something i: A part of Drake's OVO crew before it even had a name, he disappeared to quietly serve a four-year sentence unbeknownst to all but his closest family and friends, according to NOW Magazine. The dark turn in his life forced him to ponder what he would do once he had served his time. Five years ago Akil Heywood was in prison. Raised on the carnival experience both in Toronto, where he was born, and his parents' birthplace of Trinidad and Tobago Heywood eventually found a way to change his life. I can do a lot to help the festival, and it'll give me a career, something I can do that's not affected by my criminal record. I thought, I want to start a mas band!' he says. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

border: The total adds up to more than 270 million up to the end of June, according to Vancouver Courier. Canada Border Services Agency CBSA which manages border security, reports it spent about 54.5 million between April 2017 and June 2018. The figures were requested by parliamentary budget officer Jean-Denis Frechette in early July and were recently released to members of the immigration committee.article continues below Trending Stories Seth Rogen apologizes for use of blackface on Vancouver set Vancouver records worst week for overdose deaths this year No hormones, no plastic straws and now no meat A&W goes beyond' burgers Body found in water off Wreck Beach All four agencies involved in dealing with irregular migration submitted amounts they have spent every month since early 2017 when the influx of asylum seekers began to ramp up. The agency said it did not have comprehensive data prior to that period because the numbers of irregular asylum seekers in previous years were small and mainly only being tracked manually. The Immigration and Refugee Board IRB an arms-length agency that adjudicates refugee claims and appeals, began tracking irregular migrants in February 2017. The Immigration Department, meanwhile, has spent over 117 million since early 2017 and the RCMP says it has spent over 7.3 million since June 2017. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

entry program: The Office of Immigration says it anticipates sending as many as 180 letters of interest to prospective applicants for its nominee program next week, according to Vancouver Courier. Exact numbers will depend on who is available in the pool on the day of the draw. Lena Diab, the minister responsible for the province's Office of Immigration, said Thursday its new program allows applicants to apply directly to Nova Scotia through the federal express entry program.article continues below Trending Stories Seth Rogen apologizes for use of blackface on Vancouver set Vancouver records worst week for overdose deaths this year No hormones, no plastic straws and now no meat A&W goes beyond' burgers Hell hotel finds new life as haven She says the program is innovative because as of next Tuesday her officials can scan the pool of potential immigrants in the federal program, and pick and choose those it wants to nominate based on their qualifications. From there, letter recipients who are interested in working and living in Nova Scotia would respond to the letter of interest and be processed through the stream, said department spokeswoman Lynette Mac Leod. Diab said during a news conference at a daycare that the expectation is that workers recruited under the program will help improve access to daycare services around the province. The province currently is permitted by Ottawa to nominate about 1,350 people a year through the provincial nominee program but has only used about half of its spaces so far this year. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

refugee hopefuls: Since then, Toronto has also seen a spike in refugee hopefuls converging on its homeless shelters and college dormitories, according to Vancouver Courier. Both Quebec and Toronto have called on the feds for help. The federal government says it's working with individual municipalities across Ontario and must identify available housing capacity before it can roll out its triage program.article continues below Trending Stories Seth Rogen apologizes for use of blackface on Vancouver set Vancouver records worst week for overdose deaths this year No hormones, no plastic straws and now no meat A&W goes beyond' burgers Hell hotel finds new life as haven Ottawa announced the so-called triage system in April following concerns raised by the province of Quebec over an influx of asylum seekers flooding temporary housing facilities in Montreal. Ottawa's response was the promised triage system, which would identify asylum seekers interested in settling in areas outside Montreal or Toronto to await the outcome of their refugee claims. In May, government said it was delayed due to the Ontario provincial election. But the system has not materialized and Ottawa says it is still working on it. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

triage: Since then, Toronto has also seen a spike in refugee hopefuls converging on its homeless shelters and college dormitories, according to National Observer. Both Quebec and Toronto have called on the feds for help. The federal government says it's working with individual municipalities across Ontario and must identify available housing capacity before it can roll out its triage program. ; Ottawa announced the so-called triage system in April following concerns raised by the province of Quebec over an influx of asylum seekers flooding temporary housing facilities in Montreal. Ottawa's response was the promised triage system, which would identify asylum seekers interested in settling in areas outside Montreal or Toronto to await the outcome of their refugee claims. In May, government said it was delayed due to the Ontario provincial election. But the system has not materialized and Ottawa says it is still working on it. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

carolyn: Carolyn De Bien is an expert at that -- the owner of La Quenouille florist shop in Griffintown may specialize in flowers, but she also spends about 20 hours a week giving away clothes, toys and furniture to asylum seekers in need, according to CTV. Watch the video for the full story. Sometimes it takes a helping hand before a family can plant its roots. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

detention centre: The legal group said it learned of the death through someone in contact with the family it could not identify, according to CTV. Human Rights Watch and a group of lawyers that represents families at the detention centre say they have no information about whether the child's death was due to medical treatment while in custody. The American Immigration Lawyers Association said Wednesday that it had learned of the death of a child shortly after the child and parent left the ICE family detention centre at Dilley, Texas. ICE denied an initial report that the child had died at Dilley and said it was investigating the case further. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

government relations: We do not have information on the cause of death or information that confirms a connection between medical treatment at STFRC and this death, according to Toronto Star. A child holds a sign during a rally outside the El Paso County Detention Center in El Paso, Texas, to protest separating children from adults during detention when they cross the US border without proper papers. AILA has learned that a toddler died soon after release from the Dilley South Texas Family Residential Center, Gregory Chen, director of government relations for the 15,000-member association, said in a statement. Because there is so little information available about the child who reportedly died, it is impossible to say whether that child was among the minors who have been separated. However the agency made clear that no child died while in its care. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / AFP/GETTY IMAGES Chen did not name the child or say when the alleged death occurred, and The Washington Post was unable to independently verify the death.ICE said Wednesday that it could not investigate the situation without the child's name or other information. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

negrete: This July 31 photo provided by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office shows Fernando Magaz Negrete after his arrest on suspicion of molestation, according to Toronto Star. Police say Negrete, an employee of a non-profit organization that houses immigrant children separated from their parents at the border, kissed and inappropriately touched a 14-year-old girl staying at one of the group's facilities in west Phoenix. Police say 32-year-old Fernando Magaz Negrete kissed and fondled the girl in her bedroom at the facility on June 27 in an encounter witnessed by the girl's 16-year-old roommate. Maricopa County Sherrif's Office/The Associated Press It wasn't immediately known if he has an attorney. The facility where the alleged abuse occurred was visited on June 28 by first lady Melania Trump, who met with people directly affected by her husband's hard-line immigration policies. Southwest Key, which operates the facility, declined to say whether the 14-year-old girl was an immigrant who was separated from her parents at the border. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

school commissioner: A Haitian immigrant, Benjamin came to Canada at the age of 13, according to CTV. As an adult, he got involved in the community, starting off as a school commissioner before running for municipal politics and becoming a councillor in Saint-Michel in 2009. Benjamin, who is the first Black man to be appointed Speaker of Montreal's city council, will run for the Liberals in the Montreal riding of Viau. He's lobbied for better representation of visible minorities at the municipal level. Benjamin will make his announcement Thursday morning at 10 30. On Wednesday, sources confirmed to CTV News he'll announce he'll be running for the Liberals in the Oct. 1 provincial election in the riding of Viau, a very ethnically diverse Liberal stronghold that includes The riding is currently held by Immigration Minister David Heurtel, who announced in May that he wouldn't be seeking re-election, explaining in a statement that it was because an illness in his family and his personal obligations were incompatible with the demands of another mandate. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

wednesday: Starting at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, the waterfront comes alive for the 32nd annual Halifax Busker Festival with jugglers, contortionists, sword swallowers, clowns, dancers and the singular Silver Elvis, a guy who puts on shiny makeup and simulates the king of rock and roll, according to The Chronicle Herald. There's also live music from local talent on the Nova Scotia Marquee Stage at Bishop's Landing, in addition to the four stages that will present a nonstop cycle of entertainment Wednesday evening, Thursday through Sunday from noon to 10 p.m. and Monday until 6 p.m. Also, don't store your cash in your socks. Three decades ago, Buskerfest was a charming mix of acts who could juggle bowling balls the big ones, not candlepin while delivering snappy patter and giant puppet performers. The lineup For example, last year Canadian strongman Mighty Mike with his a snappy old-timey outfit and an impeccably waxed moustache won the festival's People's Choice Award on the strength of a winning personality, a wide array of feats like bending horseshoes and, yes, juggling bowling balls. But as the world of travelling street performers has expanded, new generations of hipper, wilder and more daring entertainers have emerged. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

jewish roots: AP House Speaker Paul Ryan was surprised and proud to find out he has Jewish roots, according to Vancouver Courier. The Wisconsin Republican discovered his family history while filming a segment for the upcoming season of the PBS series Finding Your Roots With Henry Louis Gates Jr. Her name is Marial Iglesias Utset, not Sharon Adams.A corrected version of the story is below article continues below Trending Stories Vancouver High on Life vloggers die in Shannon Falls tragedy Court orders closure of Vancouver sex shop Gang activity on the rise in Vancouver Redevelopment of Arbutus Village about to begin House Speaker Paul Ryan uncovers Jewish roots on PBS show House Speaker Paul Ryan was surprised and proud to find out he has Jewish roots By BETH HARRISAssociated PressBEVERLY HILLS, Calif. Gates said Tuesday at a TV critics meeting that he traced Ryan's heritage back to his 10th great-grandfather born in 1531 in Germany. You could have knocked him over with a feather and then he was very proud of it, Gates said of Ryan's reaction. The research showed Ryan is 3 per cent Ashkenazi Jewish. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

policy goals: Congress alone controls spending under the U.S. Constitution, and presidents do not have the power to withhold funding it approves to pursue their policy goals, the court majority said.article continues below Trending Stories Vancouver High on Life vloggers die in Shannon Falls tragedy Court orders closure of Vancouver sex shop Gang activity on the rise in Vancouver Redevelopment of Arbutus Village about to begin By its plain terms, the executive order directs the agencies of the executive branch to withhold funds appropriated by Congress in order to further the administration's policy objective of punishing cities and counties that adopt so-called 'sanctuary' policies, wrote Chief Judge Sidney Thomas, joined by Judge Ronald Gould, who both were nominated by Democratic President Bill Clinton, according to Vancouver Courier. The court, however, also said the lower-court judge went too far when he blocked enforcement of Trump's order nationwide after a lawsuit by two California counties San Francisco and Santa Clara. In a 2-1 decision, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with a lower court that the order exceeded the president's authority. Thomas said there wasn't enough evidence to support a nationwide ban, limited the injunction to California and sent the case back to the lower court for more arguments on whether a wider ban was warranted. The Justice Department remains committed to the rule of law, to protecting public safety, and to keeping criminal aliens off the streets, he said. Devin O'Malley, a spokesman for the U.S. Justice Department, called the ruling a victory for criminal aliens in California, who can continue to commit crimes knowing that the state's leadership will protect them from federal immigration officers whose job it is to hold them accountable and remove them from the country. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

vancouver: And its findings were limited to 32 apparently fake accounts on Facebook and Instagram, which the company removed because they were involved in co-ordinated and inauthentic political behaviour.article continues below Trending Stories Court orders closure of Vancouver sex shop Vancouver High on Life vloggers die in Shannon Falls tragedy Strong odor at Granville St. apartment leads to discovery of woman's body Vancouver weather heatwave dissolves into clouds, rain But official Washington connected those dots anyway, not least because the reported activity so closely mirrored Russian influence campaigns during the 2016 presidential election, according to Vancouver Courier. Nearly 300,000 people followed at least one of the newly banned accounts and thousands expressed interest in events they promoted. The company was careful to hedge its announcement; it didn't link the effort directly to Russia or to the midterms, now less than a hundred days away. This is an absolute attack on our democracy, said Virginia Sen. Warner expressed pretty high confidence that Russia was behind the assault.A spokesman for Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley said Facebook had informed his office that that a limited group of Russian actors has attempted to spread disinformation using its platform and that the affected groups are affiliated with the political left. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, which Facebook had briefed in advance. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

american flag: I'm happy but at the same I'm concerned with, is someone going to pull me out and tell me, 'You can't participate again,' said the former Iraqi translator for U.S. troops, minutes before he took his citizenship oath, according to The Chronicle Herald. That's what happened last year to Al Anbki, who's also member of the Florida National Guard. As he waited for his citizenship ceremony to start Tuesday, Haeder Al Anbki held his breath, half-worried that someone would stop him and tell him to leave. But everything went smoothly at his ceremony Tuesday in Orlando, Florida. It's a dream becoming true, Al Anbki said after the ceremony, holding up an American flag. He recited the Pledge of Allegiance, said the oath of citizenship and sang along to Lee Greenwood's God Bless the USA. He was a citizen at last. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian-born classmates: Local Muslim officials say her family had only moved to the town about two years ago, according to CTV. A 2010 study done for the Lifesaving Society concluded that new Canadians -- particularly those who have lived in the country for less than five years -- are at a higher risk of drowning than people born here. The girl died Sunday after falling into the Magog River in Sherbrooke, east of Montreal. A 2016 study focused on children between the ages 11 and 14 who are new to Canada. Research shows new Canadians face a number of challenges when it comes to learning how to swim. It concluded they are five times more unlikely to be able to swim than their Canadian-born classmates. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

chuck grassley: Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., elevated yet another issue to the administration's list of immigration problems, according to Toronto Star. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, wrote to the inspectors general of the departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services saying the allegations are extremely disturbing and must be addressed. With President Donald Trump already under fire for separating thousands of migrant children from their detained parents, the request for an investigation by Sen. This is not a partisan issue. This is not a partisan issue as reporting suggests many have been occurring for years. J. Scott Applewhite / The Associated Press file photo These allegations of abuse are extremely disturbing and must be addressed, Grassley and Feinstein wrote. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

citizenship test: It's been more than two years since work began on revising the study guide for Canada's citizenship test, but government says it is still working on the new citizenship guide and has no determined timeline for release, according to Toronto Star. Canadiana flank a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on a maple syrup evaporator during a citizenship ceremony at the Vanier Sugar Shack, in Ottawa on Wednesday, April 11. Internal emails from the Immigration department dating back to 2016 show officials were hoping the launch of the new guide could coincide with Canada 150 celebrations and the 70th anniversary of the Citizenship Act events that took place over a year ago. Justin Tang / THE CANADIAN PRESS file photo But so far, no official guide has immigration critic Michelle Rempel says she believes bureaucrats were sent back to the drawing board after a draft copy of the revised guide, obtained last year by The Canadian Press, revealed the department had removed references to barbaric cultural practices, including female genital mutilation, as being against Canadian law references that were added by the Stephen Harper government in 2011. Article Continued Below I think probably he mishandled that so badly they're delaying any sort of output. The immigration minister's response to the issue around removing the language about female genital mutilation being a very intolerable practice from the citizenship guide, his delay and his response, I would surmise, didn't go well within the prime minister's office, Rempel said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

dianne feinstein: Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., elevated yet another issue to the administration's list of immigration problems, according to CTV. These allegations of abuse are extremely disturbing and must be addressed, Grassley and Feinstein wrote. With U.S. President Donald Trump already under fire for separating thousands of migrant children from their detained parents, the request for an investigation by Sens. This is not a partisan issue as reporting suggests many have been occurring for years. The letter, based on articles by The Associated Press and other news organizations, says the allegations suggest a long-term pattern of mistreatment. Immigrant families and children kept in federal custody deserve to be treated with basic human dignity and respect and should never be subjected to these forms of abuse. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

muslim customers: But the Open to All coalition is launching in a highly charged atmosphere, with florists refusing to provide flowers for gay weddings and stores turning away Muslim customers, according to CTV. On the same June weekend that White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders was asked to leave a Virginia restaurant because of her affiliation with U.S. President Donald Trump, a transgender woman was harassed by staff at a Washington restaurant for using the women's restroom. Normally, making a promise to serve every customer might seem like a no-brainer. So it remains to be seen if the Open to All message -- on businesses' Yelp pages or on stickers in their windows -- will calm frayed tempers or anger customers and businesses who might question its motives. She's not worried that it will be a turn-off to some potential patrons. Tia Agnew, co-founder and CEO of New Day Craft, an Indianapolis-based producer of mead and cider, is excited to put up her Open to All window sticker, which she says matches her personal and professional ethos. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

question period: But achieving unity is a politician's most basic task, according to Toronto Star. Canadians are better together, especially as President Trump threatens our economic interests, as forest fires ravage a baking world, as immigrants consider fleeing here. He found it fun, a child's indoor war game on a rainy day, and at the end, everything blows up real good. This is why the prime minister travels constantly, working to bring Canadians together. Ontario Premier Doug Ford takes a bow after bragging about his election victory during Question Period at the Ontario Legislature in Toronto on Monday. Cooperation and cohesion are the basis of his job, not identity politics and political tribes. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

summer camp: One official told the Senate Judiciary Committee that while the Trump administration was developing its immigration policies, Health and Human Services officials said they were worried about any policy which would result in family separation due to concerns we had about the best interests of the child, according to The Chronicle Herald. Commander Jonathan D. White of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, a branch of HHS, said they were also uncertain their department had enough resources to handle large numbers of detained immigrants. But some of the government's top immigration officials used a Senate hearing to largely defend how the policy has been implemented, with one comparing family detention centres to a summer camp. There's no question that separation of children from parents entails significant potential for traumatic psychological injury to the child, White said. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., what response HHS officials got from administration policymakers, White said, The answer was there was no policy which would result in separation of children from family units. Asked by Sen. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

citizenship guide: The immigration minister's response to the issue around removing the language about female genital mutilation being a very intolerable practice from the citizenship guide, his delay and his response, I would surmise, didn't go well within the prime minister's office, Rempel said, according to Vancouver Courier. I think probably he mishandled that so badly they're delaying any sort of output. Internal emails from the Immigration department dating back to 2016 show officials were hoping the launch of the new guide could coincide with Canada 150 celebrations and the 70th anniversary of the Citizenship Act events that took place over a year ago.article continues below Trending Stories Snowbirds air show part of entertainment lined up for Honda Celebration of Light Savethe Rio is officially a done deal Vancouver High on Life vloggers die in Shannon Falls tragedy'Mary is back' Davie Street's iconic Hamburger Mary's revived as 'sassy brunch cafe'But so far, no official guide has immigration critic Michelle Rempel says she believes bureaucrats were sent back to the drawing board after a draft copy of the revised guide, obtained last year by The Canadian Press, revealed the department had removed references to barbaric cultural practices, including female genital mutilation, as being against Canadian law references that were added by the Stephen Harper government in 2011. Rempel notes that public money has been spent on the ongoing work done to revise this document and that Canadians have a right to transparency on its contents. The emails show that departmental directors and communications staff working on the file consulted with a range of government departments seeking input with a sense of diligent urgency, in an effort to try to meet timelines for approvals and final rollout details of which were redacted from the documents. Indeed, the internal emails from 2016, obtained through access to information law, show bureaucrats were working on developing a full refresh of the official citizenship study guide, entitled Discover Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

honda celebration: I'm happy but at the same I'm concerned with, is someone going to pull me out and tell me, 'You can't participate again,' said the former Iraqi translator for U.S. troops, minutes before he took his citizenship oath.article continues below Trending Stories Snowbirds air show part of entertainment lined up for Honda Celebration of Light Savethe Rio is officially a done deal Vancouver High on Life vloggers die in Shannon Falls tragedy'Mary is back' Davie Street's iconic Hamburger Mary's revived as 'sassy brunch cafe'That's what happened last year to Al Anbki, who's also member of the Florida National Guard, according to Vancouver Courier. But everything went smoothly at his ceremony Tuesday in Orlando, Florida. As he waited for his citizenship ceremony to start Tuesday, Haeder Al Anbki held his breath, half-worried that someone would stop him and tell him to leave. He recited the Pledge of Allegiance, said the oath of citizenship and sang along to Lee Greenwood's God Bless the USA. He was a citizen at last. After the long fight, after all these years, that flag is still standing. It's a dream becoming true, Al Anbki said after the ceremony, holding up an American flag. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

county commissioner: As congregants at Silverwood Mennonite Church chatted around a Sunday potluck spread, Yoder, a county commissioner for 13 years and a dairy farmer for much longer, huddled with Pastor Jeremy Shue at the edge of the hall, according to Toronto Star. There was a very good chance, Yoder confided, that the nation's newest immigration detention centre would soon rise from a soybean field north of town. Now, Mike Yoder decided, the time had come to share unsettling news. Mike Yoder recalled tensions stirred by a proposal to build an immigration detention centre in his community. Charles Rex Arbogast / The Associated Press One of the only positives is that it would be less of a drive to protest, Shue said. He said he tried for a dialogue instead of a dispute. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

boy: In days far past, a designated friend of lesser status could be punished in place of a sinful prince, according to The Chronicle Herald. Even lords didn't dare strike a God-appointed future monarch and they knew boy kings grow up and might hold grudges. Whipping boys' fates could be cruel. Still, someone had to be punished, so the whipping boy got it. They are the modern whipping boys and girls, often taking the heat collectively for the acts of a few. That's what is happening now, where multiple wrongs get blamed on immigrants, refugees and people of unpopular ethnic or religious backgrounds. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.