No gaijin allowed.

[RealJames]

Originally Posted by Ronin4hire

Even foreigners that pay taxes?

I find that a bit hard to believe.. and it's outrageous if it's true.

As far as I'm aware, in New Zealand, you get access to all public services if you pay taxes. Doesn't matter if you're a foreigner or not. And with regard to health.. even that doesn't matter.

The only services that you might not qualify for as a foreigner might be the unemployment benefit and other such benefits of that nature. But even then if you're a foreigner you can get it if you meet certain other requirements. (Like if you are a refugee or granted assylum)

Ah, you're right, I missed out on that distinction.
Once you pay your taxes you're in the same ball game

[tokusatsufan]

Originally Posted by RealJames

For example in Canada only citizens get free health care, or subsidized education.

What about people who've lived there for a couple of generations like asians and black people?

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by Ronin4hire

To me there is no difference and in fact I see it as worse that such laws can be passed from the top.

Bottom line is that the rationale behind the decision to allow the banning of foreigners is the same. Lets paint all foreigners with the same brush mentality is not only irrational, but flies in the face of the truth in some instances.
.

Oh I totally agree that bans based on nationality are bogus. Well, except possibly of the 'Foreigners banned from X area of Y country because it's too freakin' dangerous and we have enough problems pulling our own people out' variety.

My point is it's easier to name, shame, rail at and moan about the little guy. You can take him to court; you can kick up a stink online and pester his business. You can blow an obscure restaurant out of the water and make it a (sometimes exaggerated and ill-advised) rallying point for civil rights. It's much harder to take on a whole government.

[RealJames]

Originally Posted by tokusatsufan

What about people who've lived there for a couple of generations like asians and black people?

Yeah they're just as Canadian as I am.
There's no assumption of nationality based on skin color in Canada.
If I see an Asian person in Canada I usually assume they're Canadian and speak English just as well as I do, for example.

I didn't consider such people to be foreigners, they're citizens as I am.

The same is true in Japan but to a much smaller extent than Canada.

In Japan it's a safe bet to generalize and assume someone's nationality based on skin color, the cases where you'd be wrong are very few.
In Canada if you tried the same thing you'd get a rude awakening.

[Fr3sh]

Originally Posted by RealJames

Yeah they're just as Canadian as I am.
There's no assumption of nationality based on skin color in Canada.
If I see an Asian person in Canada I usually assume they're Canadian and speak English just as well as I do, for example.

I didn't consider such people to be foreigners, they're citizens as I am.

The same is true in Japan but to a much smaller extent than Canada.

In Japan it's a safe bet to generalize and assume someone's nationality based on skin color, the cases where you'd be wrong are very few.
In Canada if you tried the same thing you'd get a rude awakening.

Well hello fellow Canadian lool. Where you from? I'm from Ottawa but currently residing in Edmonton because of school, I study at the University of Alberta.

Anyway what you said is pretty true....BUT! There's always a but lol. When you're a visible minority like myself (I'm black) and I am the son of two Somali immigrants, born and raised in Canada so it's only natural for me to consider myself Canadian. I speak both languages of the country fluently and when I meet someone (usually older folks) they ask me where I'm from and I answer Ottawa.....then they're like: Where are you REALLY from?! As if I'm any less of a Canadian....but stuff happens


Anyways back to the topic. I think it will have a backlash on the Dutch's tourism...A lot of ppl I know go visit there because marijuana and prostitution is legal.....

[tokusatsufan]

Originally Posted by Fr3sh

I meet someone (usually older folks) they ask me where I'm from and I answer Ottawa.....then they're like: Where are you REALLY from?! As if I'm any less of a Canadian....but stuff happens

Yeah I think we all have that problem. In Japan I suppose it works slightly differently.

[Umihito]

I think it's a pretty pointless move.
Sure, it'll push drug use by foreigners down a little, but for the people who REALLY want it, they can just pay Dutch people to go and buy it for them. I'm not sure if the drugs are allowed outside the Cafe... if not then maybe it'll be more effective.

Either that, or illegal groups will get involved to supply it to foregners, which may end up making things much worse.

But yeah, that's the problem with anywhere in the world I guess.

[Hem1ngway]

A lot of coffeeshop owners think it wont help anyway. so in the south they banned foreighners from their shops just to show it wont help. so the discussion will go on. there is always someone complaining. now they want to make the stonger weed a "harddrug". i don't think it will pass though. but they always find something new.

[V1nn1]

Perhaps the government should just ban marijuana instead of this half-assed small step. However, I don't like the idea that foreigners visit our country just for marijuana.

[RickOShay]

Originally Posted by V1nn1

Perhaps the government should just ban marijuana instead of this half-assed small step. However, I don't like the idea that foreigners visit our country just for marijuana.

Just send them to Colorado where you can walk into a clinic complain about pain in your pinky finger, and walk out with your weed and prescription for "medical" marijuana.