Speech #890121003

Because Canada has laws which reflect those we have on our own books at this time. it is equally difficult for American parents with a retarded child even to visit Canada on a vacation of 2 or 3 weeks. In one case I know of. a mentally retarded youth. accompanied by his mother was refused entry to Canada as a tourist. simply because he is mentally retarded. When his sister protested to the Canadian consul she received "a prompt and very courteous reply" pointing out that the Canadian immigration act under which the boy was excluded reflects almost exactly section 212 of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act. In a letter in my files. his sister went on to remark: "Both as a private citizen and as a clinical psychologist. many of whose patients are mentally retarded. I was shocked to realize that in both the United States and Canada there existed an official governmental policy which so obviously discriminated against the retarded. Additionally the implied equation of mental retardation with psychosis and psychopathy. and the idea that an immigration officer is capable of making an onthespot "diagnosis" of any of these disorders is appalling." There is reason to believe that the special reciprocal relationship we enjoy with Canada and Mexico will mean that our affirmative action on this amendment today will bring a like response from their respective legislative bodies. Present law defeats our own interests in certain other situations. If we have a scientist that we want to get from Switzerland who is necessary to our war effort or space effort. who has 4 or 5 children there. then he must make the decision. if he comes here. if he has one retarded child out of those 4. 5. 6. 10. or 12 children. as to whether to take all of the family but leave that 1 child in Switzerland.