The Canadian Press Jason Kenney Dept: OTTAWA -- The Conservative government is using its majority to once again overhaul the refugee system to reduce what it considers to be bogus claims, according to Winnipeg Free Press. This new legislation, called the Protecting Canada's Immigration System Act, more closely resembles the original refugee bill as tabled by the Tories, before any concessions. But, Kenney said, a glut of refugee claims from the European Union has forced the government to adopt even tougher measures and sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press Jason Kenney: glut of claimants from EU CP Immigration Minister Jason Kenney tabled legislation in the House of Commons on Thursday that reverses some key concessions the Tories made to the opposition two years ago in order to pass the Balanced Refugee Reform Act through a minority Parliament. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Mohammad Kharzei Dept: BANGKOK - The three Iranian men detained for allegedly plotting bomb attacks in Bangkok on Israeli diplomats had more than terror on their minds in Thailand. Police said Friday that they had also cavorted with prostitutes at a beach resort, according to Winnipeg Free Press. The foiled plan was discovered Tuesday when explosives in the men's rented house blew up by mistake, forcing them to flee. Two were detained in the Thai capital, and a third was captured Wednesday in neighbouring Malaysia as he reportedly tried to return to Iran and thai immigration officers escort detained Iranian Mohammad Kharzei, center, at the immigration headquarters in Bangkok on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012. Kharzei and two fellow Iranians arrested after accidentally setting off an explosives cache in Bangkok were planning to attack Israeli diplomats, Thailand's police chief said Thursday, the first confirmation by local officials that the group was plotting terror attacks in the Southeast Asian country. AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit The news comes as Thai authorities announced they were searching for two more suspects in the botched bomb plot, including a possible explosives specialist who may have been training the Iranians. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney Tabled Dept: Immigration Minister Jason Kenney tabled legislation in the House of Commons on Thursday that reverses some key concessions the Tories made to the opposition two years ago in order to pass the Balanced Refugee Reform Act through a minority Parliament, according to The Chronicle Herald. But Kenney says a glut of refugee claims from the European Union has forced the government to adopt even tougher measures and oTTAWA The Conservative government is using its majority to once again overhaul the refugee system to reduce what it considers to be bogus claims. This new legislation, called the Protecting Canada s Immigration System Act, more closely resembles the original refugee bill as tabled by the Tories, before any concessions. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

John Kobylt Dept: LOS ANGELES, Calif. - A Los Angeles radio station has pulled two popular talk radio hosts off the air for comments they made about Whitney Houston, according to Winnipeg Free Press. "Management does not condone, support or tolerate statements of this kind," the station said and in this March 9, 2011 file photo, KFI AM 640 Radio's John Kobylt, left, and Ken Chiampou, record their radio show at their station in Burbank, Calif. The station said in a statement that Kobylt and Chiampou were "suspended for making insensitive and inappropriate comments about the late Whitney Houston." Kobylt said in statement that they "used language that was inappropriate and they sincerely apologize to our listeners and to the family of Ms. Houston." The hosts, who often rail against taxes and illegal immigration, will return to the airwaves Feb. 27. AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes KFI AM 640 suspended John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou, the hosts of the "John and Ken Show," for "making insensitive and inappropriate comments about the late Whitney Houston," it said in a statement Thursday. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Megan Leslie Dept: But when Megan Leslie made the tongue-in-cheek suggestion Thursday in the House of Commons, the New Democrat MP was taking more than just an environmental swipe at Stephen Harper s Conservative government, according to The Chronicle Herald. Feel-good titles for government legislation have become standard Conservative salesmanship, a development highlighted this week with the introduction of a complex and controversial electronic surveillance bill and oTTAWA It s safe to say the Protecting Bitumen from Internet Predators Pipeline is not in the cards for Canada. She was talking about the perversion of language. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

FBI Dept: LONG BEACH, Calif. - A U.S. immigration agent shot and seriously wounded a co-worker during a workplace confrontation before another agent pulled his weapon and shot the gunman to death, the FBI said, according to Winnipeg Free Press. The FBI's Steven Martinez described the shootings as a case of "workplace violence involving two federal agents in their office space." He offered no details about what led to the initial shooting and streets are closed in downtown Long Beach surrounding the federal building on Ocean Boulevard after an ICE agent shot and injured another agent and was then killed by a third colleague in a federal building in Long Beach according to the FBI. FBI Special Agent Steven Martinez says the shooting occurred at about 5:30 p.m. Thursday. AP Photo/Brittany Murray, Long Beach Press Telegram The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were shot Thursday evening in the federal building in Long Beach, south of downtown Los Angeles. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Black Theatre Workshop Dept: Dennis Foon wrote the play in 1981. It continues to resonate with audiences 31 years later, according to Montreal Gazette. "We've been playing for audiences ranging from kindergarten age right up to CEGEP," actor Mike Payette Nick said. "Each age group relates to it on a different level." The play New Canadian Kid is about the bullying endured by a young immigrant boy named Nick and his mom after they arrive in Canada from their invented native country Homeland. Black Theatre Workshop is touring Montreal-area schools throughout February with a slightly updated version, directed by Liz Valdez. There is one public performance at the F.C. Smith Auditorium at Concordia University's Loyola campus, Feb. 25 at 2 p.m. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Refugee Claimants Dept: But immigration experts are sounding the alarm, warning that legitimate refugees risk being tossed out, too, in the government s rush to process applications and cut a backlog of 42,000 people, according to The Star. Kenney tabled legislation Thursday meant to streamline the refugee process and in particular target a growing number of bogus claimants from Europe and oTTAWA The federal government is overhauling Canada s overloaded and broken refugee system to put questionable refugee claimants on a fast-track back to their homelands. And they say the changes put too much power in the hands of Immigration Minister Jason Kenney to decide which countries are deemed safe or not around the globe. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Ryerson University Dept: The open letter, which includes signatures from Ryerson University, University of Toronto and York University professors, comes one week after the city signed a contract with locally based Impact Cleaning Services to handle Toronto police buildings, according to The Star. About 250 cleaners working with Toronto Community Housing and the Toronto police service have already been handed pink slips, said representatives from the group, Good Jobs For All and one hundred academics from three Toronto universities have signed a letter asking the Ford administration to stop contracting out cleaning jobs. Nearly 1,000 unionized cleaners have been warned they will probably be laid off as the city seeks out cheaper private companies to do their jobs. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

London Riots Dept: With no charges laid despite thousands of photos, hours of video evidence and swift convictions in the U.K. following the London riots in August police went on the defensive, blaming overworked investigators and red tape for the sluggish pace of the investigation, according to The Star. If someone wants to go over that line of civility and commit carnage and mayhem the courts have spoken if you do that you will be facing serious consequences, Police Chief Jim Chu said. The whole community has come together and said this is very bad behaviour and vANCOUVER It was two months after the Stanley Cup riot that public anger spread from the hundreds who caused the mayhem to the Vancouver police. Now eight months after storefront windows were smashed, cars were burned and shops were looted, the first rioter has finally been sentenced. On Thursday, Ryan Dickinson, 20, who pleaded guilty to throwing a road barricade, a newspaper box and a mannequin through a storefront window, was sentenced to 17 months in jail. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.