>Our new(ish) government, probably seeing the success of the manufactured outrage down south, started a get-tough policy on immigrants a few months back.
>About all that came to light with any kind of numbers was Toronto's construction industry.
>As for most would not hire illegals, I think I can say I know Canadians better than you do. First, there aren't that many here. Second, we'd rather give them some help than have them and us do something illegal. I can say that I don't know anyone who I even suspect of being illegal here.
>Here the $ doesn't overrule everything.

It seems as if you are trying to speak for all Canadians. I am sure you can see the flaw in that logic. Either way, here is a Canadian who seems to disagree with some of your assertions:

Immigration system is a mess

The policy is Canada's failed refugee system, which has been a mess for decades.

The greed can be found among some employers -- who are by no means confined to the construction trades -- who knowingly hire thousands of illegal refugees as a source of cheap, easily exploitable labour.

>Well look at what happened when Clinton put employers on the hook... enforcement died as soon as it started with the feeble excuse that detecting forged documents wasn't employer's work.
>WalMart told its cleaning contractors that hiring illegals was the way to go.
>There is outrgae about exploited workers (sweatshops, child labour) in other countries yet it goes on right under the noses of those indignants. What do they do about that bit?
>Huge meat packing firms hire illegals as a matter of course. Has anyone cared to name those packers and organize boycotts?
>Why haven't the police all over the U.S. "discouraged" the corner gathering places where trucks stop by and offer a days work to those standing there? Stop the day-job providers, not the folk looking for the work.
>BUSINESS is the reason.
>Because politicians have done NOTHING for you over the last several years (here too), and especially because President Bush has so many failures to his credit, the Republicans needed to STOKE the issue to a frenzy. Security, illegals, gays and God are going to be the "issues" for your next election. All PHONEY. ALL doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to better average Joe's prospects for the future.
>The war, the debt, off-shoring, personal bankruptcies, record corporate profits, escalating health care costs, insurers failing to honour policies, the growing defaulting on pensions by corporations are all problems that affect you but which will get no ink during the election.

I never said it wasn't wrong. It has obviously not been enforced. Howerver, it hasn't been a secret.