Filipiniana News - September 2009 Rhyme and Reason A few recent positive decisions on rather complex live-in caregiver applications somehow raised hopes for caregiver advocates that this government is finally becoming sensitive to the extremely difficult circumstances that many live-in caregivers have to endure. Upon the individual caregivers’ request, the immigration officers concerned chose to exercise their positive discretion in granting certain exemptions to immigration requirements on humanitarian and compassionate grounds. Therefore, the Conservative government’s recent negative response to the Standing Committee’s proposals to amend the laws relating to live-in caregivers and other temporary foreign workers came as a huge disappointment. The response by Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney’s office, practically turned down all recommendations by the Standing Committee including the issuance of occupation specific ins...