Dear Editor,
Re: “MLA aims to address ‘anchor baby’ issue,” News, Nov. 29.
I am responding to a article written by Daisy Xiong about the ‘anchor baby’ issue, especially in Richmond which has the highest birth rate from non-citizen mothers.
I hear so much about the cost to our society and our health care system. Maybe you could elaborate on this. As far as I understand, if you are a non-resident you have to pay a fee for child birth, and I believe it is not cheap. So what if the child is now a citizen of Canada? That does not automatically make the parents citizens. The child is born, he or she will be taken back to their home land, and, when old enough, could come back. So how is that a drain on our system?
The child would not be using our health care system. If the child was, the family would pay a premium. And if the child eventually comes here to live, he or she would be bringing funds to support themselves. Is that not contributing to our system?
So maybe instead of just complaining about these anchor babies, could you please enlighten the readers so they can fully understand how they are a drain on our system and a cost to tax payers. Everyone I have this discussion with says the same thing but they cannot explain how they are costing us.
We have to remember that a Canadian consists of a wide variety of cultures and nationalities.
Wai Cheong Poon
RICHMOND
