amani sulaiman: Meanwhile, her cousin Omar Almouisati and his family are currently stuck in Jordan, according to CBC. Almouisati, his wife and three daughters fled Syria in late 2012, as bombs rained down on the neighbourhood they were living in near Damascus. Amani Sulaiman and her family recently resettled in Canada. A few months later, Sulaiman decided to follow her cousin. U.S. pushes UN to demand truce in Syria's eastern Ghouta, Damascus Giving life for life Syrian refugees line up to give blood in St. The two families lived in Jordan, but only the Sulaimans were granted refugee protection in Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

arrests: The challenge, believed to be the first of its kind in the country, comes as advocates, attorneys and judges have complained about courtroom arrests under President Donald Trump, according to Metro News. Courtroom arrests happened under President Barack Obama's administration but attorneys have said the pace appears to have picked up under Trump. The petition filed in the Supreme Judicial Court cites immigrants including a woman who wants to renew a restraining order against her abusive ex-husband who are too afraid to enter state and local courthouses out of fear of deportation. When people fear our judicial system, that undermines the very fabric of our society and weakens communities, said Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice, one of the groups that filed the petition on the immigrants' behalf. Sensitive locations where enforcement is generally avoided include schools, hospitals and places of worship.ICE says it is targeting convicted criminals, gang members and public safety threats at courthouses as well as immigrants who have been previously deported or ordered to leave. Despite pressure from advocates to declare courthouses sensitive locations generally free from immigration enforcement, federal officials in January formalized a policy to send agents to federal, state and local courthouses to make arrests. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

community services: Between 2011 and 2016, almost 30 per cent of immigrants 356,930 people made Toronto their new home, according to Toronto Star. The good news for savvy students with a good knowledge of two or more languages, that influx of newcomers could translate to jobs getting them settled and helping them navigate legal, health or community services. And the latest census numbers indicate multicultural Toronto is still the destination of choice for the majority of them. Many colleges and universities offer translation courses, among them University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies Certificates in Translation At U of T, students can earn language certificates in 16 languages, and obtain translation certificates in Arabic, Chinese, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish. Students can also take advantage of flexible online learning approaches. Programs focus on formalizing translation skills and gaining a good understanding of the theory and practice of translation. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ethiopian aliyah: Although many are practicing Jews, Israel doesn't consider them Jewish, meaning their immigration requires special approval, according to Metro News. Alisa Bodner, a spokeswoman for the Struggle for Ethiopian Aliyah, called on Israel to resolve their plight without further delay. Nearly 8,000 Ethiopians are hoping for Israel to approve their immigration, allowing them to join their families in Israel. The families see the issue as part of an inconsistent and discriminatory immigration policy. Bodner said the issue is expected to come up in a government committee at an unknown date. Parliament approved a 2019 budget early Thursday with no allocation for the Ethiopians' immigration. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

family: The work is the same, according to CBC. They work on a farm, they make everything at home the same just a bit different. When we met the Hutterites, it's the exact same as in my country, said Alhamud. Alhamud, his wife and three children came to Canada from Syria after being sponsored by a family from the Green Acres Hutterite colony. Brandon churches band together to help settle Syrian family Southwestern Manitoba town aims to welcome three refugee families Waldner describes himself as more open-minded than many in his community, and when he heard about the Syrian refugee crisis, he felt compelled to do something. Now, the Alhamuds are like family to Paul Waldner a teacher in the southwestern Manitoba colony near Wawanesa, about 35 kilometres southeast of Brandon whose family sponsored Alhamud and his family. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

finance minister: We're asking the National Assembly, including the Liberals, to recognize the fact that none of the political parties here is racist, said CAQ MNA Genevieve Guilbault, according to CTV. The Liberals blocked the motion, but the explosive issue is staying front and centre. Still stewing over accusations, the CAQ decided to table a motion Thursday. It's a serious accusation, it's unacceptable, it's dirty politics, and I think the Liberals just crossed the line. There was no apology from the finance minister, who instead said, I've said what I have to say about that. Philippe Couillard must immediately order his minister to apologize, to withdraw his comments, said Legault. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

maru mora-villalpando: But in December, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement sent her a notice to appear in immigration court, according to Metro News. An officer's report in her case said she came to the agency's attention because she discussed her unlawful status in a newspaper interview last year. Dozens of supporters greeted Maru Mora-Villalpando, 47, as she arrived outside a downtown Seattle building for her first deportation hearing.A Mexico City native who overstayed a visa issued in 1996, Mora-Villalpando says she has had no convictions or contacts with police that might normally trigger deportation proceedings. The report also cited her extensive involvement with anti-ICE protests and Latino advocacy programs. An attorney for the Justice Department, Brent Campbell, told U.S. Immigration Judge Brett Parchert that the government would oppose that motion, and Parchert gave him until April 9 to file a written response.ICE has repeatedly denied targeting anyone for political reasons and called such allegations irresponsible, speculative and advocates around the country have cited other cases, including deportation proceedings against Eliseo Jurado, the husband of an immigrant activist in Boulder, Colorado, who sought sanctuary from deportation in a church, and Ravi Ragbir, a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago who leads the New Sanctuary Coalition of New York City. She cited that statement in a motion filed Monday arguing that the proceedings should be dismissed as a violation of her free-speech rights. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

niagara college: From growing to software to sales, opportunities could abound for those with in-demand skill sets, according to Toronto Star. Though cannabis-specific programs are still few and far between, there are a handful of academic institutions that have been quick to respond to the new job market with courses that help ready students for a new career. One of the upshots of the impending legalization of marijuana this summer is a burgeoning job market. Commercial Cannabis Production CCP Niagara College Canada's first-ever post-secondary credential program launches this fall at Niagara College. Interest from prospective students has been huge. The year-long commercial cannabis production program will train students in the cultivation of cannabis, as well as provide them with in-depth knowledge of Health Canada's regulatory framework that will govern the industry. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

palestinian refugees: Read more U.S. withholds 65M in UN aid for Palestinian refugees This is not aimed at punishing anyone' Article Continued Below Israeli leaders criticize Palestinian president for fiery anti-Trump speech Israelis voice warnings, Palestinians talk of blackmail' after Trump threatens to cut funding If UNRWA would not exist, if these services were not provided, the security of region would be severely undermined, Guterres told reporters at the conference's conclusion, according to Toronto Star. Now it is very clear, it is absolutely essential, that the extraordinary unanimity in political support to UNRWA and its activities translates itself into cash. react-empty 144 The agency, the oldest and largest UN relief program in the Middle East, provides health care, education and social services to an estimated 5 million Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. But he said a long way is in front of us to fully fund the agency, which went into the conference facing a 446 million gap in financing this year the worst funding crisis in its 68-year history. They are the refugees or descendants of the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who either fled or were forced from their homes during the war that led to Israel's establishment in 1948. The Trump administration announced in January it was slashing 65 million this year. Guterres told the conference that cutting sanitation, health care and medical services in already poverty-wracked and conflict-ridden areas would have severe impact a cascade of problems that could push the suffering in disastrous and unpredictable directions. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

right step: The move is meant to keep the current three-party coalition in power and avoid the possibility of an early election, according to CTV. I'm sure that a decision to create a new government is the right step, Fico said. President Andrej Kiska accepted the resignation and asked Peter Pellegrini, Fico's deputy prime minister, to form a new government. An early election would not bring any stability. I'm not going anywhere, Fico said. Fico, who has led three Slovak governments in recent years, said he had no plans to leave politics. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

police: Police allege the man would tell Syrian refugees currently living in Qatar that he could help them immigrate to Canada through a church sponsorship program, according to CTV. Police allege he defrauded at least eight families so far of more than 200,000 and say they believe there are many more victims. Halton regional police say they learned of the allegations through a community volunteer group in Toronto, which was alerted of the suspected fraud from family members of some of the victims. They say the unnamed church he implicated in the alleged scheme was not involved in any way and has co-operated with the investigation. Police acknowledge the ongoing investigation is complicated by the circumstances of the alleged victims, but urge anyone with information to come forward. Police say Bashar Abdulahad from Burlington, Ont., is facing eight counts of fraud over 5,000 and one count of money laundering. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

quebec prison: Yahya, husband Mohammad Shafia and their son, Hamed, were each found guilty in 2012 on four counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years, according to The Chronicle Herald. The bodies of sisters Zainab, 19, Sahar, 17, and Geeti, 13, and Rona Amir Mohammad, 52, Mohammad Shafia's childless first wife in a polygamous marriage, were found in June 2009 in a car submerged in a canal in Kingston, Ont. But the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada's expulsion order for Tooba Yahya will be executed only when she is released from a Quebec prison, her lawyer, Stephane Handfield, said in an interview. The Crown argued at trial the women were murdered because they refused to abide by the family's rules. The family was originally from Afghanistan and lived in Montreal. Court heard that notions of honour, directly tied to women's sexuality and general control over their behaviour, led the Shafias to kill in an effort to cleanse them of the shame they perceived their daughters to have brought upon them. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

somali mother: Abdoul arrived in Canada as a six-year-old child, and is a product of this country, according to The Chronicle Herald. His deportation should be halted. As migration scholars and detention experts, we will show that while perhaps lawful, this deportation is the accumulation of governmental historical, social and moral failures. Abdoul was born in Saudi Arabia to a Somali mother, and spent four years in a Djibouti refugee camp. With his mother deceased, Abdoul arrived in the care of his sister and aunts. Eighteen years ago, he was only six years old when he claimed asylum in Nova Scotia. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

somali-canadian youth: Youth advocate Dunia Nur told the committee that as a young woman of colour from a community impacted by racism and hate-motivated crimes she is basically everything that the research in the report did not include, according to CBC. Edmonton council to ponder LGBTQ2 advisory committee Edmonton's Indigenous and Somali-Canadian youth join forces to combat racism Make ItAwkward campaign seeks 'everyday activists' to join discrimination battle Nur, who worked with inmates before moving to the school system, said the research left out everyone that basically poverty directly affects, including incarcerated individuals or residents of subsidized housing. The city's community and public services committee met Wednesday to discuss a 44-page report that included survey results of Edmontonians' experiences of racism, feedback from community groups, and an inventory of current efforts. She said black community members have shared their trauma and offered solutions and yet when I read the report and the outcome, all it really spoke about is further engagement needs to take place. The way that this research has been conducted is a prime example of racism and how racism is enacted in our community and our city.'- Dunia Nur, youth advocate I say this in the most authentic and respectful manner that the way that this research has been conducted is a prime example of racism and how racism is enacted in our community and our city, she said. Youth advocate Dunia Nur Andrea Huncar/CBC Nur said community volunteers have given freely of their time and expertise, and insisted paid consultants should be hired from communities. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian: Not by a long shot, according to National Observer. Unexpectedly, Trudeau's India expedition ripped open the wounds caused by the 1985 Air India bombing when it was revealed that Jaspar Atwal, convicted of attempted murder for his role in a 1986 attack on an Indian politician, was photographed with Sophie Gr goire Trudeau at a Canadian government reception in Delhi. ; It was all too much for Canadian media and the public. This thing isn't over yet. Prior to Trudeau's trip, Indian media had unleashed a blizzard of criticism of the Liberal government, essentially accusing it of complicity in Sikh terrorism. For a convicted terrorist to be found at a Canadian government reception in India was unthinkable. On February 12, Outlook India said of the Trudeau visit A new real threat of Khalistani terror, fuelled and funded by foreign gurudwaras patronised by liberal white politicians, has revived memories of a blood-drenched era of Punjab's history. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

concession road: Back then, Toronto was industrializing rapidly, according to NOW Magazine. Immigrants were pouring in and the Ontario, Simcoe and Huron Railway the predecessor to the Grand Trunk and Canadian National ran trains out of a station near the site of the present Union Station. In a city that had only the beginnings of horse-drawn public transit, social differences were more pronounced in Toronto of 1857, where all but the richest had to live within walking distance of their work. Beyond its growing historic core north of Bloor First Concession Road until 1855 streets were surveyed but most of the land was Park Lots cleared of forest and converted to farms and market gardens. West of Yonge, the 50-hectare block bounded by College, Yonge, Queen and University and known as Macaulaytown, was settled by fugitive African-American slaves. There were some pockets of development, including landed estates, farmsteads, villages and the beginnings of towns that are now part of a greater city that has no clear boundaries. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

california border: Hundreds of people participated in scattered rallies on both sides of the border dividing San Diego from Tijuana, Mexico, according to The Chronicle Herald. Law enforcement was out in force, and the area where Trump visited the eight prototypes was heavily cordoned off. The president's first visit to the California border amid a contentious battle with state officials over his immigration policies was peaceful. Rows of police kept apart supporters and opponents of the Trump administration along the avenue where his motorcade drove down. Among the crowd, a man wearing a Make America Great Again cap debated policies with a woman holding a No human is illegal sign. Each side booed, cheered and waved both Mexican and American flags as the president's convoy sped past them. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

apc talks: Ethnic and communal issues are also being stoked up by powerful sections of the ruling class and far right groups like the far-right Buddhist group Bodu Bala Sena Buddhist Power Force .APC talks to Lionel Boapge, a long time labour and human rights activist, about the reasons and dynamics behind the current anti-Muslim pogroms in Sri Lanka, according to Rabble. Asia Pacific Currents provides updates of labour struggles and campaigns from the Asia Pacific region. Unfortunately this has not proved the case with corruption, repression and inequality still prevalent in the country. It is produced by Australia Asia Worker Links, in the studio of 3CR Radio in Melbourne, Australia Image Wikimedia - Burnt house from anti Muslim riots in Sri Lanka Like this podcast rabble is reader/listener supported journalism. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canada highest-ever: Finland has emerged as the happiest place to live even though little sun and low temperatures are often blamed for high rates of depression, according to Toronto Star. Meanwhile, Canada's ranking remained unchanged from last year, holding at No. 7. The World Happiness Report published Wednesday ranked 156 countries by happiness levels, based on factors such as life expectancy, social support and corruption. Canada highest-ever ranking is fifth, which it achieved in 2012 and 2015. I think the basics are quite good in Finland, said Sofia Holm, 24-year-old resident of Helsinki, the Nordic country's capital. Well, our politics and our economics. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

daugherty: The lawsuit stems from a January 2017 incident in which deputies found Edwin Roberts and a guide, Walker Daugherty, with gunshot wounds, according to Metro News. According to the lawsuit, the couple was sleeping in a motor home while Daugherty and the second guide were staying nearby in a small cabin. Edwin and Carol Roberts, of Pensacola, Florida, filed the lawsuit Monday against several parties, including a New Mexico guiding company and two of its guides. The couple awoke to someone trying to enter the locked motor home and Edwin Roberts shouted several warnings before firing a shot toward the door. An investigation by the Presidio County sheriff's office determined that Daugherty had shot Roberts and that the other guide shot Daugherty. He then started driving the vehicle toward the cabin for protection but was shot twice, the lawsuit says. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

heart defect: Al-Matoura, who fled the Syrian war for Jordan in 2012, was only four months pregnant with her second child when she found out the baby had a congenital heart defect known as tricuspid atresia, which has a mortality rate of 90 per cent before age 10, according to Toronto Star. Read more Syrian government troops cut major roads in rebel-held Damascus suburbs Article Continued Below Russia behind airstrike on Syrian market that killed 84, UN probe finds Their son went to Syria. The 22-year-old mother from the Syrian city of Homs hadn't eaten for a day and stayed up all night at a hospital in the Jordanian capital, Amman, holding her daughter, imagining the scalpel cutting her baby's chest open. They're facing 14 years in prison for trying to send him money they say to bring him home Jordanian doctors encouraged her to abort the fetus. She is my gift from God, she said. Al-Matoura refused. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

fraud: Police say they found eight victim families who had sent funds to the man totaling more than 200,000, according to CBC. They say he told refugees that he could bring them to Canada through a local church. Halton police fraud detectives have been investigating for three months after a Toronto community group heard complaints from victims' relatives already living in Canada. The church doesn't have anything to do with the fraud. Police searched the man's house and arrested him, charging him with eight counts of fraud over 5,000 and money laundering. Police believe there are more victims and are hoping to spread the word through a volunteer in Qatar and through refugee networks in Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

fraud: Eight families were told that if they sent money, they would ensure sponsorship for immigration to Canada through a local church program, according to CTV. Police say the families sent about 200,000. Police first heard of the reported fraud from a community volunteer group in Toronto, whose relatives were the alleged victims. Police executed a search warrant at a home in Burlington and a suspect was arrested. A suspect identified as Bashar Abdulahad, 49, has been charged with eight counts of fraud over 5,000 and money laundering in connection with the fraud. Halton police are working with a local volunteer in Qatar to identify more victims, something they say is causing logistical issues considering the victims are currently living overseas and may be reluctant to come forward. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

life expectancy: Finland has emerged as the happiest place to live even though little sun and low temperatures are often blamed for high rates of depression, according to Metro News. Well, our politics and our economics . I think the basics are quite good in Finland, said Sofia Holm, 24-year-old resident of Helsinki, the Nordic country's capital. The World Happiness Report published Wednesday put Finland at the top among 156 countries ranked by happiness levels, based on factors such as life expectancy, social support and corruption. So, yes, we have the perfect circumstances to have a happy life here in Finland. It's a great thing to live in the happiest country although it's snowing and we are walking in this wet snow, said Helsinki resident Inari Lepisto, 28. And that's not forgetting other plentiful attractions like skiing and saunas and, for children of all ages, Santa Claus. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

phd student: Speaking with CBC Radio's All In A Day Tuesday, Zaky said Gambia is simply not a welcoming place for LGBTQ people, according to CBC. The government there was trying to arrest queer people, people who identify themselves as gay or lesbians, he said. Radamis Zaky, a PhD student at the school, directed the documentary Rainbow Haven Welcoming LGBTQ Refugees to Canada. The government was encouraging and is still encouraging people to call the police to arrest gay people. The three refugees in the film are all adapting to life in Canada and feel blessed to be here, Zaky said. They are free' The three people in Zaky's film made difficult trips to get out of Gambia and eventually to come to Canada after local families sponsored them. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

share music: They sang songs, played a few tunes on their recorders and offered generous applause for every effort, according to Toronto Star. Both groups peppered Lexi Shereshewsky, who is fluent in English and Arabic, with questions about life in each other's countries. On Skype, a group of young Syrian refugees in Azraq, Jordan, had the same tools, ready to share music from the other side of the world. From Jordan, Shereshewsky translated for her students, giving them insight into what life in Canada is like. Members of the Dixon Hall Music School's March Break camp, including instructor Bob McKitrick, on a Skype call Wednesday with Syrian children living in Jordan. Article Continued Below This meetup was the first of its kind for Bob McKitrick, who runs a March Break music camp for kids who attend Dixon Hall Music School in Toronto, where he has been director for 18 years. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.