Desperate Shortage Dept: How can manufacturing layoffs and an unemployment rate of more than 8 per cent in six provinces, including Ontario and Quebec, be reconciled with this desperate shortage? As the CCC report makes clear, rather than an overall shortage of workers, the real problem is a skills crisis. The retraining of laid-off workers from shrinking industries, such as manufacturing, to work in fast-growing sectors is crucial to resolving this skills crisis, according to Globe and Mail. Given the shortage of skilled workers, and the pending retirement of thousands more across the country, Canadian businesses and governments should view every person as potential contributor to the work force. With that in mind, improving immigrant integration services should be a high priority. Many immigrants gain entry to Canada on the basis of needed skills yet languish in low-skill jobs due in part to the lack of national standards for assessing qualifications and and earlier this month, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce issued a report, The Top 10 Barriers to Competitiveness, which highlighted a desperate labour shortage as the No. 1 obstacle to growth of Canadian companies. A more highly skilled work force will produce value-added goods and services and new technologies that can maximize productivity and improve the quality of life for all Canadians, the report stresses in its key theme. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Iran Dept: In a humble speech amid tense times, Asghar Farhadi accepted Iran's first Oscar for best foreign film as a chance to celebrate a culture "hidden under the heavy dust of politics.", according to Winnipeg Free Press. The acclaimed domestic drama "A Separation" is the first Iranian film to win the award. The only other Iranian movie ever nominated was 1997's "Children of Heaven," which was defeated by Italy's "Life Is Beautiful." Asghar Farhadi, from Iran, poses with his award for best foreign language film for "A Separation" during the 84th Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. AP Photo/Joel Ryan It was a stirring reminder, instantly hailed at the Los Angeles ceremony and around the globe, of the human side behind rising geopolitical animosity. Related Items Articles Hazanavicius earns directing Oscar for 'Artist'; Plummer, Spencer win supporting-acting honours (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Rick Santorum Dept: WASHINGTON - Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum said Sunday that he doesn't believe in the separation of church and state, adding that he was sickened by John F. Kennedy's assurances to Baptist ministers 52 years ago that he would not impose his Catholic faith on them, according to Winnipeg Free Press. "The idea that the church can have no influence or no involvement in the operation of the state is absolutely antithetical to the objectives and vision of our country... to say that people of faith have no role in the public square? You bet that makes me want to throw up." Rick Santorum ERIC GAY / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Related Items Articles With critical Michigan primary looming Tuesday, Romney takes campaign detour to Daytona "I don't believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute," Santorum, a devout Catholic, said in an interview from Michigan on ABC's "This Week." (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Philippe Falardeau Dept: LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The director of "A Separation" dished that the biggest diva on the set of his Oscar-nominated film was none other than his daughter, according to Winnipeg Free Press. "When I was working with other actors or actresses, out of the respect that they had for me, they would still agree with what I asked them to do, even if they weren't convinced, but this was not the case with my daughter," said Farhadi through a translator on stage at the motion-picture academy's headquarters Saturday morning and from left, producer Kim McCraw, director Philippe Falardeau, producer Luc Dery and actress Evelyne de la Cheneliere, from the film "Monsieur Lazhar" from Canada, poses with during the press availability for the Foreign Language Film Academy Award nominees in Los Angeles, Friday, Feb. 24, 2012. The 84th Academy Awards will be held on Sunday. AP Photo/Matt Sayles Asghar Farhadi joked during a panel discussion with directors vying for the foreign-language film Oscar at Sunday's 84th annual Academy Awards that his daughter, Sarina Farhadi, who plays an estranged Iranian couple's 11-year-old child, was the most difficult person to work with on the film, which is also up for the original screenplay Oscar. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Free Exercise Dept: "The First Amendment means the free exercise of religion and that means bringing people and their faith into the public square.", according to CTV. Both Michigan and Arizona hold their primaries Tuesday. "I don't believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute," Santorum, a devout Catholic, said in an interview from Michigan on ABC's "This Week." Santorum's latest foray into the hot-button, faith-based issues that so fire up the party's evangelical base comes as his chief rival for the Republican nomination, Mitt Romney, begins to pull ahead slightly in the state of Michigan, where he was born and raised. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Provincial Nominee Program Dept: At public accounts Wednesday, which happened to be the Shambhala Buddhism New Year, the committee was talking immigration. Younger couldn t resist pointing out who was in charge when part of the provincial nominee program became wracked with problems in the mid-2000s, saying the lingering negative perception of some people is all originating from the fact the premier, Tory government, when Jamie Baillie was chief of staff, signed an untendered contract. , according to The Chronicle Herald. They re trying to start a story and I m not going to continue it, he said and liberal MLA Andrew Younger recognized Shambhala Day at a committee meeting last week, but the Tories found him far from enlightened when he took a shot at leader Jamie Baillie. Tory House leader Chris d Entremont, who sits on the committee, said the attack wasn t worthy of response. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Muslim Student Dept: The NYPD surveillance of Muslims on a dozen college campuses in the Northeast is a surprising and disappointing violation, students said Saturday in reaction to Associated Press reports that revealed the intelligence-gathering at Columbia and elsewhere, according to CTV. Documents obtained by the AP show that the NYPD used undercover officers and informants to infiltrate Muslim student groups. An officer even went whitewater rafting with students and reported on how many times they prayed and what they discussed. Police also trawled college websites and blogs, compiling daily reports on the activities of Muslim students and academics and nEW YORK At Columbia University and elsewhere, the fear that the New York Police Department might secretly be infiltrating Muslim student's lives has spread beyond them to others who find the reported tactics "disgusting," as one teenager put it. "If this is happening to innocent Muslim students, who's next?" asked freshman Dina Morris, 18, of Amherst, Massachusetts. "I'm the child of an immigrant, and I was just blown away by the news; it's disgusting." (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Teachers Dept: No! she says with a broad smile over a cappuccino in a trendy Montreal cafe. My God, I would cry all day, every day. , according to The Chronicle Herald. I admire them a lot, she said. I had a lot of compassion for my teachers. I would never tease them or anything because I felt I had the responsibility of showing them I was interested even when I wasn t. MONTREAL Evelyne de la Cheneliere laughs when asked if she ever considered becoming a teacher like one of her best known creations, Bashir Lazhar. She s kidding, the playwright quickly adds, but she also points out she believes teachers have a huge responsibility and need more energy than she has. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

84th Annual Academy Awards Dept: A lot of pundits will be left speechless if retro Hollywood homage The Artist doesn t take the Oscar for Best Picture at Sunday s ceremony, although scene-stealing canine Uggie will likely bark anyway, according to The Star. If The Artist wins, it will be the first silent film in 83 years to take Best Picture, which last occurred when World War I aerial drama Wings stormed the very first Academy Awards in 1929 and silence is golden at the 84th annual Academy Awards . This most unlikely of movie smashes silent, square, colourless and European has emerged over months of campaigns and contests to be deemed almost unbeatable. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Eddie Murphy Dept: Billy s back to save the day as the 84th annual Academy Awards unspool Sunday night at 8:30 on ABC and CTV, according to The Star. But it could have been much worse much earlier, when Hollywood bad boy Brett Ratner, director of the Rush Hour movies, was hired to produce the annual awards extravaganza and his dubious choice to host was his second-string Tower Heist star Eddie Murphy and fear not, Oscar watchers. You re safe now. The crisis is over and the way is clear Crystal clear. And just in the nick of time, too. Nominees and winners aside, it could have been a disaster. For one thing, the titular sponsor of the current venue, Hollywood s Kodak Theatre, has gone bankrupt, which is why you won t hear it mentioned at any point during the evening. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.