From the article:
"“We could ill afford it and my parents, immigrants in Canada now for 25 years, are on social assistance,” Ms. Page said."

I understand that being on social assistance would make it difficult to pay, but the fact that she is an immigrant is irrelevant... especially after 25 years.

I know many immigrants who were fully participating in the Canadian economy as employees or business owners after a couple of years or even less, let alone after 25 years.

And those immigrants that I know who have been here for 25 years rarely refer to themselves as "immigrants".. they are Canadian.

I am tired of hearing "immigrant" as some excuse for special consideration 25 years after their arrival.