government shutdown: He pledged to build a wall anyway using his executive powers to declare a national emergency if necessary, according to Toronto Star. Federal worker Chris Brinkerhoff eats his lunch in the atrium of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington. As hundreds of thousands of furloughed federal workers prepared to return to work, Trump told The Wall Street Journal that he doesn't think the negotiators will strike a deal that he'd accept. Brinkerhoff was able to return to work with the end of a partial government shutdown. The president was referring to a bipartisan committee of House and Senate lawmakers that will consider border spending as part of the legislative process. Carolyn Kaster / The Associated Press I personally think it's less than 50-50, but you have a lot of very good people on that board, Trump said in an interview Sunday with the newspaper. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

house oversight: The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, set to hold its first hearing of the new Democratic-led Congress on Tuesday, is poised to ensure an active and explosive two years of hearings and investigations, according to Rabble. Democratic leaders have stocked the committee with new, eager and media-friendly members who are hungry to dig into accusations against President Donald Trump and his administration on multiple fronts. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.SUBSCRIBE Jan. 29, 2019, 11 47 AM GMT By Leigh Ann Caldwell and Alex Moe WASHINGTON Oversight is its mandate but history shows that fiery conflict is its preferred method. And they are set to go against a Republican side of the committee filled with the president's biggest and most vocal defenders. If you want to be a viper and aren't afraid of mixing it up, oversight is a good place for you. The Democrats have taken their A-list freshmen and put them on the Oversight Committee there is a reason why, Jason Chaffetz, a former Republican chairman of the committee who is now a Fox News commentator, told NBC News. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

huawei: Sentencing hearing The driver involved in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash could theoretically be sentenced to 354 years in prison, but given Canadian legal precedent, his actual sentence is almost certain to be lower. 2, according to CTV. Huawei charges The United States has unsealed 13 criminal counts of conspiracy, fraud and obstruction against tech giant Huawei in addition to formally requesting the extradition of its CFO Meng Wanzhou. 3. Here's what else you need to know to start your day. 1. Political dynamics In a new video, former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper is warning about the values of elites versus populists that he says led to U.S. President Donald Trump's election. 4. Mental health Non-drug therapy rTMS has been proven to be beneficial for treating depression but it is not covered by the majority of provinces and only available at a few clinics across the country. Canadian citizenship Hundreds of immigrants are expressing frustration after a form for sponsoring their parents or grandparents for immigration to Canada was available online for less than 10 minutes. 5. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

pop album: Up until very recently I've been terrified about public speaking, McLachlan admitted on Tuesday as the Juno nominees were revealed in Toronto, according to CTV. I've had to become used to getting up in front of people... which seems ridiculous because I stand in front of thousands of people and sing and talk -- but that's when I'm in my moment and playing music. The Building a Mystery singer says she's never hosted any event at all, so starting with Canada's biggest night in music will be a considerable challenge. McLachlan will be in good company when she takes the stage in London, Ont., on March 17. The Pickering, Ont.-raised singer is also nominated for the Juno fan choice award, as well as artist, songwriter and pop album of the year. Leading the nominees is pop superstar Shawn Mendes with six nods, including for his self-titled third studio project, which is up for album of the year, and the song In My Blood, competing for single of the year. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

toast january: Mike Hensen / The London Free Press Perhaps you heard about cannabidiol CBD from a friend, the news, or even an influencer on Instagram, according to CBC. CBD has become a hot new product in a booming industry for its ability to potentially relieve pain, inflammation, anxiety and more. Now what By Cyrus Partow, The Fresh Toast January 29, 2019 Comments CBD has become a hot new product in a booming industry for its ability to potentially relieve pain, inflammation, anxiety and more. What separates CBD from it's counterpart THC is that CBD is non-psychoactive and will not get you high . Does cannabis have any health risks for patients with cardiovascular problems Man hurt in shooting and armed robbery at medicinal pot shop in Vancouver Could CBD suppositories, aka putting cannabis in your butt, be the next big craze So you're ready to give CBD a shot and purchase some This task in itself can be very confusing for shoppers. Differentiating Hemp CBD or Cannabis CBD with THC These two terms may seem interchangeable, but they represent very different things especially when it comes to CBD products. We've put together a list of tips for newcomers to empower you with the necessary knowledge to make an informed decision when buying CBD and avoid being taken advantage of. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

extradition request: The news becomes public on Dec. 5, according to Vancouver Courier. Dec. 6 China demands Canada release Meng and immediately correct the mistake officials made in arresting her. Dec. 1 Canadian authorities arrest Meng at Vancouver's airport while she is en route from Hong Kong to Mexico, after an extradition request from the Americans. The Chinese also say they were not briefed on the reasons for Meng's arrest. Dec. 7 Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland says Canada's envoy to China has briefed Chinese officials about Meng's case. In Ottawa, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Meng's case is part of an independent legal process with no outside political influence. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

awareness campaigns: Now the plan hatched Friday to respond to last week's terrorism-related arrests is rolling out in the small city on the eastern end of Lake Ontario, according to CTV. The response involves police protection for religious groups and organizations that help newcomers settle in the city, as well as public awareness campaigns and efforts to prevent potential bullying in the hallways of local schools. The equity consultant for the local Limestone District School Board had one thought Luckily, we've done the work needed to make this a success. When things like this arise and your relationships are poor, you're in a whole heap of problems and that wasn't the case for us, said James. A second person, who came to Canada as a refugee, was arrested but later released without charges in the same purported plot. Last week, the Mounties charged a youth, who cannot be identified, with knowingly facilitating a terrorist activity and with counselling someone to use an explosive or other lethal device to cause death or serious bodily injury. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

neighbours sign: In a new video posted online on Monday titled Why Trump Won, Harper defends Trump voters as not the ignorant and misguided deplorable depicted in mainstream media, they are our family, friends, and neighbours, according to CTV. Sign up for our Capital Dispatch newsletter, for all the latest politics news Harper starts by introducing himself as a seven-time elected Canadian MP and three-time prime minister. He then suggests that populist conservatism is the solution. He says that he didn't expect U.S. President Donald Trump to be elected, but he did think it was possible because he had sensed the political landscape shifting thanks to globalization. Many Americans voted for Donald Trump because the global economy has not been working for them, Harper says in the video. The former prime minister published a book in 2018 called Right Here, Right Now about populism and politics that discusses, in more depth, the concept he proposes in the video. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cabinet meeting: He pledged to build a wall anyway using his executive powers to declare a national emergency if necessary, according to Toronto Star. President Donald Trump listens during a meeting with Hispanic pastors in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, Jan. 25, 2019. As hundreds of thousands of furloughed federal workers prepared to return to work, Trump told The Wall Street Journal that he doesn't think the negotiators will strike a deal that he'd accept. Susan Walsh / AP Photo In this Jan. 2, 2019, file photo White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington. Mulvaney spoke Sunday, Jan. 27, on CBS' Face the Nation and Fox News Sunday. Mulvaney says Trump is prepared for another government shutdown if Congress won't work with him to secure the southern border. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

first-in basis: Raj Gopalakrishnan says he tried to submit his form at about five minutes after noon EST, but received a message on his laptop screen saying that the process had already closed, according to CTV. Is this a typing skills test Gopalakrishnan told CTVNews.ca from his home in Red Deer, Alta. After scrapping the lottery system in place since 2016, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said earlier this month that they would make an interest to sponsor parents and grandparents form available online for a limited time on first-in basis on Monday at noon EST. Potential applicants were told that that the form, which is several pages long and requires uploading proof of immigration status, should take about 10 minutes to fill out. They mention in their website that this form will take 10 minutes to complete. Or you're a person with disability Gopalakrishnan says he came to Canada in 2009 and has been trying to sponsor his mother for the past six years. What if there's a power outage or a communication outage in your area he added. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

summer: SLAV was cancelled last summer following protests that the play appropriated Black culture, according to Toronto Star. It has been revamped with help from activists. Hobbling around the stage with the help of a cane, Bonifassi known for singing the Oscar-nominated theme song for The Triplets of Belleville made light of the injury she sustained last summer during the show's original ill-fated run. Elias Djemil / THE CANADIAN PRESS Thank you for the warm reception, she told the cheering crowd at the sold-out theatre in St-Jerome, about 50 kilometres north of Montreal. Three performances into SLAV's run at the Montreal International Jazz Festival last summer, the show was cancelled. After all these twists and turns, I'd just about given up the ghost. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

troy j: All of these people reside in Toronto, and regardless of their nation of origin they require help now, according to Toronto Star. To divide the problem, and indicate responsibility based on immigration status, is irresponsible in its origin. In fact, 100 per cent are human beings. The only way we are going to solve the housing, affordability and homelessness emergencies in Toronto, is by having our city leadership unite with those on the front lines, and heed the advice of poverty reduction advocates who are saying in unison that the current glacial pace of action is unacceptable. Article Continued Below Troy J Young,Toronto Report an error Journalistic Standards About The StarWHEN IT COMES TO EXPERT ADVICE, COME TO US.NEW NEWSLETTERADVICESIGN UP With this exchange it leaves one wondering whether this executive committee is capable of advocating for its most vulnerable citizens when councillors, such as Pasternak, are looking to create divisions on an issue that demands a totally united commitment, without vilification of any one group as a source of justification to deflect advocacy responsibility. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

flurries forecast: She supplements her income working as an astrologer, and although the stars have been telling her Venezuelans are on the road to ridding themselves of socialist President Nicolas Maduro, she doesn't expect him to go quickly or quietly.article continues below Trending Stories It's snow time chance of flurries forecast for Vancouver Here's what life looks like in Vancouver's first legal cannabis dispensary Loblaws City Market to anchor massive downtown Vancouver post office redevelopment Vision Vancouver will not run a mayoral candidate for first time in party's history The government is going to strangle us even more with their bad decisions and shamelessness, Pineda said while sharing a bowl of beef soup with two friends, none of whom can afford the 1.50 meal on their own, according to Vancouver Courier. Economists agree that the longer the standoff between the U.S.-backed Guaido and Maduro drags on, the more regular Venezuelans are likely to suffer. But as Elizabeth Pineda was stocking up on staples Sunday at a sidewalk market near a Caracas slum, she was bracing for things to get a lot worse, not better.A retired secretary, Pineda survives on a monthly pension of just 18,000 bolivars, or about 6. Maduro, who so far appears to have the backing of the decisive military, has dug in, accusing the U.S. of orchestrating a coup by encouraging Guaido to declare himself interim president and then leading a chorus of nations that immediately recognized his rule. Directives sent Friday to the U.S. Federal Reserve will make it very hard for Maduro to access Venezuela's overseas assets and earnings, including those from Houston-based Citgo, a subsidiary of state-owned oil giant PDVSA and the major source of revenue for the bankrupt government. The high-risk and seldom-used strategy of recognizing an alternative government that doesn't already have de facto power is tantamount to blocking Maduro's access to Venezuela's all-important oil revenue, with enormous legal and financial entanglements. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

interview sunday: He pledged to build a wall anyway using his executive powers to declare a national emergency if necessary.article continues below Trending Stories It's snow time chance of flurries forecast for Vancouver Here's what life looks like in Vancouver's first legal cannabis dispensary Loblaws City Market to anchor massive downtown Vancouver post office redevelopment Vision Vancouver will not run a mayoral candidate for first time in party's history I personally think it's less than 50-50, but you have a lot of very good people on that board, Trump said in an interview Sunday with the newspaper, according to Vancouver Courier. The president was referring to a bipartisan committee of House and Senate lawmakers that will consider border spending as part of the legislative process. As hundreds of thousands of furloughed federal workers prepared to return to work, Trump told The Wall Street Journal that he doesn't think the negotiators will strike a deal that he'd accept. The president's standoff with Democrats on Capitol Hill is far from over and the clock is ticking. It's unclear if the Democrats will budge. The spending bill Trump signed on Friday to temporarily end the partial government shutdown funds the shuttered agencies only until Feb. 15. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

future generations: Most provinces' debts are also growing, according to CTV. Ontario now owes 322 billion, Quebec owes 188 billion and Alberta owes more than 51 billion. The federal debt has ballooned to 666 billion which translates to 18,030 per person, according to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. But the C.D. Howe Institute's new research shows that burden isn't shared equally between the generations. The projected lifetime fiscal burdens of the youngest generation born since 2005 and future generations are very high higher than those of any other generations, especially those born from the mid-1950s to the 1990s, Mahboubi found. To conduct the research, Senior Policy Analyst Parisa Mahboubi examined current and future net revenues, as well as spending, net debt, and expected demographic changes like an aging population. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

senate lawmakers: He pledged to build a wall anyway using his executive powers to declare a national emergency if necessary, according to CTV. I personally think it's less than 50-50, but you have a lot of very good people on that board, Trump said in an interview Sunday with the newspaper. As hundreds of thousands of furloughed federal workers prepared to return to work, Trump told The Wall Street Journal that he doesn't think the negotiators will strike a deal that he'd accept. The president was referring to a bipartisan committee of House and Senate lawmakers that will consider border spending as part of the legislative process. The spending bill Trump signed on Friday to temporarily end the partial government shutdown funds the shuttered agencies only until Feb. 15. The president's standoff with Democrats on Capitol Hill is far from over and the clock is ticking. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

water-soaked mud: Earlier Sunday, authorities stopped the search and evacuated several neighbourhoods in the southeastern city of Brumadinho that were within range of the second B6 dam owned by the Brazilian mining company Vale, according to CTV. An estimated 24,000 people were told to get to higher ground, but by the afternoon civil engineers said the second dam was no longer at risk. The Civil Defence office in Minais Gerais state raised the confirmed death toll to 58, with up to 300 people still missing following the avalanche of iron ore waste from a mine Friday. Get out searching! a woman yelled at firefighters near a refugee set up in the centre of Brumadinho. Areas of water-soaked mud appeared to be drying out, which could help firefighters get to areas previously unreachable. They could be out there in the bush. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

emboldening opposition: It followed Guaido's decision two days earlier to declare himself his country's interim leader, two weeks after Maduro's contested inauguration, according to CTV. But emboldening Venezuela's opposition has been a labour of months, The Canadian Press has learned. Juan Guaido's defiant pronouncement against President Nicolas Maduro -- whom Canada has branded a dictator who stole an election -- marked the latest dramatic development in Venezuela's political crisis. Canadian diplomats in Caracas, with their Latin American counterparts, worked to get the country's opposition parties to coalesce behind the one person who emerged strong enough to stand against Maduro 35-year-old Guaido. They were really looking for international support of some kind, to be able to hold onto a reason as to why they should unite, and push out somebody like Juan Guaido, said one source. The turning point came Jan. 4 when the Lima Group -- the bloc that includes Canada and more than a dozen Latin American countries -- rejected the legitimacy of Maduro's May 2018 election victory and his looming Jan. 10 inauguration, while recognizing the legitimately elected National Assembly, sources say. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

meng wanzhou: McCallum was quoted in a Vancouver newspaper as saying it would be great for Canada if the United States dropped its extradition request for Meng Wanzhou, the Huawei executive who was detained in Vancouver last month, according to CTV. Why is Huawei controversial He told Star Metro Vancouver on Friday that if the U.S. and China reach an agreement on Meng's case, the deal should include the release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, two Canadians currently detained in China for what many analysts say is revenge for the detention of Meng. The prime minister's office announced Saturday that ambassador John McCallum had been told to hand in his resignation -- just hours after he weighed in on a high-stakes extradition case for the second time in less than a week. We have to make sure that if the U.S. does such a deal, it also includes the release of our two people. That comment followed a statement McCallum issued Thursday, saying he misspoke earlier in the week when he discussed Meng's case with a group of Chinese-language journalists in Toronto, listing several arguments he thought could help her legal fight against extradition. And the U.S. is highly aware of that, McCallum told the Star. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

howard: In a decision delivered late in the day, Howard said there was only enough evidence to convict the man, who cannot be identified to protect his wife's identity, on one count each of extortion and sexual assault, according to CTV. He was found not guilty on five other charges -- one of assault and two each of sexual assault and extortion -- that related to specific dates in their relationship, including the events that led to his arrest on July 30, 2015. Ontario Superior Court Justice Paul Howard said that while he believed the man wielded this power on multiple occasions during the couple's nine-week marriage, he could not conclusively say how many times it happened. There is no doubt that by making these threats he intended to obtain sexual favours from his wife, Howard said in his ruling. Court heard the couple first came in contact on an online dating site in the spring of 2015, had sex on their first date and married within weeks of meeting in person. He induced the complainant by abusing a position of trust and power ... not because he was married to the complainant, but because of the particular context of her immigration circumstances. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

mccallum: On a day that both of those issues collided spectacularly in the news, McCallum lost his job as Canada's ambassador to China asked by Trudeau to step down after some extremely ill-advised remarks on Friday to a Star Metro reporter in Vancouver, according to Toronto Star. Even as attention was riveted on Kingston, Ont., and the questioning of a Syrian refugee in a terrorism take-down on Friday, McCallum was musing aloud in Vancouver about how it would be great for Canada if the U.S. dropped an extradition request that has entangled Canada in a massive, high-stakes dispute with China. First, as immigration minister from 2015 to early 2017, he managed the influx of Syrian refugees to this country; then, for the last two years, McCallum was Canada's man in China. It was McCallum's second verbal misstep in a week, and Trudeau phoned him late on Friday night to say that this latest outburst was one too many. Article Continued Below Since then, two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, have been detained and another, Robert Schellenberg, has been sentenced to death. The firing throws a bucket of cold water over speculation all last week that McCallum was saying what the Trudeau government could not say publicly in what has been an escalating, high-stakes feud with China, kicked off by the December arrest and detention of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou as part of the U.S. extradition request. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

star metro: McCallum, Canada's former ambassador to China, on January 24, 2019, walked back comments that Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou has a strong case against extradition to the United States, following a political backlash, according to Toronto Star. ALICE CHICHE / AFP/GETTY IMAGES file photo That was after Star Metro published an interview with McCallum in Vancouver in which he said that it would be great for Canada if the United States relinquishes its attempt to extradite Huawei's chief financial officer. In a statement released Saturday afternoon, Trudeau said he demanded McCallum's resignation on Friday night. According to a senior government source, Trudeau had spoken to McCallum earlier in the week after he misspoke and told Chinese language reporters about the government's view of the Meng case. Article Continued Below Government officials had initially suggested McCallum was more forthright than expected in his comments outlining the view that Meng had strong legal arguments to fight extradition, but Trudeau did not, at first, repudiate his comments. Trudeau asked McCallum explicitly to stop speaking about it but was prepared to stand by his ambassador in the face of Conservative calls that he should be fired. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

inauguration.article: It followed Guaido's decision two days earlier to declare himself his country's interim leader, two weeks after Maduro's contested inauguration.article continues below Trending Stories Mental health rated low in B.C. despite healthy lifestyles and long life doctor Amanda Tapping on coping with miscarriage Downtown Eastside Free dental clinic offers help with a smile Popular gluten-free bakery reveals plans to expand into Vancouver But emboldening Venezuela's opposition has been a labour of months, The Canadian Press has learned, according to Vancouver Courier. Canadian diplomats in Caracas, with their Latin American counterparts, worked to get the country's opposition parties to coalesce behind the one person who emerged strong enough to stand against Maduro 35-year-old Guaido. Juan Guaido's defiant pronouncement against President Nicolas Maduro whom Canada has branded a dictator who stole an election marked the latest dramatic development in Venezuela's political crisis. The turning point came Jan. 4 when the Lima Group the bloc that includes Canada and more than a dozen Latin American countries rejected the legitimacy of Maduro's May 2018 election victory and his looming Jan. 10 inauguration, while recognizing the legitimately elected National Assembly, sources say. The Canadian Press interviewed senior Canadian government officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the crisis in Venezuela. They were really looking for international support of some kind, to be able to hold onto a reason as to why they should unite, and push out somebody like Juan Guaido, said one source. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

food court: I thought I'm not going to be here at that age, and then it's like holy s---, she says, drinking an iced coffee in the food court below the store that has felt like home for the better part of three decades, according to Toronto Star. Jean Machine store manager Susan Cripps-Campbell, director of operations Darren Perlman, senior assistant manager Shida Dastoom and district manager Iggy Eterno, at the Toronto Eaton Centre store this month. Her manager was 26. Says Eterno, who was in charge of recruiting We wanted personality. Steve Russell / Toronto Star She has been here exclusively since 1994, an endless cycle of skinny and wide fit, low- and high-rise, near the escalator bank that whisks shoppers toward Nordstrom, Sears or Eaton's, depending on the decade. We had a lot of challenging employees ... but God were they fun. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

saka: Documents show that Saka, who was at London's Chaldean Catholic Church, took money that was supposed to help new immigrants to Canada, according to CTV. Among other spots, he gambled at casinos in Windsor and Niagara. Father Amer Saka told the court he had a serious gambling addiction and pleaded guilty to fraud over 5,000. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 6. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration pilot: This is exactly what we're looking for, said Winkler Mayor Martin Harder who recently met with Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen, according to CTV. In Winkler alone, as an example, at the meeting we said there was 200 million worth of manufacturing goods that could be exported out of this country a year if we were able to have the labour source in order to do that. The community is hopeful a new program announced Thursday by the federal government, called the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, will help attract skilled workers to the region. Communities have to apply to be part of the program. Communities with up to 200,000 people will be considered in more remote areas. To be eligible communities must have a population of less than 50,000 people and be located at least 75 kilometres from metropolitan area. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.