Minister Finley poses with diplomats just after Canada's lifting of visa requirements for several CEE countries

Poles no longer need to line up outside the Canadian embassy in Warsaw to apply for a temporary visa, as requirements were lifted March 1.

The decision was announced by Canadian Immigration Minister Diane Finley, who also lifted visa requirements for citizens of Slovakia, Lithuania and Hungary for stays of up to three months.

"Canada enjoys strong ties with these countries," said Minister Finley. "We are committed to the free and secure movement of people between the EU and Canada."

This has left Władysław Lizon, president of the Canadian Polish Congress, wondering why it took 10 years for this development. The largest push happened last year when the Congress started a nationwide petition for Polish-Canadians. It followed the initiative with an online petition at the beginning of this year.

In Lizon's opinion, it made no sense to have visa restrictions for Poles coming to Canada. "That was unusual." Since Poland is a member of the EU, he felt politicians in Canada should acknowledge it as equal with other member states and not treat it as a second-class country.

In 2006, over 33,000 temporary resident visas were issued for citizens of Poland. Lizon believed the number of Polish visitors to Canada will remain the same, or it might see a slight increase because of the number of people who had previously been denied access to Canada.

"I don't think we will have a flood of people coming from Poland," said Lizon.

Interfax journalist Michał Pakulniewicz agreed. "I think Canada is too far for most Poles." He thought London and Dublin were more attractive than Toronto and Montreal for simple reasons: "Proximity and airline tickets," he said.