard the rights of prospective immigrants, awaiting lawful admission to Canada when we grant illegal immigrants the right to stay. Wouldn't this give the green light to similar ventures?

As a nation of compassionate but thoughtful citizens, we need to balance the duty of rescue against a number of other relevant concerns. That is why talk about human rights is only the beginning of the story.

Shane Andre

Nanaimo


(2010-08-21/Postmedia News)