•Offer ‘Smart idea’ to investors

By Ishola Balogun

JTH Lawyers showed another side of their humanitarian face last week.

At Okpekpe, the venue of IAAF sanctioned 10 kilometre race that has given Nigeria a big name, JTH Lawyers, a Canada-based company that runs immigrant investor programme, donated money to an orphanage and joined organisers of the race to promote cancer awareness in the village.

What a great show the whole event emerged. Breast cancer has been on the increase and rural women lack information about the disease. Okpekpe race being a sports event was one factor that encouraged JTH lawyers to use it to promote cancer awareness. The venue, a rural setting, was another factor. Importantly too was the fact that their Nigerian partners,

Julien Tetrault, Quebec Immigration lawyer (left) presenting $1000 cheque donation to representatives of Sebeccly Cancer care center during a road ‘Race for Cancer’ held in Okpekpe, Auchi, Edo State recently.

Pamodzi Sports Marketing and their boss Mike Itemuagbor are the brains behind the race that Edo State government under Adams Oshiomhole embraced and sponsored till date.

The experts on immigrant matters in Canada, USA, Antigua and Barbuda made this year’s race remarkable by promoting cancer awareness and thus making it a Race for Cancer awareness. VIPs identified with people battling cancer. Interestingly, Miss Nigeria, Lessi Pamela, top management of Eco Bank PLC, captains of industries, top Nigerians and the indefatigable Oshiomhole were all there with thousands of the athletes who competed for the Okpekpe Race title. They were all part of the race against cancer. A rare opportunity was given to hundreds of women to know their health status on breast cancer, just as the company doled out money in dollars to a cancer patient and an orphanage to support their cause and give hope to the downtrodden.

Julien Tetrault, JTH and Quebec Immigration lawyer who was also a cancer survivor said it was all about supporting the cause of cancer patients and giving hope to the less privileged children in Nigeria. He said: “I want to make sure that when I come to Nigeria, I don’t only take from Nigeria, I also want to give back. It is very important for me to give back to Nigeria. The

JTH lawyers recognize that the children are the future and we have decided not to live any one of them behind.”

He added that since Nigerians love brilliant ideas, he had presented himself to offer smart business idea for investors as well as alternative good livelihood to secure the future of their children and their retirement in Canada through the investors programme created by the Quebec government about 30 years ago.

Asked to give details of the smart business idea, Tetrault said: “Paying $30,000 a year for a child’s education in Canada is huge. But if a child becomes a residents or Canadian citizen, you will be paying only about $3,000 a year. So, if you multiply that to about 3-4 years of study, you will be talking about huge difference. You will be paying a lot more when your children are not Canadians. So, Why not reduce that burden by becoming Canadian?, he queried?

“The investor programme will offset the huge cost of education. So, as you save money, you are giving to the children most valuable assets. It is a smart business to do. In this world of today, you need freedom of movement. I have heard Nigerians complain about the rigorous process of obtaining visas. Why not take a passport which is visa-free. Why not? If you are missing this opportunity, it is ridiculous going through the pains of visa process over and over again, why not take a smart business solution today and get your options of freedom of movement. It is not only about you but also about your children.

“In Canada, we have a very stable environment, we don’t have shootings like some other countries nearby have. Even a young lady can walk in the midnight in the streets of down town Montreal, Toronto and other towns free without fear of molestation. Again, as people get towards retirement, security becomes more of an issue as you want to chose where the crime rate is much lower, Canada is much better. It is mainly for the quality of life that you want. There was a ranking of top cities in the world recently. They are 160 and Lagos was 157 before Damascus and Kabul in Afghanistan; while Toronto and Montreal were among the top 10. Canada does not have the tension that most cities in Europe have. Some people like US, I respect that but it is totally different from Canada.”

On the registration, he stated: “The process is a two-step one. First you have to be approved by the province and then approved by the Federal government. Thereafter they will verify your medical history and some other checks.

“You have to submit your application to the Quebec government, you must also show you have a net assets of $1.6million CAD and you show how this money was made legally. Also, a management experience of minimum of two years of the past five years prior to filing of application. Once these conditions are met, it will take about a year to be processed.

According to him, the programme has been attracting experienced professionals and their families as permanent residents of Canada.
“It will be 30 years now since the Quebec programme started this, thousands of families have been using this programme. The submission of application is now opened again. From May 30, There is a quota of 1900 application including 570 from outside of China.

“So, the process starts now. One good thing about it is that the government does not need proof of investment now until about 18 months when the approval and the whole process is almost finished. Even at that, if you decide you don’t want it again, you just don’t pay the investment fee again and you lose nothing, Tetrault stated.