It appears that some writers of recent letters to the editor commenting on my recent letter to the editor have apparently misread or misconstrued my letter.
To be clear, the headline “Refugee influx part of region’s housing problem” was not mine, it was the editor’s.
My letter did not comment upon, nor was it intended to comment upon Canada’s refugee program. As an aside, I do not question the fact that Canada should provide a safe refuge, to the extent that it can, to people who are in need of it.
Further, my letter did not question our country continuing to allow immigrants to our country, nor did it question the contribution that immigrants have made and that I anticipate will continue to make to our country, nor did it question the need to welcome immigrants to our country and provide them with a sense of belonging.
I believe that all of that will make us a stronger country.
If those who misread or misconstrued my carefully worded letter had taken the time to read it closely, they would have seen that my letter simply expressed my concerns about the large in migration of people to our city, in other words the large number of people moving into our region, our federal government’s present failure to control the settling of immigrants from overseas in urban areas where they will contribute to an existing housing shortage, and the misguided belief by some that anyone who wants to move here is entitled to a home here.
I am concerned that if none of that changes, we will continue to be subject to an unending housing problem.
Bruce Filan
Oak Bay