Is the New Citizenship and Immigration guide 'racist'?

Perusing the websites of local newspapers this morning, a few articles got my attention, but none piqued my curiosity like this gem from the Toronto Star:


http://www.thestar.com/news/immigration/2015/05/19/immigration-guide-for-detecting-marriage-fraud-called-racist-and-offensive.html


The article is discussing a new Citizenship and Immigration training guide that details "look fors" that immigration officials should pay attention to when assessing whether to accept a spousal sponsorship application is legit. or a scam to get someone "legally" into Canada. Some of what the document suggest they notice as signs of a scam can easily be seen as offensive, bizarre and possibly even racist.

Some of the most highlight-worthy items, according to The Toronto Star, are listed below:



INDICATORS OF A ‘NON-GENUINE’ MARRIAGE

• University-educated Chinese nationals marrying non-Chinese.
• Photos without parents or any family members, just a small group of friends. 
• Private marriage ceremony performed by either a minister or justice of the peace.
• Informal reception in a restaurant. 
• Sponsor is uneducated, with a low-paying job or on welfare. 
• The couple do not kiss on the lips in photos. 
• Couples who do not have a honeymoon, not even a couple of days away, usually because of university and/or no money. 
• There are no “diamond” rings. 
• Wedding photos done professionally but pictures are very limited. 
• Some submit photos dressed in pajamas or cooking, to show they are living together. 
• Photos have them wearing the same clothes in various locations. 
• Are they touching each other in the photos, or trying not to touch? 
• Photos of activities taken in the Niagara Falls area, Niagara-on-the-Lake and Toronto. 

Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada training guide




So, let me get this straight. If a Chinese person comes here for school and falls in love with someone non-Chinese, that is automatically a red flag? Or because you have a small wedding with friends, the government has reason to be suspicious? And boy, oh boy, if I were from Niagara Falls or Niagara-on-the-Lake I wouldn't be particularly pleased with this list.

I am not suggesting that scams never happen or that some of these can't be red flags in conjunction with other evidence in certain situations, but most of these on their own don't paint a clear picture of a "non-genuine" marriage. Not kissing on the lips in a photo? Are you kidding me? What does that mean for people who are uncomfortable with PDA or what if someone comes from a culture where you don't often kiss in pictures?

"Racist", "bizarre" and "concerning" are just three words I would use to describe this document based on what I have read so far. Hopefully enough public backlash will lead to positive change in this government document.