Canada Dept: If you listen carefully to what all of the senior conservative government officials are saying these days, it appears they want to turn Canada into an economic juggernaut. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Stephen Harper told investors and bankers that Canada is getting ready for major transformational change. Having scolded the Europeans for the failure of their post-war welfare state, Harper told them that Canada, worried about its aging population, will soon be dealing with the pension costs, which their nations have failed to tackle until it's too late. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Jason Kenney Dept: The study looked at how all provinces tailor immigration criteria to fit local labour needs, according to CTV. However, the study also found that too many immigrants have little or no proficiency in either official language and jason Kenney released a study yesterday that shows only one quarter of provincial nominees who moved to the Atlantic provinces stayed there -- compared with 95 per cent in British Columbia. It also found the majority of workers selected are succeeding, with more than 90 per cent declaring earnings after one year in Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

University Of North Florida S Jacksonville Campus Dept: It was coming to a head Thursday night as the former House speaker stepped into University of North Florida s Jacksonville campus for the staggering 19th debate of the Republican nomination cycle, according to The Star. Not this time, though and wASHINGTON It has no name yet, but something akin to Operation: Newtralize is building into an onslaught against Newt Gingrich s drive for the presidency. Gingrich needed an out-of-this-world performance just to stay even, given the Republican resources rallying around rival Mitt Romney. As a superior debater, the daunting task seemed within his reach. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Solange Denis Dept: In just a few short weeks, the Prime Minister has signalled that he intends to make the most of his majority mandate with moves to cap health-care funding and streamline approvals for energy projects. Then, in a speech in Davos, Switzerland Thursday, he put Canadians on notice to expect major reforms in immigration and research and development funding, according to The Star. Former prime minister Brian Mulroney learned the hard way that politicians tinker with the issue at their peril. After he partially de-indexed old age pensions in his 1985 budget, he was confronted on Parliament Hill by Solange Denis, who shouted, You lied to us and oTTAWA Is this Stephen Harper s Charlie Brown moment, or a defining change in crafting a conservative legacy? But it was his vow to change retirement income benefits an area where previous governments have tried and failed that has stirred the most reaction. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Retention Rates Dept: Just 37 per cent of PNP immigrants who arrived on P.E.I. before 2008 were still living on the Island at the end of that year. Newfoundland and Labrador was the only province with a worse record: 23 per cent. Retention rates in Alberta and British Columbia were over 95 per cent, according to CBC. The report concludes employment may be a factor in immigrant retention and p.E.I. has one of the worst records in the country for retaining immigrants from the provincial nominee program, says a report from Canada Immigration. Does the low number of immigrants staying on P.E.I. worry you? The retention issue for PNP immigrants was particularly problematic for P.E.I., which relied on the program for 95 per cent of its immigrants. Nationally immigrants arrived through a broad range of programs, with PNP making up just 17 per cent of immigrants. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Pension System Dept: Of those reforms, Harper said, getting a grip on slowing the rising costs of the country's pension system is particularly critical, according to Vancouver Sun. The opposition NDP and Liberals said such a move would financially cripple millions of Canadians, and that at a time when world leaders were talking about addressing income inequality, the prime minister's words indicated the opposite may happen in Canada and prime Minister Stephen Harper signalled his government will bring forward "major transformations" to the country in the coming months - in areas such as the retirement pension system, immigration, science and technology investment and the energy sector. In the wake of Harper's speech, it now appears the Conservative government could be poised to gradually change the Old Age Security system so that the age of eligibility is raised to 67 from 65. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Tooba Yahya Dept: A chronology of major events before and after the deaths:, according to Winnipeg Free Press. June 2007: Shafia family, except first wife Rona Amir Mohammad, moves to Canada, granted landed immigrant status and kINGSTON, Ont. - A jury is considering the fate of Mohammad Shafia, 58, Tooba Yahya, 42, and their son Hamed, 21, who stood trial on four counts each of first-degree murder. They're accused of killing three of Shafia and Yahya's daughters and Shafia's first wife in a polygamous marriage over family honour. 1992: The Kabul-born Shafia family leaves Afghanistan and lives in Pakistan, Dubai and Australia before moving to Montreal in 2007. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Hispanic Leadership Network Dept: U.S. election coverage, according to The Star. Both men arranged for appearances Friday with the Hispanic Leadership Network. Florida has roughly 1.5 million Hispanic voters, who figure to play prominently in the largest and most diverse primary so far in the state-by-state nominating process to challenge President Barack Obama in November and jACKSONVILLE, FLA. More than a million Hispanic voters are the prize as Republican presidential rivals Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich resume campaigning Friday after a feisty, final debate before Florida s primary on Tuesday. Romney was the surprise aggressor in the second debate in four days Thursday night, pressing Gingrich to apologize for an ad labeling him as anti-immigrant. That s simply inexcusable and repulsive, Romney said. My father was born in Mexico. I m not anti-immigrant. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Rosemary Barton Dept: In an interview with Rosemary Barton on the News Network, Menzies says the government wants to make sure the system in place now can be sustained in the future, according to CBC. "We're looking at all options right now. We're looking at all options that make it sustainable." Any changes to retirement income won't be sudden, but the government isn't ruling out any options for restructuring the system, Minister of State for Finance Ted Menzies said Friday. "I don't think we'd change anything overnight," he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Pension System Dept: Of those reforms, Harper said, getting a grip on slowing the rising costs of the country's pension system is particularly critical, according to Montreal Gazette. The opposition NDP and Liberals said that such a move would financially cripple millions of Canadians. They argued that at a time when world leaders are talking about addressing income inequality, the prime minister's words indicated the opposite may happen in Canada and prime Minister Stephen Harper signalled his government will bring forward "major transformations" in the coming months - in areas such as the retirement pension system, immigration, science and technology investment and the energy sector. In the wake of Harper's speech, it now appears the Conservative government could be poised to gradually change the Old Age Security system so that the age of eligibility is raised to 67 from 65. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.