In response to your question about the just and fair system, I believe we have a myth of innocence as Canadians. Justice Thomas Berger of British Columbia has documented how in times of social stress Canadians become more intolerant than most. During the Second World War, we interred Japanese Canadians; we had the worst record in the western world in terms of accepting Jewish refugees; we have invoked the War Measures Act; and we have treated Jehovah's Witnesses in Quebec terribly in times of social stress.
I think something similar is going on now. We appear to have a refugee determination system, but in fact the vast majority of determinations are made overseas, as officers and airline officials prevent people from even getting on a plane, never asking them why they are coming here. They are determining, over there in places that we can't see, who are refugees.
I'll just give you a very concrete example. During one of the genocides in Burundi, a family was trying to leave and went to the Canadian embassy. The officer there simply said: there's no problem here; I will not give you a visa. The same day the American embassy was closing, because of the danger that was sweeping through the capital. That's where the truth of what's going on is happening.