immigrantscanada.com

Independent topical source of current affairs, opinion and issues, featuring stories making news in Canada from immigrants, newcomers, minorities & ethnic communities' point of view and interests.

cent mark: And with vacancy rates near the one per cent mark, that means tenants have all but given up on looking for their ideal unit and will instead take whatever they can get, according to CTV. It costs 1,500, 1,600 for something pretty basic with limited light and probably mould, so it's not good, said Vancouver renter Jess Harvey. According to listing site Pad Mapper, the median cost of renting a one-bedroom apartment in Vancouver is sitting at about 2,100 a month. But could that be changing An online search of the rental market revealed several landlords offering perks and discounts in an effort to entice renters. And those offering these types of incentives included the owners of brand new or renovated suites. Those include one month of free rent and cash that can be applied to future payments. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

air force: Dust storms were forecast in the desert state of Rajasthan bordering Pakistan, heat waves in the coastal state of Maharashtra on the Arabian Sea, heavy rain in the northeastern states bordering China and snowfall in the Himalayas, according to CTV. Around 1.2 million people were evacuated from low-lying areas of Odisha and moved to nearly 4,000 shelters, according to India's National Disaster Response Force. The India Meteorological Department said the extremely severe cyclone in the Bay of Bengal hit the coastal state of Odisha around 8 a.m., with weather impacted across the Asian subcontinent. Indian officials put the navy, air force, army and coast guard on high alert. By Friday afternoon, Fani had weakened to a very severe storm as it hovered over coastal Odisha and was forecast to move north-northeast toward the Indian state of West Bengal by Friday evening. Odisha Special Relief Commissioner Bishnupada Sethi said the evacuation effort was unprecedented in India. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

news: But sources tell CTV News that he informed the Prime Minister's Office more than a year ago that he would testify on behalf of Norman, according to CTV. Sources confirm that he is listed on the defence witness list. Leslie, who represents the Ottawa riding of Orleans and was previously a lieutenant-general in Canadian military, would not comment. Two high level sources tell CTV News that after Leslie informed the Liberal whip that he would testify on behalf of Norman, he was not pressured to change his testimony, nor was he asked not to run again. CTV News has also learned that Leslie asked that his legal costs be covered by the government, and that request has been signed off on, sources said. But as late as two weeks ago, sources say that the most senior members of the PMO were inexplicably still unaware of Leslie's decision. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

signup forms: But some also say they won't let it turn them around, according to Toronto Star. In this Friday, Jan. 18, 2019 file photo, Tennessee Gov.-elect Bill Lee takes part in a walk-through for his inauguration in War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn. They call the new law, likely the first in the country to fine groups for too many incomplete registration forms, an affront to one of the most basic civil rights enjoyed by Americans. Gov. It drew an immediate federal lawsuit. Bill Lee has signed legislation that would likely make Tennessee the first to fine voter registration groups for turning in too many incomplete signup forms. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

amstephen moore: Trump announced on Twitter that Moore had decided to withdraw from the Fed process, according to Rabble. Trump called him a great pro-growth economist and a truly fine person. Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg News By Felicia Sonmez Felicia Sonmez National reporter on The Washington Post's breaking political news team Email Bio Follow Seung Min Kim and Seung Min Kim White House reporter Email Bio Follow Damian Paletta Damian Paletta Reporter covering economic policy Email Bio Follow May 3 at 7 35 AMStephen Moore, President Trump's planned nominee for a seat on the Federal Reserve Board, on Thursday abandoned his bid to join the powerful U.S. central bank, the second presidential favorite to bow out in the face of Republican opposition. Steve won the battle of ideas including Tax Cuts and deregulation which have produced non-inflationary prosperity for all Americans, Trump tweeted. In a letter informing Trump of his decision to withdraw, Moore praised the president's economic policies but said the scrutiny of his past remarks had become too much to bear. I've asked Steve to work with me toward future economic growth in our Country. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

journalism: In anticipation of today's World News Day, a time to recognize and celebrate the power of journalism to make a difference in people's lives, I asked for your perspectives on why journalism matters to you, according to Toronto Star. A free press is a basic tenet of democracy. You answered. Journalism matters even more today given all the unregulated platforms and anonymous sources on which falsehoods can be circulated and even, undermine free elections, writes Linda Lapointe. Thank you to all who participated. FRED CHARTRAND / THE CANADIAN PRESS The responses, as always when I reach out to Star readers for your views were for the most part thoughtful and constructive, showing tremendous insight into the value of the public service mission of journalism and deep appreciation both for journalism's purpose in our democracy and for the work of journalists who aspire to journalism's highest ideals. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

prequel revenge: He was 74, according to CTV. No cause was given. Mayhew died at his home in north Texas on Tuesday, according to a family statement. As Chewbacca, known to his friends as Chewie, the 7-foot-3 Mayhew was a fierce warrior with a soft heart, loyal sidekick to Harrison Ford's Han Solo, and co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon. Peter Mayhew was a kind and gentle man, possessed of great dignity and noble character, Ford said in a statement Thursday. Mayhew went on to appear as the Wookiee in the 2005 prequel Revenge of the Sith and shared the part in 2015's The Force Awakens with actor Joonas Suotamo, who took over the role in subsequent films. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

information warfare: Journalist, according to National Observer. Caroline Orr studies disinformation, psychological warfare, and the extremes of human behaviour and will be writing about it for you. Behavioral scientist. Orr will be joining National Observer's team as part of the Election Integrity Reporting Project. She brings prodigious experience to the job. Orr is a social scientist recognized internationally for her expertise on bots, propaganda and online information warfare. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

opposition protests: Their journey had begun five years earlier, when Ahmad and his wife attempted to flee Syria, in the run-up to the civil war, according to CTV. On their way to the Damascus airport, the couple was stopped at a checkpoint, where Ahmad, who had participated in opposition protests, was beaten by Syrian officials and forced to pay a five-hundred-dollar bribe in exchange for his and his family's release. I want to go to the Canadian border, he told the driver. They were able to live as temporary residents in Abu Dhabi until the U.A.E. government unexpectedly expelled the family, in December, 2015. Two days after landing at J.F.K. airport, Ahmad got a call from a Syrian friend in Canada, who told him that the new Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, was welcoming Syrians. Ahmad, who asked to be identified only by his middle name, knew that his life would be at risk if the family returned to Syria; instead, they flew to New York on U.S. tourist visas. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

voter lists: It is not clear how many of these people could have fraudulently cast a ballot in the 2015 campaign, though the register these names appear on is what informs the voter lists, meaning they could have received voter identification cards telling them they were eligible to vote, according to CTV. However, a voter information card alone cannot be used as a valid piece of identification at the polls. Chief Electoral Officer Stephane Perrault told the Senate National Finance Committee on Tuesday that his office has identified these names on the registered list of qualified electors and will be removing them before the 2019 federal election. That is not something that we want obviously, because it appears as an invitation to vote, Perrault told CTVNews.ca. Elections Canada is still looking into the matter to determine this, and try to establish how these names ended up on the register in the first place. It would require considerable analysis to determine whether these potentially fraudulent votes would have affected the election result. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

zakir: During the 17 April rally, Sidhu had claimed that people who are facing hunger and poverty are being asked to do yoga and get bank accounts under the Narendra Modi-led government, according to Rabble. Narendra Modi, is this your love for your nation that people have empty stomachs but are made to practise yoga. he had asked.18 18 IST Narendra Modi in Madhya Pradesh latest updatesPM mocks 'Diggi Raja' Digvijaya Singh over Zakir Naik row One of the first things Sri Lankan government did after the Easter blasts was to ban Zakir Naik's TV channel. The EC has asked him to reply by 6 pm on Thursday. This is the same Zakir Naik in whose 'durbar' Diggi Raja Digvijaya Singh was once seen, Narendra Modi said in Hoshangabad. The party has so much hatred against me that they are dreaming to kill me. Reports have said that Sri Lankan cable operators blocked Peace TV, the network owned by the controversial Islamic preacher and his organisation in the aftermath of the the deadly bomb blasts which rocked the country on Easter killing 290 people.17 37 IST Narendra Modi in Madhya Pradesh latest updates Congress driven by hatred, dreaming to kill me PMAddressing a rally in Hoshangabad, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, Someone from Congress recently said that Modi should be knocked out in such a way that he lands in Pakistan. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

culture: Maybe it was because I could not adjust to the dating culture back then, according to Toronto Star. So, I returned to my country of birth and arranged a marriage myself. At 34, I had difficulty going out with women. Advice columnist Ellie Tesher Richard Lautens / Toronto Star My wife arrived here a year later. We have cultural misunderstanding and ego issues. We have two sons, but we do not have a happy marriage. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

kenney: It is a delightsome land with its prairies and its mountains, its forests and fertile fields and a healthy, invigorating climate, Kenney said, breaking into some chuckles, according to National Observer. Fight disinformation with facts. It started with a smile that cracked on Kenney's face as he read from a description of Alberta from Sept. 1, 1905, the day it became a province in the Dominion of Canada. Support the Election Integrity Reporting Project!This is how much readers like you have donated so far. It was not entirely clear what they were laughing at, but the mention of the word climate comes as Kenney begins a mandate by starting a legal battle against the federal government's climate change policies and launching a political war against climate change and conservation activists that have been pushing Alberta to clean up its oilpatch, home to the world's third largest reserves of crude oil after Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Goal 75,000 30,700Donate The crowd, which included 22 new members of his cabinet, began to laugh along with him. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

aviation administration: Eighteen of the victims were Canadian citizens, although several others were foreign nationals living in Canada, according to Toronto Star. Lawyers in Chicago filed Monday's suits in the U.S. on behalf of a Brampton, Ont., family that lost six members and a man who lost his Hamilton-based wife and three young children. All 157 people on board were killed when the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft en route from Addis Ababa to Nairobi crashed on March 10. Blinded by its greed, Boeing haphazardly rushed the 737 Max 8 to market, with the knowledge and tacit approval of the United States Federal Aviation Administration while Boeing actively concealed the nature of the automated system defects, the unproven claims alleged. Article Continued Below Boeing said it could not comment on the lawsuits. Numerous decisions by Boeing's leadership substantially contributed to the subject crash and demonstrate Boeing's conscious disregard for the lives of others. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ctv atlantic: He completed his medical degree in 2009 and spent two-and-a-half years working as an orthopedic surgeon in his native Syria, according to CTV. When he left Syria due to the civil war, he spent three years practising medicine in Jordan. Loai Al Rifai is one of them. Read more on this story from CTV Atlantic Now in Canada, Al Rifai is not yet able to share his medical knowledge with Nova Scotian patients. Although he has taken classes and is conversant in English, he feels his language skills haven't developed to the point where he is comfortable writing Nova Scotia's mandatory medical exam. Instead, he finds himself working at a hardware store in Halifax. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

gas industry: I jumped instead of being pushed, according to National Observer. Kenney's government is due to be sworn in to office on April 30 after winning a majority of seats and defeating Premier Rachel Notley's New Democrats in Alberta's April 16 election. I cannot support the government's tactics and policy direction, and they were going to fire me anyway, so let's call it a case of irreconcilable differences and save everyone some time and money, he told National Observer in a phone interview on Monday. Fight disinformation with facts. Goal 75,000 27,750Donate The premier-designate had said he would fire Whittingham, whom he accused, without evidence, of being part of a conspiracy of economic sabotage against Alberta's oil and gas industry. Support the Election Integrity Reporting Project!This is how much readers like you have donated so far. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

mowat centre: The Ford government found the centre useful enough to cite as a source of information in its recent provincial budget, in a section discussing manufacturing job losses in Southwestern Ontario, according to National Observer. Fight disinformation with facts. The 10-year-old Mowat Centre, a research organization at the University of Toronto, has recently examined issues such as the uneven success of the province's settlement of immigrants, the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous education and the differences between urban and rural Ontarians. Support the Election Integrity Reporting Project!This is how much readers like you have donated so far. The Mowat Centre was receiving an annual 1-million grant from the government of Ontario that helped pay the bills including 1.8 million in salaries and benefits, according to the organization's most recent year-end financial statements.A letter published Monday from director Andrew Parkin said the centre has started the process of wrapping up its work over the next two months. ; The Mowat Centre would like to inform its many partners and supporters that, as the result of the cancellation of its funding agreement with the Government of Ontario, it will soon be closing, Parkin wrote. Goal that citation, the government is moving ahead with cancelling funding for all think tanks, Ontario Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Minister Todd Smith's office confirmed. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

effect monday: The ban, which took effect Monday, has been touted as a security measure, according to CTV. However, it criminalizes a practice more associated with an ultraconservative form of Islam previously unknown on the island, one that more closely adheres to the strict beliefs more common in Saudi Arabia. Now in the wake of Easter suicide attacks launched by Islamic State group-linked militants that killed more than 250 people, Sri Lanka's president has used his emergency powers to ban the practice previously unheard of in the island nation off the southern coast of India. It also can focus public suspicion on women who practice their religious beliefs peacefully, while the government and foreign diplomats say IS-linked militants armed with explosives still roam the island. Sri Lanka's pain from the Easter attacks should not be used to promote failed policies. As we have seen in Afghanistan and elsewhere, Muslim women will become a convenient cover for military action, wrote Nimmi Gowrinathan, a professor at the City College of New York. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ibrahim abubakar: Ibrahim Abubakar said in a statement to the Daily Mail, according to CTV. A Nigerian citizen was also kidnapped when about a dozen gunmen stormed the rig, firing weapons and grabbing three men, according to local news reports. The workers were taken during an 8 a.m. raid on the rig owned by Niger Delta Petroleum Resources, military spokesman Maj. They then fled into an area of thick forest and swamps. Global Affairs Canada said in a statement Sunday they were aware that a Canadian citizen was the victim of a kidnapping in Nigeria, and that consular officials are in contact with local authorities to gather additional information. The military has dispatched troops to search the area. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

mac lauchlan: Last Tuesday, Prince Edward Islanders not only elected a PC minority government but were sooner ready to consider the Green Party than re-elect Wade Mac Lauchlan's governing Liberals, according to Toronto Star. Progressive Conservative leader Dennis King, accompanied by his wife Jana Hemphill, right, addresses supporters after winning the Prince Edward Island provincial election in Charlottetown on Tuesday. And with that, the inescapable conclusion that the Liberal brand is, if not in crisis, certainly not what it was on Election Day in October, 2015. Andrew Vaughan / THE CANADIAN PRESS For those keeping count of such things, that's five straight conservative victories. And so, it should come as no surprise that outgoing Premier Mac Lauchlan's Liberal campaign opted not to reach out to their cousins in Ottawa for assistance. In four of them, the Liberal vote share dropped to the lowest levels seen, wait for it, since Confederation. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

building answers.ca: I would like to thank the hundreds of residents who submitted questions at Building Answers.ca for us to answer over the past three weeks, according to Toronto Star. Here are the top three questions The amount of new home construction in the GTA is driven by factors including natural growth and rural-to-urban migration. The objective is to demystify the development and home-building process in the GTA, and to have a dialogue with residents about the housing challenges facing the region. Richard Lautens / Toronto Star 1. Questions came from a wide range of residents from young and old, to single parents and single-income families. How will the challenge of affordability affect our ability to purchase a home By far the largest number of questions we have received pertain to people's ability to afford a home in the GTA. Questions included the challenges of finding rental properties and the status of purpose-built rental buildings in the region. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

detention centre: It said only 35 of those who escaped had returned without explaining why it had lowered its figures, according to Toronto Star. Migrants waits for their transfer from an immigration detention center in Tapachula, Chiapas state, Mexico, Thursday, April 25, 2019. Mexico's National Immigration Institute said in a statement that rather than the 1,300 escapees it reported Thursday night, only 645 migrants had actually fled. Moises Castillo / AP Photo The centre was holding 1,745 people at the time, nearly double its capacity, the statement said. That caused a commotion and migrants gained access to other parts of the detention centre before eventually making it to the main entrance. The escape began with Cuban migrants escaping their holding area into an area reserved for women, who were mostly Honduran. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

alexandre: Raymond Bissonnette's letter states that the use of the word terrorist to describe his son is putting his family at risk, according to CTV. The day after the crime committed by my son Alexandre Bissonnette at the Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre, you stated categorically Make no mistake-- this was a terrorist attack. Alexandre Bissonnette killed six people and injured many more when he walked into a mosque during evening prayers and opened fire in January 2017. A few days later, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner confirmed that several Canadian politicians had already labelled Alexandre Bissonnette a terrorist, wrote Raymond Bissonnette. He added that his son's crime was extremely terrible and severe, and that the absence of terrorism charges in no way diminishes the gravity of the crime but it has no link to terrorism or to any particular ideology. Raymond Bissonnette points out that his son was charged and convicted on six counts of first degree murder, but was never charged with terrorism. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

boris johnson: People who read out bits from papers on late-night news shows, a former I'm A Celebrity because I'm Boris Johnson's sister contestant, an I Grew Up Damaged because I'm Jacob Rees-Mogg's sister casualty, and a woman seen in more TV car wrecks than a crash test dummy, Ann Widdecombe, according to Rabble. Everyone's least-favourite right-wing banshee has teamed up with Nigel Farage, slightly too late to make the casting for the Laurel and Hardy film, but still feeding us comic lines like the reason for her joining his Brexit Party Britain is a laughing stock. . Any no-deal stockpiler who's storing up mirrors, please send one to Widdecombe's house, pronto. No sooner was the Brexit delay announced, and vacancies to stand in the European elections for new parties realised, than a host of the usual suspects planted themselves before the cameras. Ann Widdecombe and Nigel Farage are two of the usual candidates Image PA Read More Ann Widdecombe 5 shocking things Brexit Party candidate has said and done The man who has failed seven times to be elected an MP believes anger over Theresa May's Brexit shambles will give him a resounding victory at these unwanted EU polls. But every solid Labour voter needs to realise that voting for Farage is like putting a picture of Thatcher over your fireplace or placing an advert in the Satanic Times saying, soul for sale . Because he does not represent your values. And he's making a serious play for Labour voters to join his protest bandwagon. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian females: And they don't wear scarves and they don't wear black, according to CTV. The group of six Muslim friends were standing outside the Wilfrid Laurier University library in Waterloo, Ont., when the woman in the video stopped to stare at them like zoo animals, wrote Shama Saleh in a Facebook post. In footage posted to Facebook, a white woman in a pink puffer jacket describes what she says is a standard look for young Canadian females the ripped jeans, the little jean jacket and the running shoes. This happened to us because being born and raised in Canada is not enough for people that look like us, wrote Saleh. This incident is incongruent with the values of equity, diversity and inclusion that we strive to foster at Laurier, the statement read. The university released a statement Wednesday condemning the woman's words and offering support for anyone in the school community affected. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

energy studies: Premier John Horgan says helping people keep their homes cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter makes sense, and the efficiency they're investing in will help B.C. reduce climate pollution, according to CTV. Incentives include a 3,000 rebate for those who switch to high-efficiency electric heat pumps, up to 2,000 in rebates for upgrades on doors and windows and up to 20,000 for energy studies to help identify improvements in commercial buildings. The Better Buildings program offers thousands of dollars in rebates and incentives to entice the switch to high-efficiency heating equipment and improve building envelopes, which include walls, windows, roofs and foundations. The plan allows for 14,100 for a home and 220,000 for a commercial business to make the energy-saving changes. Energy Minister Michelle Mungall says in a news release that energy-efficient buildings are a key part of a cleaner future. The CleanBC program announced last year was part of the agreement Horgan's NDP signed with the B.C. Green party in order to form a minority government in 2017. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.