Skip to content

Voices column: Birth tourism needs a push in Richmond

I suspect our front page feature on birth tourism will have many up in arms. The idea that a pregnant woman can fly into YVR and give birth at Richmond Hospital for the sole purpose of getting her newborn a Canadian passport has many incensed.
birth tourism

I suspect our front page feature on birth tourism will have many up in arms.

The idea that a pregnant woman can fly into YVR and give birth at Richmond Hospital for the sole purpose of getting her newborn a Canadian passport has many incensed.

It feels like an affront to our immigration system. It’s also patently unfair that just because your parents are wealthy enough to spend $30,000 to jump the immigration queue, you can then move to Canada at age 18, should you so decide.

 But what I suspect shocks many is the fact this is apparently legal, at least not illegal.

While it is definitely a back-door entry — a thriving baby house industry, complete with support services, travel arrangements and a bustling maternity ward at Richmond Hospital, was not envisioned when Canada decreed anyone born here would be granted citizenship — it appears there is almost no legislation, not to mention resources, dedicated to stopping it.

In fact, it was when local activist Kerry Starchuk tried to put an end to the practice by starting a petition that it really took off, because what she exposed was the fact there are no regulations.

So now, we have our two federal MPs (the ones responsible for legislation to deal with this) falling over themselves telling us what an outrage this is; “You have guys...looking at our generosity and abusing it,” is how MP Joe Peschisolido put it.

MP Alice Wong goes further, calling for a fundament change to our Citizenship Act to no longer grant automatic citizenship to anyone born here.

I can’t say I agree with either.

Actually, leave it to me and we wouldn’t have borders in the first place.

OK, maybe I listened too much to John Lennon in my formative years, but “imagine if there were no countries,” as he once famously sang.

“Nothing to kill or die for,” — not to mention no­ headache at the Peace Arch crossing.

Moreover, no one has control over where they’re born, so to be granted rights on the basis of that seems a bit arbitrary.

But, of course, John and I are not running the world, and clearly others are determined to protect these lines in the sand. So the least we could do is make it as fair as possible. What we have now is the worst of both worlds.

Hundreds of people are coming in because it’s not exactly illegal but is viewed as “unacceptable,” so it operates in the shadows. The fact all the doctors and consultants in question take “cash only” is a flaming red flag — can you say tax avoidance?

As well, the status quo is straining our nurses and maternity wards, nor can any of this be in the best interest of baby and mom.

If we’re not willing to loosen up our immigration system to the point where people don’t feel the need to do this, then we need to impose clear regulations that ensure our health care sytem is fairly compensated, everyone’s paying their share of taxes and people are well taken care of.

But, even if we do, it’s still a shame we’re granting citizenship based on money, not merit.